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Once it was all apart I noticed the fork was bent. Using a vice and a little muscle I was able to carefully cold bend it back into shape. Once the frame was all cleaned up and straight, the wheel hubs were rebuilt, and once I was happy with the faux rust patina on the bare metal spots I added a light coat of Satin Clear. I generally prefer using this method over oiling the frame to lock in and darken the color, and keep the powdery rusty dusty feeling off of the metal, or the greasy feeling that the oil gives. I also like using a Flat or Satin Clear which I think looks more natural than a gloss clear. Everyone has their own preferences on which method they prefer, this is just mine. A CWC chainring that already had about the same patina as the rest of bike was add as well as a lazy 7 seat post was bent and faux rusted. Now it is together and almost a rider again.
So I don't have a basket, but I do have an old Hoffman Beverage Beer & Ale delivery box that is from about the right era, and has the right look. Since that is my last name, it seemed fitting to use that for my delivery vehicle theme.
I didn't have the factory basket bracket, but I have seen a picture of two of what they should look like, even saw a repop sell recently but just missed it. I set out to try to make a close to original looking bracket, but while scavenging around the shop I couldn't find any angle iron of the right size. I didn't want to make a special trip to town to Metal by the Foot, so I settled on using an old bracket base off a Metal Glider base that was in my scrap metal pile. Not anywhere close to an original but I didn't even have to clean off my welding table, and it works well with the box for now. If anyone has an original or even a repop I'd be interested in buying it?
Next on the agenda is the advertising panel. Started with a cardboard templet. Transferred it to an already rusty sheet, and then added some more make rust formula to get it to about the same color/patina as the rest of the bike. After 3 coats of flat clear and a very rough mock up it is off to my go to pinstriper/lettering guy.
So as usual, Bob Bond knocked it out of the park with his lettering on the advertising panel. I wanted the panel to look like it had always been on the bike and wasn't just added this week. While he was doing the lettering to match the Hoffman Beverage logo on the box. I faux rusted the 3 shinny new brackets and screws/nuts to hold it on. I'm pretty happy with the look. Next is trying to find a chainguard to match & possibly a front drop stand.
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