PROJECT QUICK CHANGE - SUBJECT: Schwinn Dixie (Custom 1950s Schwinn DX Bare Metal Bike)

[Superman1984]

I'd go without the added tail point on the tank. Prior 1 looked a Lot better IMHO. Keep in mind if it's the look you want you can always layer plywood or do like I started using decking boards. Keep making progress . I'm back to working on my Columbia project; sanding the fenders, flared the factory notches out evenly, cut notched the rear fender to the pinch point on the top & now I have to play with the mounting brace length ideas to figure out where I want it & keep it appealing. Deuces

 

[Bike from the Dead]

I'd go without the added tail point on the tank. Prior 1 looked a Lot better IMHO. Keep in mind if it's the look you want you can always layer plywood or do like I started using decking boards. Keep making progress . I'm back to working on my Columbia project; sanding the fenders, flared the factory notches out evenly, cut notched the rear fender to the pinch point on the top & now I have to play with the mounting brace length ideas to figure out where I want it & keep it appealing. Deuces

Yeah, I think I'll leave out the tail point for the sake of simplicity. (I cannot believe I just said that given my track record...) I'll definitely consider layering plywood for a better look, as all options are on the table right now.

Is the Columbia you're referring to that one you thought was a 24", but it turned out to be a 26"? You got a build thread going on that?

 

[Superman1984]

Yeah, I think I'll leave out the tail point for the sake of simplicity. (I cannot believe I just said that given my track record...) I'll definitely consider layering plywood for a better look, as all options are on the table right now.

Is the Columbia you're referring to that one you thought was a 24", but it turned out to be a 26"? You got a build thread going on that?

No my purchased '64 Columbia FireBolt; this was just after adding the White Wall Columbia Superb tires but it's undergoing a fender swap & some other changes. I have a thread here in the project section with updated pics.

Here's 1 with the fenders sanded but not finished to final progress. Of course you'll see the fender isn't braced ....

 

[Bike from the Dead]

No my purchased '64 Columbia FireBolt; this was just after adding the White Wall Columbia Superb tires but it's undergoing a fender swap & some other changes. I have a thread here in the project section with updated pics.
View attachment 1401896

Here's 1 with the fenders sanded but not finished to final progress. Of course you'll see the fender isn't braced ....View attachment 1401897

Oh duuuuuuuuude.... That thing is cool! That's one of those bikes that I'd just love to have. The integration of the rear rack into the middle bars under the tank is just genius. I'd love to customize one of those bad boys! Care to share a link to the build thread so I can find it a little easier?

 

[Superman1984]

Oh duuuuuuuuude.... That thing is cool! That's one of those bikes that I'd just love to have. The integration of the rear rack into the middle bars under the tank is just genius. I'd love to customize one of those bad boys! Care to share a link to the build thread so I can find it a little easier?

'64 Columbia Fire Bolt; Rat Rod | Project Rides

That looks really sharp , killer lines on that frame and the big tires do it justice. It has that muscle car stance and look I love. It has the look it is moving forward , while standing still. Glad things are working out ride with pride on that one.

thecabe.com

Yeah I love the rack integration & it was already Rat Rod built by Jimbo53 here. I wanted it for like 2 years but stuff came up, thought it had sold & finally kinda plugging it to tell someone about a Western Flyer badged Newsboy Special I found out it was still available to Finally be Mine!
I am jus' having so much fun making my own touches to it. You'll see via the thread

 

[Bike from the Dead]

I think I've figured out the general direction I want to take this bike. I just need to figure out the exact direction I want to go now. I kept coming back to my first idea for how I was going to put this bike together, and just how clean it looked.

Problem is that right now, I can't make the tank as big as I had originally planned, which also means I can't use those '57 Thunderbird fender vents like I wanted. The tank needs to fit inside the frame, without the sides of the tank resting on the sides of the frame. So, how do I get a similarly clean look using the space and parts I've got? I sketched up a few ideas on paper, then redrew and colored them in Photoshop. Here's what I came up with:

This first idea involved using some O or G gauge train tracks laid inside the tank. It looks neat, but not as much as my next idea.

Clean and simple. One model train track rail or strip of stainless over the outside portion of the tank, with a different color indentation at the front. The question now is what colors and tank materials am I using? The bulk of the tank will be made of whatever wood I have laying around, but that inner layer might use something else.

I have this red acrylic bug deflector and this scrap piece of grated sheet metal that I've been thinking of using on a bike, but only recently have I thought about using it in the tank, maybe with some LEDs inside to light it up.

Here were some ideas using those parts. I'm not crazy about building another bare metal and black bike again, at least not right now, so I think this bike needs some color.

I'm thinking I could either make the indentation using the red acrylic, maybe with the grated sheet behind it, or in front of it, with some LEDs lighting up from inside. Red's not really one of my favorite colors, in fact it's my 2nd least favorite color, but as an accent color, red looks alright to me.

I then just had to see what it'd look like if not just the tank was different colors, but I wanted to see how it'd look if the fenders, chain guard, seat and handlebar grips were different colors too. First, a color scheme inspired by my 1964 Mercury Comet...

...and then one in green.

Overall, I love the new tank design. Now I just have to figure out what colors and materials I want to use on it.

Stay tuned! More to come!

 

[coasterbrakejunkie1969]

I do like the green. The bug shield as a light lens is cool idea, not sure of red light with green. How much of the perforated metal do you have and what is it? could it be polished up, it is really cool and you could use it on the tank and maybe tie it in somewhere else on the bike. Maybe wrap a band around the top of the forks or the rear stays. If you could get some more maybe make some skirt guard type of covers for the rear wheel kinda like the comet body panels cover the top of the wheels kind like my JC Higgins but more of the wheel. Just throwing s@#t out there.You can't go wrong.

 

[Bike from the Dead]

I do like the green. The bug shield as a light lens is cool idea, not sure of red light with green. How much of the perforated metal do you have and what is it? could it be polished up, it is really cool and you could use it on the tank and maybe tie it in somewhere else on the bike. Maybe wrap a band around the top of the forks or the rear stays. If you could get some more maybe make some skirt guard type of covers for the rear wheel kinda like the comet body panels cover the top of the wheels kind like my JC Higgins but more of the wheel. Just throwing s@#t out there.You can't go wrong.

View attachment 1404157

Thanks! the red light wouldn't be used on the green or Comet-inspired designs. I'd just paint the indentation the colors you see in the photos, if I choose to go that route. I've got enough of that perforated (thank you for showing me how it's spelled) metal to make more than a few tanks and other pieces if I want. I don't know if it's steel, aluminum or what, but it shouldn't be difficult to shine up. The real problem is whether or not I can smooth it out. It's a bit bent out of shape, as it was just a piece of scrap tossed out behind the building where I store my future bike projects, so I don't know if it's useful for anything bigger than these small tank inserts right now. I have an idea of how to flatten it out Roadkill-style, but it remains to be seen just how effective it'll be. You've got some good ideas on how to use it, I just don't want to weld anything to this frame. I want to leave it stock aside from being bare metal with a satin clear, so I can easily swap parts whenever I want. I'll definitely play around with more mockups and designs here soon.

By the way, that's a nice JC Higgins. What's the story on it?

 

[Superman1984]

@Bike from the Dead lay it between 2 boards & hit it with a dead blow mallet or hammer. Should straighten it out. Easiest way to know is stick a magnet to it; No Sticky it's Not enough Iron content. Paint stripper or Goof Off Graffiti Remover works Best so you could change the color or polish it once final cuts & forming has been done. I have some I thought of using before for the same ideas of lighting on the bike

 

[coasterbrakejunkie1969]

Super votes for red I'm sure and he wishes it was a cantilever haha