USAZorro

Flickr seems to be sleeping, so I'll have to resort to hopefully fewer than 1,000 words.

The Sheldon Brown method and the 1973 Bicycling methods both were unable to persuade the fixed cup off of the poor little orange Peugeot. Three weeks wasted at this, but I must make the best of however crappy a cup it is. I'm looking at the patches of surface rust on the top tube and if I stare at it with Magic Eye intensity, I may be able to make out a message. We shall see, but I'm giving myself 1 week from today to be past dealing with the frame and start pulling this blessed mess together.

AdventureManCO 

Do you have access to a welder? If so, maybe weld a square bar across the face of that thing and then you've got a big chuck to tap/hammer/wail upon?

Don't get me wrong, that thing is getting uglier by the second, with the crunched up flats and such, which normally is what we'd be hoping for in a thread like this, but I understand life is full of compromises.

AdventureManCO 

You mean it's not for something super hideous and ugly (and yes, the Huffy already has a fork) **********

Booooooooooooooo

AdventureManCO 

Oooh, this is fantastic! Whatever I owe ya, just lemme know.

But. We must cease discussion of this topic immediately, for these little acorn nuts are too shiny, too polished, and mount upon bicycle components of a pedigree far to highfaluttin' for a thread such as this

USAZorro

Reasonable question. I do not. My son is a professional welder, but alas, he's much too far away. I'm at the point where I'm done with this cup. Pierre has done an exceptional job of invoking nature's bi-metallic welder.

storckm

Sounds like my Free Spirit would have been a contender when I first got it--completely stock condition. Reynolds 531 frame, but a strange collection of parts: the junkiest pedals I've ever seen, a steel pipe seatpost with a shim . . .

storckm

Forgive me if this is one of the methods you mentioned, but I wonder if a left-handed internal pipe wrench would be any good.

USAZorro

I haven't tried that, but I think at this point, I am just done with it. This bike cost me the princely sum of $20.00 and buying new tools (likely single use at that) just makes it cost more. I'll be happy if the ride characteristics rise to "tolerable".

AdventureManCO 

Free Spirit...531...? One of the '74 Ted Williams Sears Specials? Near and dear to my heart!

AdventureManCO 

You have far greater aspirations and expectations for your build than I have of mine!

Mad Honk 

Kurt,
I have raided Harry's stash and the items are on the way to me. Now you gotta follow through!
On another note Dave #2 now has nuts headed his way. I so wanted to send a note to him saying "Nuts to you!"
The Ochsner build got some wrap on the brake levers today, but no pictures yet. It should look a lot like I want the finished bike to look like, More to come later. Smiles, Dave #3

RustyJames 

I just realised the golden opportunity I missed with this challenge. I recently acquired a 531 Cilo frameset that, thankfully, included the Swiss BB and a 600 headset. Sadly, I emptied my D-A 7400 stash onto it instead of the HUGE bullhorn cruiser bars, claw RD and $8 SunRace ratchet thumb shifters that are in the “why am I keeping these!!??” box.

If I can’t find the correct shift levers for the B-type bosses I may get some sort of clamp-on cable stop and stem shifters.

cudak888 

So long as Mike Terraferma can braze it up for me and I don't screw up bending the blades, should be easy-peasy.

Anyone have a semi-modern, black 36h narrow box-section rear rim? I realize it's not 100% in the spirit of the junk box build, but it's the only thing in the stable that I can at least build in the spirit of the thread.

-Kurt

Andy_K 

I used the Sheldon Brown method once, on a rusty old Gitane. I was lucky and it worked.







I wonder if the deforming of the washer actually contributes to the success of the method at some point. It looks like your cup was deforming. All the better for Frankenbikeness. Squirt some grease in there and you're good.

Manny66 

So much Junk here, Fred Sandford has just died and gone to Heaven.

USAZorro

I successfully used the Sheldon method on another Peugeot that is probably 7-10 years newer. It completely destroyed 4 of the six lock washers. I attempted to repeat the operation here, but it was done without success (despite liberal use of PB blaster (that really had no gap to penetrate into).

So it's "Ride Captain Ride" - when all gets cobbled together.

Pompiere

I totally agree. Mine had all the stuff shown in the catalog picture, but it was butt ugly with dirt and rust, not to mention whatever that paint color is supposed to be. I have heard that the steel seat post and shim was a cost concession. I cleaned up the inside of the seat tube with a rat tail file and a 27.2 post slid right in.

1974 Sears Free Spirit 531 as found.

storckm

I'm not sure of the exact year, but that's it. My frame is a little small for me (passed down from my father in law), but I have it set up as a fixie with dirt drop stem and Nitto moustache bars. I'd love to see a picture of yours as it is now.

I may see if I have the time to make something horrible out of a Shogun frame I have hanging around. (That one I bought out of someone's garage for $25. It was my commuter for a while, but I stole the parts for my new commuter frame a couple of years ago.)

USAZorro

I'm liking the look here. One question though... I've seen references over the years to "dirt drop" components, and I haven't a clue what that means. Any chance I can get you to briefly explain?

storckm

My understanding is that "dirt drops" we're originally bars with the ends angled out for off-road riding. The original ones were road drops that mountain bikers bent themselves. I remember seeing commercial versions for sale in the mid 90s. They seem to have become uncommon, and then recently become really popular. The Nitto dirt drop stem has a 35 degree angle and is strong enough for off-road use, and is presumably meant to accompany dirt drop bars, since you want them fairly high to use the drops for riding off-road. The stem is also good for a smaller frame.

Andy_K 

It's just a quill stem that's happy to see you.



I guess the idea is that you're more likely to come off the saddle riding offroad and the traditional '7' shape is a bit dangerous?

My modern bikes are built like this because it was the best compromise for comfortable fit I could find (and maybe I spent too many years buying bikes that were too small).

AdventureManCO 

Well Kurt, to assuage you of any sorrow you may feel towards not meeting the 'junk box' aspect, we are mainly intending to save that for USAZorro and his fine endeavor of 'On The Road Again' challenges - though, any similarities are not to be looked down upon in this thread, for sure. And while there have been some deviations in each person's build, from one another, I do believe that everyone has been working their hardest to meet the ethos (or hidden-not-so-hidden ethos) of the build: the most hodgpodge components from as many makers and countries as possible, truly a 'mutt' build...


OR


Eye-poppingly horrendous shock value by using the highest-tier frame one has, and then proceeding with the desecration.


If memory serves correct, you happen to have a lovely old classic Bianchi that is probably crying out for attention.

Nobody said it needs to be positive attention

zukahn1 

With more upright shifting and braking the modern design with bigger stem longer post and even smaller frame makes since when converting a vintntage to more modern components.

zukahn1 

Got a couple parts for my second horror build the Fuji nice tourer turned in to single speed coaster fixie craze era early 2000's Frankeinbike.through back build. With the new cheap ugly grips and pedals it looks great but totally wrong actually rides good with nice brakes except for a hell of a squeal from the front safety brake nail it when wet and it's better than a horn. Will probable donate this bike to the thrift store where I got the original bike and most of the parts for free or cheap from at some point. So would like it to be a nice safe cool bike that they can sell for $150 or so to some one that would ride it. Intend to ride it till Halloween or so and get some great fall pic along with some more of the Jeunet.

Swampthing 

The Horror of horrible things.
I worked a full day today
it’s fiscal year turnover and there were lots of budget discussions.
other times it just felt like Monday.
after work it wasn’t raining, and the humidity was less than 100% and the temp was below boiling so I figured I’d mow the lawn.
out of gas.
so, I tied the can on my scary chrome build and went to the gas station.
it was a scary, noisy, rattling ride as this is mostly just fit together, but not put together.
and when I got home I mowed the lawn.
Unknown KHS frame.
Small stem with a shim.
mismatched headset parts
Bendix two speed coaster brake axle in back.
Nitto Racks
Blackburn bottle cage
Wald mudguards from a pink step through cruiser.
English saddle and a French pump.