album21

	This is Eric's dog Casey. Eric decided to rebuild his Schwinn cruiser in honor of Casey.
	Eric's other bike, a 2003 Schwinn "panther", is disassembled for paint. The Casey Cruiser project has begun.
	The paint is ground off...
	This frame was made by Pacific Cycles in China. They took over Schwinn in the 1080s. The evidence that this is a chinese made Schwinn in ground off with the paint.
	Paint stripping and sanding complete. David helped with the sanding.
	Eric cut the tank plate from 1/8" aluminum plate. It is pictured here above the MDF template.
	A discount-store bicycle is reborn into classic hot rod.
	There are many new parts on this bike
	The tank plate is clamped in place with collar clamps.
	Cream colored Felt tires, brand new black wheels from U.S. Choppers, and in the background Iron cross pedals.
	The sprocket has the iron cross milled into one side and is solid anodized black on the other side. In a last minute decision Eric opted to put the all black side out.
	The "J" shaped seat post and drag race handle bars give this bike a stooped forward riding position. A totally different character than the "rockabilly boogy".
	Eric's bikes.
	Two modern classics.
	Casey signs off on the build.
	Casey's likeness is permanently emblazoned on the head tube of the bikes frame.
	Hmm.... ....let's compare.
	The Chainring was mounted backwards so the all black side was out this provides a rat rod simplicity to the bike.
	A side view of the laid back seat post.
	The drag bars were too low so a set of mini ape hangers were fitted.
	Eric decided that the mini apes looked a bit too "lowrider" so he swapped them for a set of bars with a less extreme amount of rise. Pictures of these bars soon!
	A custom headlight bracket was fabricated from two layers of 1/8" aluminum plate.
	The head light bracket is secured to the fork with two collar clamps. This makes for an incredibly strong-- and rigid bracket.
	The aluminum was sanded with 320 grit and then polished with a fine grit Scotchbrite pad.
	The bracket and collar clamps were clear coated to protect them.
	Eric's bikes. The women's bike in the back is owned by Eric's fiance Jen. It is an Electra Townie.
	A few new details were added to the bike including this "suicide shifter" bell.
	Eric decided to buy a pack of real dice to use one for the shift lever handle. "Bicycle" brand dice of course!
	To further the early, vintage, motorcycle theme of this bike a "heat shield" was fabricated and mounted on the lower portion of the seat tube.
	The heat shield mounts to the tube with socket cap screws.
	These are the new handle bars. They are black electra townie bars.
	The overall pic. The saddle is pretty uncomfortable so Eric is researching new saddles.
	A new overall picture. Can you spot what has changed?
	After trying a brooks saddle. Eric decided that it was too hard and too small.
	He ordered Brooks grips too. Those were keepers for sure.
	The new saddle is a extra wide, leather Rat Rod saddle from Electra.
	Time to roll the two hot rods out for a photo shoot.
	Hmm.... what else can be added to these bikes?
	IMG_3807.JPG
	IMG_3808.JPG
	IMG_3810.JPG
	IMG_2860.JPG
	IMG_2866.JPG
	IMG_2868.JPG