my hawthorn board track type build

[cafejon]

so i found this old hawthorn for 20 bucks and it was dirty but it was all there. i kinda like the dirty patina look. so anyway i would like to build a board tracker out of it. its gonna be a while till its all done but i really like the style. please forgive my crappy rendering in ms paint.
here is the bike when i brought it home.

and this is what i want it to look like.

 

[Waincat]

I like your plan. Similar to something I have been planning. A tip with the re-positioned saddle - I have found that those handlebar extensions for mountain bikes work well.

Nice looking cafe racer you have there by the way

 

[professor]

The problem I see is those wimpy brakes. They are horrible.

The other day I was alongside a van which turned right and in my path.
I am thankful for 2 things- that I was not a couple of seconds ahead of where I was, and that I have V brakes on the bike- even with that, I want to stop a lot faster.
I had already upgraded to Vs on both ends last year.

The ideal brakes are moped hubs or (even better) hyd. discs.
My manual disc brake on a pedaler is wimpy- nowhere near as good as the V on back of it.

One other thing- big fat tires ride a lot better than tiny ones. If it ain't fun to ride- you won't want to ride much.

 

[wheelbender6]

Professor - If your mechanical disc brake is weaker than a rim brake, something is wrong. Clean the rotor and pads with solvent if you haven't done it
already. If a basic cleaning and adjustment doesn't improve braking power, it is probably a good idea to take it to a shop.
Cafejon - You are quite a shopper to find a nice Hawthorne for 20 bucks. It should make a great motorbike.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

Looks like you got a really good deal on the bike. Looking forward to your build.