Switching (To or From???) the Dark Side

M

MotorbikeMike

Guest
HI guys, well shoot! In '05 when I arrived at the Fresno Whiz-in I was told the "No reproduction Whizzer has ever finished one of our Rides". Well the Gauntlet was thrown down, and even to I had a gas-cap that was not venting correctly, and my new '05 (20 miles on it when I arrived at the event) was running well, BUT, as we would go she would run like a scalded dog, then fizzle down to a dead stop, oven and over this little scene played on, for 65+ miles. I finished the ride that day, stock lil baffle, in an NE that needed an oil change bad! I did not have to worry about that Gauntlet again!

All that has changed, I went to the Whiz-in 06 with my new bike, I rode the Model 08 Racer Prototype an 05 NE5 in the hole then, in 07 the Model 09 Overhead (WC-1 conversion), in bare steel, and this year, 08 the model 09 Overhead (still wc-1 bottom end)in full Red Powder.

I have decided, at this point that it is time for me to experiance what all the Whizzer Owners of the past have. Getting a cast-iron cylinder engine, with a funny-lookin flex-pipe for an exhaust system, odd "Lawnmower" type cables, bolted into a bicycle.

I bought an early origional "H" motor, and am collecting all the little stuff that would have come in the box, that you had ordered from the back pages of that dog-eared Popular Mechanics, dated about March 1947. A wild-eyed kid, you had saved your paper-route money up, and sent it off to someone you never heard of in Pontiac Michagan, and waited, weeks it seemed, for that magic box to arrive.

I am going to attempt a "picto-Build" which is to say, show the steps needed to make an old-style Whizzer breathe new life again.

First, the bike...........I had some Vintage stuff in the yard, a 53 B6 Schwinn, a '37 Hawthorne, a Haiwatha Balooner that someone put a top bar on a girls, a 50's Monark Balooner, in orig blue 2-tone paint, tho missing it's freight-train headlight on the fender, and an old pre-war RollFast, and some other old stuff.

As I was agonizing over the choices, but leaning towards the Blue Monark, wifey says "what about that one you took the back wheel off of that's sitting in the dirt?"

Eureka! It is perfect (tho a bit the worse for the weather wear), a Roadmaster Luxury Liner repop, was new, with Persons pedals, Troxel Saddle, Shockmaster Springer, cool rack, deco tank, big chainguard, headlamp et al!

She is Gloss black, with red trim, and chrome fenders! I've pulled the orig tank, and chainguard, got a very late model WC-1 tank black with silver emblem.

I will take a pic of the bike soon, drum brake, and ChengShen "City Traveller" smooth road tires, undersized at 2.00 instead of 2.125, but a smooth fast tire.

I still lack the controls for the bars, and I do not like the 47 style control set (thumb levers) so I'm opting for "J" type twist handles. EZ-Glide Clutch, and just to build a real nice runner.

As I was thinking about all this fun I'm about to have, I got to thinkin that prolly almost no-body here might have known how to do an early Whizzer, so I want to share this bit with you-all, in case you may wish to switch (To or From???) the Dark Side.

"May the Farce be with you"


Duke WhizzerWalker
 
RdKryton is building up a '50 Columbia with an "H" engine he got from Quenton. I'm sure the two of you will be comparing notes. By the way, once I have enough coin saved up to buy the engine, I'll be doing the same thing. However, I'll be putting an "H" engine on a prewar Shelby Traveler.
 
I've been toying with doing something similar with one of my vintage bicycles. I've got a 1938 Shelby Flying cloud that would be a good canidate.
 
I've been toying with doing something similar with one of my vintage bicycles. I've got a 1938 Shelby Flying cloud that would be a good canidate.
Yes that would be a nice project bike.
The only thing I need yet for my "H" model kit is a vintage clutch cable and a vintage brake lever and cable for the front brake. My frame looks to be in good shape and the Columbia 3-Star springer front fork will work well for me. I can't wait to hear the "H" motor run. I have no doubts about the quality of the rebuild from Quenton. I really love my upgraded 2000 WC-1 to NE5 but this "H" project is going to be hard to top! Mike I know how you feel.

Jim
 
I'm thinking about putting a shock eas fork on it. Also need to find a nice set of fenders for it. then I can start looking for a H motor.
 
Here is the Victim

Hi all, well I been busy doing other things, and waiting for some parts to arrive. I missed a chance today to get my twist-grips, and clutch lever for the 1947 H project. Just couldn't get outta here early enuf to catch up with friend who was working nearby and has picked up the parts for me from SoCal.

I have got "Easy Glide Clutch Kit", "special clutch cable/exhaust pipe bracket", "clutch spring", special "adjustable clutch spring bracket". H engine with later sheet metal type clutch assy, little bracket to hold vibration bar, "motor mounts, with adjusters", and an NOS galvanized "Flex-pipe with fish tail". I have a very nice black 02 tank, and somewhere I have cap and petcock, tho I do have a tillitson sediment bowl which is NOS. I also have enuf of that special belting to make rear belt from Fenner Drive Red (thanks to Brent).

I currently lack some nuts and bolts, clutch lever, clutch cable (with clevis, apparently) Vibration bar.

I may make the Vibration bar, tho I do have the NE5 type here (not long enuf?), and I have plenty of cables to make the clutch work, but no Clevis!

We shall see. I will take pics, and post more as I assemble it.


I missed picking up (all new reproduction) "Clutch lever assy", "Twist grips", throttle cable and compression release cable.

Apparently I am close to assembly, and riding the new/old Iron Horse.

Here are pics of the Luxury liner, with tank and chain guard removed. I MAY be able to use the chainguard? I dunno as I am learning this time.

"May the Farce be with you."

Duke WhizzerWalker
 

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question

Jim in bike terms what do they mean by HT I know you are a ham so you should know what I mean?
Yes that would be a nice project bike.
The only thing I need yet for my "H" model kit is a vintage clutch cable and a vintage brake lever and cable for the front brake. My frame looks to be in good shape and the Columbia 3-Star springer front fork will work well for me. I can't wait to hear the "H" motor run. I have no doubts about the quality of the rebuild from Quenton. I really love my upgraded 2000 WC-1 to NE5 but this "H" project is going to be hard to top! Mike I know how you feel.

Jim
 
Jim in bike terms what do they mean by HT I know you are a ham so you should know what I mean?

In bike terms on this forum HT stands for Happy Time. This is referring to the Chinese import 2 cycle engine kits. HT in the ham radio world stands for Handy Talky. The H we are talking about here in this thread is the vintage H model Whizzer engine produced in 1946 and 1947. I hope I answered your questions. I was not sure what you were asking.

Jim
 
same thing in mind...

A '42 Western Flyer, and it is on it's way to Whizzerdom.
 

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