Matty`s 1910 Oddball Special Boardtrack Racer

(what you will see in the next few posts is a copypaste dump of an another forum on which I've already started documenting on this build, posts henceforth will be written on this forum platform and will likely make more sense)

This is a project that`s been lingering in the back of my head for years and years but since I don't want to build anything I cannot use in other than restricted areas never went forward with it. That is until I recently learned that if it`s done within a certain set of rules ( <50cc, <1kw, max25km/h assisted) it is in fact totally road legal, and doesn't even require any kind of a registration as in the eyes of the law it is -despite having an internal combustion engine- still considered as a bicycle.

Matty's 1910 Oddball Special Boardtrack Racer 01.jpg


This is my starting point, a 24" Jupiter five speed I purchased today for a budget breaking sum of 20 Euros. It`s a bit small but that doesn't matter much as it`ll be cut in two, stretched and modified heavily til I`m done with it. Plans for this project are to, as said, stretch the frame enough to make room for an engine and fabricate a springer style suspension up front. I probly will not make a "drop loop" frame as the engine I will be using is not big enough to warrant one. What comes to the engine I currently have two options. Either I will order one of those motorized bicycle two stroke conversion kits off ebay, take the engine apart and make it right as they`re known to be a bit s**t not even bothering to deburr the canals etc, or take a look at this 50cc kids china ATV engine I happen to have kicking around that has a cracked tranny casing due to a snapped chain and see if I could either mend it or cut it in two and only use the motor part.

Matty's 1910 Oddball Special Boardtrack Racer 02.jpg

Matty's 1910 Oddball Special Boardtrack Racer 03.jpg

Matty's 1910 Oddball Special Boardtrack Racer 04.jpg


Totally in love with the vintage details and the patina of this thing, trying to use as much of the parts originally on the bike to preserve it. And no not going to fret over stuff like it having a non-perioid-correct derailleur transmission as this is a total tongue-in-cheek project since it will not be registered so I can do whatever the f*** I please with it.

Matty's 1910 Oddball Special Boardtrack Racer 05.jpg


Looking at this scene made me pause a little, vividly remembering me asking my younger 4yo son "why would I buy you any new toys as the FIRST thing you do with ALL of them is take them apart?!" Made me go ummm... ;D Well to my defense I DO get most of them back together too AND pay for them myself!

Popping into the hardware store tomorrow for some 2x4:s and fittings to make a crude frame jig.

Oh and sorry for any missing A:s, for some reason the button in question seems to not always work on my garage laptop.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
436655f6658ec44903.jpg


Built a frame jig today, had to sink the bolts so they`ll fit flush with the lift table surface. Probly going to swap the prop post you`ll see on the next pic to the far side so it won`t be as much in the way.

436655f6658ec4a965.jpg


436655f6658ec4f561.jpg


Decided to arse around with the tube bender for a while and made a quick mock-up handlebar, came out good enough I might actually keep it. One side is about two degrees off but that can be easily fixed. Also made the lower part of the springer suspension already, a perioid correct part would have been a 180 degree U-bend but that was about as far as I could get with my bender without kinking the tube too much so that`ll have to do. Welded together now, gonna grind the bead down tomorrow.

436655f6669c13e91b.jpg


When taking the front end apart found this. It`s loominum so need to source somewhere for a new used part or age a new new one.


On the list tomorrow is to make the swing arm parts of the springer suspension, after that might be a bit quiet for some time as I need to order some shoulder/stripper bolts, a hand reamer to get the holes right and find 25mm/1" tubing somewhere as my local hardware store seems to have run dry and are unwilling to order more til further needs emerge.
 
436655f67bb2b2e21c.jpg


Well today started with a bang, a rather loud one I might add. Was starting to make the new straight front arms, got the end of the tube nice and red then went to town getting it squished flat, didnt quite go according to plan...

436655f67bb2b332cf.jpg


...so a trip to the city was in order. Lost half a day of precious garage time but hey at least I now got the upgrade I`ve been planning for a few years now.

436655f67bb2b38dcd.jpg


Decided to revise my game plan and instead of just flattening the tube end I welded on rather hefty pieces of flat stock to have a solid surface. Seams need to be ground down and most likely refilled but that`ll have to wait for a while.

436655f67bb2b3e146.jpg


I also made the lower arms of the springer suspension today out of stainless stock. Threw the thing together with regular bolts and the curved lowers to have an idea of the travel length and possible clearance issues and actually managed to find a few, going to modify the parts accordingly once time permits.
 
Had to google how is that even possible, LOL no fear of that, once I'm done with the front end the wheel will be sitting more or less where it was just having some suspension added.

This will likely be a fairly slow paced build (or rather bursts of progress with crickets in between) because

A) I'm trying to keep the budget ss low as humanly possible
B) I actually have absolutely ZERO need for something like this so this is built purely, as they say, for the lolz.
C) I rather think things through to spot all possible faults in advancd so I'd have as much time and energy to tackle the ones I didn't spot during the build
D) my tinker time is very limited as our garage sits directly below the bedrooms so even the clink of a dropped wrench carries upstairs, and I'm usually at work til 7-8pm so most fabricating is done at weekends.
E) The Winter Is Coming :D

Front springs should arrive either today or tomorrow but since the wifey has a night shift I got the baboons (4+7yr boys) so no tinkering til the weekend. Had to order them blind as they didn't provide any info like spring rate or anything, only the free standing length but since they are for a solo motorbike seat they should at least be in the ballpark. I also need to order some stripper bolts and a hand reamer to make the pivot points to the suspension and cannot find either locally so ebay it is and that could be a month's wait. In the meantime probly taking a gander at the junker engine I got and see what peripherals I have for it (got it in a crate for free off my neighbor) to determine whether it'll be cheaper to refab that or just get a new kit. Lol I don't even know if it's 2t or 4t just carried the whole box to the back of my moms garage and left it there (neighbor doesn't remember either)
 
436655f6ccc37e3882.jpg


Been looking at this junker lying at the corner of a parking lot downtown for a good while til today I suddenly thought I wonder if that handlebar holder thingy would fit into the boardtracker...

436655f6ccc573df20.jpg


Took a fair bit of cussing banging and a long tube to break it loose but off it came eventually.

436655f6ccc5742eca.jpg


Wehey, freebies! Of course needs a bit of paint removing and weathering but she`ll be right.

436655f6ccc37cc586.jpg


Didn`t have nothing better to do last night so started doodling on a piece of cardboard while watching stupid youtube videos and sipping beer...

436655f6ccc37d230a.jpg


436655f6ccc37d818e.jpg


Just a proof of concept at this point really, gonna refine the shape and desing a bit when I do the finished part off 5mm steel.

436655f6ccc37dddaa.jpg


Wasn`t expecting these to arrive quite just yet but here they are, 24h from ordering. Would have preferred barrel springs but these were the only 5" longs I could find. They`re Highway Hawk brand custom motorcycle solo seat springs in case someone was wondering, they didn`t provide any specs like spring rates or even the coil thickness, only the length but I figured since hog riders tend to be big boys these should be good and based on what I`ve seen so far these should work quite well.
 
436655f6ccc37e3882.jpg


Been looking at this junker lying at the corner of a parking lot downtown for a good while til today I suddenly thought I wonder if that handlebar holder thingy would fit into the boardtracker...

436655f6ccc573df20.jpg


Took a fair bit of cussing banging and a long tube to break it loose but off it came eventually.

436655f6ccc5742eca.jpg


Wehey, freebies! Of course needs a bit of paint removing and weathering but she`ll be right.

436655f6ccc37cc586.jpg


Didn`t have nothing better to do last night so started doodling on a piece of cardboard while watching stupid youtube videos and sipping beer...

436655f6ccc37d230a.jpg


436655f6ccc37d818e.jpg


Just a proof of concept at this point really, gonna refine the shape and desing a bit when I do the finished part off 5mm steel.

436655f6ccc37dddaa.jpg


Wasn`t expecting these to arrive quite just yet but here they are, 24h from ordering. Would have preferred barrel springs but these were the only 5" longs I could find. They`re Highway Hawk brand custom motorcycle solo seat springs in case someone was wondering, they didn`t provide any specs like spring rates or even the coil thickness, only the length but I figured since hog riders tend to be big boys these should be good and based on what I`ve seen so far these should work quite well.
I dig watching the fabrication Good work (y)
 
Back
Top