My Orange Coast Chopper Build

BrettMavriK

Member
Local time
2:11 PM
Joined
Oct 3, 2008
Messages
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Location
Tampa Bay
Greetings, Fellow Motorbicyclers.

Welp, it's time I start my official thread of my

- Tampa Bay Orange Coast Chopper Build -

I got 2 choppers off of craigslist, a Jesse James WCC, and a Schwinn Stingray OCC. I like the JJ WCC frame & fork, but I like the OCC fat rear tire and 22" skinny front tire. I'm going to join the two bikes for the base of an HT engine'd, "ol' skool krate / rat rod'esque" chopper build with a homebuilt bottom bracket jackshaft and at least 3 speeds.
(also, possibly a cantilever rear suspension.)

To start with, let me say this is going to be a completely custom, cut, weld, and fabricate build, where the goal is to cut as many corners as possible, save money, and be almost totally DIY aside from the engine. This is all very important and half the journey for me. So, total creative freedom will be allowed. I also have to say, Thanks to this forum for existing, and that all of you have come together to share information. I have been on this forum for a month now, burning midnight oil, researching and gathering everything to oblivion before deciding how and with what I am going to build my bike.

I think I'm pretty caught up, but I'm sure I'm going to need help.
So, here's some photos now that I figured out how to upload them.
(How Do you get them to thumbnail right on the page?)
The next post will come tonight after "Day One - The Chopping Block" is finished.

Happy Sunday
'BrettMavriK
 

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Day 1 - "The Chopping Block"

Been a couple days since Sunday. Got this thing called work gettin' in the way...
So, I stripped the frames from their components and went to work. I thought it would be a good idea to layout some lines on the floor to get an idea where I was headed. After I drew out what I wanted and it looked right, I grabbed the cutoff wheel. The OCC wheel cage was too narrow in its' arc, so I drew out and sectioned a pie shape out of the axle plates and pulled the cage open. After laying it out, I welded it solid again and lined it up....looks good.
Day 2 will be the rear wheel cage attachment with a swivel joint. The whole cage will cantilever, and then a shock from a mountain bike will be installed.
Can't wait to get crackin' on that. :D

'BrettMavriK
 

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Looks good! Go for it!
What you have started is going to be great.
Whoo! HT on a chopper.
I'll get to drag race my chopper against a HT soon.
That will be exciting.
 
Thanks,

It's nothing new, really.
It's been done, and done very well before on this forum. I'm gonna give it a little twist, however. A cantilever rear suspension using a mountain bike rear shock is gonna be next. After that, I'm gonna' extend the seat post down to the bottom bar, and add another BMX bottom bracket in line with the existing chain drive. This will serve as an intermediate jack shaft and gear drive for the motor to the rear wheel, while freewheeling to the crank sprocket for the pedals. Then I'm going to put a Sturmey Archer internal 3 speed hub to the Stingray 4.25" rear wheel. These hubs were available on the Stingray XL adult chopper. They come with a 3 speed stick shift like the old Orange Krates did. I could use it and be like the hardcore real choppers I've seen, but I like both hands on the bars, so I'm going to opt for the 3 speed grip shifter from the donor mountain bike's front derailer on the left side. I'm rendering up my reverse mounted cantilever shock brackets today.
These are gonna have a cool artistic flare.

More to come...
'BrettMavriK
 
Mornin',

Finally got some time to work on the bike today.

I'm fusing all my hacked up frames into one. I also found another donor BMX bottom bracket shell for the intermediate jackshaft. This will be a cool and easy set up for a jackshaft. One fixed sprocket on the right goes back to the rear wheel, and one freewheeled sprocket on the right goes up to the front mounted crank. My goal is to have no more than $75 into the jackshaft with new bearings and sprockets. I have my Sturmey Archer 3 Speed internal Rear Wheel Hub ordered and on the way.
To add to the fun, I am putting a urethane bushing from a leaf sprung 4x4 behind the seat where the rear wheel cage will pivot. Then I'm putting a mountain bike shock on the botttom of the frame. =-]'
I had a little brainstorm on shocking the chopper fork as well.

So today is cut,grind,tack,and weld day.....yeehaa!

(here's a pic of what I'm lookin' at)
http://www.motoredbikes.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=12263&d=1224983039

'BrettMavriK
 
Day 3?.....I lost count on what day of the build it is...

Welp,
Another week has passed and I didn't get as far as I had hoped, but I nailed down the reverse cantilevered rear shock mount design and cut the pieces for it. I'm using an oval tube donated from the OCC bike as the bottom tube for the front down tube and elongated seat post to intersect. Then I'm going to weld the shock brackets to that. I'm implementing an artistic flare here, and will be the focal point of this build.
The brackets will be cut-out in flames... =-]'

Here's a photo of my process today.

'BrettMavriK
 

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Yep, I'm in the garage working on it today.
I'm cutting, notching, and welding up the bottom of the frame where all the tubes and the shock mount meet. I'm using an oblong section of tubing from the donor OCC bike.
*Sheesh* Every step I take has ramifications on everything else. I have to be wary of motor position and jack shaft alignment, keeping the carb as close to level as possible, chain clearance, derailer slack, shock travel, the list goes on an on..... Been a "head scratcher" of a day, but I'm getting somewhere. I should have photos up soon of my progress.
I need to start looking ahead to expansion chamber exhausts, ape hangers, fabbing a custom curved seat post, an old school analog speedo gauge, and I want to run l.e.d.'s for headlight, brake, turn, and tail lights with controller switches on the handlebars.....gotta' burn some more midnight oil tonight.....well maybe after True Blood, Californication, and Dexter. =-]'

more to come......
'BrettMavriK


any updates on this? its looking great. keep up the good work. i am definately interested in seeing it when it is done.
 
Hey there,
Been working in the shop, when I can, to get a lil' further along.
The vertical flame shock brackets are welded on the frame. I'm diggin' it.
The horizontals are next in the works, then I can mount the suspended rear wheel cage to the bike. I'll probably have it back on it's wheels this weekend for engine and jackshaft fitment. So far, so good.

'BrettMavriK
 

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looks good, i cant wait to see it when its done. one question though...unless i missed something, wont putting the shock on the bottom of the frame result in the shock being pulled as opposed to compressed when absorbing bumps?
 
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