stretching a(nother) West Coast Chopper frame

I love the lines of the Huffy Jesse James West Coast Chopper kids bikes.

With a low slung fat tube frame, 1 1/2" triple tree forks, huge wheel clearance, and spider web gussets they just look right to me.

They are also a 20" kids bike and i am ~six feet tall. something of a conflict for actually riding the thing

also, gasoline is not allowed on the commuter train, but batteries are - so this is likely to wind up electric...
a first for me


so first photo shows a relatively un-molested frame i forgot to do a " before" picture but they are everywhere
this frame is unusual in that it is triangluar and missing the seat tube
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i made three cuts- because i can make a triangle bigger by stretching all the sides (different amounts) but keep the same angles
1) top tube- i chose right behind the hole, between the tank and the seat so the tank covers one seam
2) down tube - i chose about 2" above the bottom bracket - i may wish i had left a little more
3) botom tube - there is a small but usable "straight" section. i chose the middle of that
2017-04-14 15.15.29.jpg
 
this is how i make a slip fit "slug" for this purpose

i slit a piece of steel tubing of close diameter then cut to length- if slug is smaller diameter than receever i enlarge by using two levers to widen the slit

just close for now, but at assembly this will be tapped in ith a mallet

notice my deburring tool, great for inside of tubing for nice fit

when welding i will leave a small gap as shown - knits all parts and the weld "falls in" a little
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here is the frame slugged up, ready to be measured for the matching tube "sleeves" that will be cut from matching material i have collected for these projects.

i am going to try someting with the top tube - i found what appears to be a portable pedestal table leg about 27" long and tappered at both ends. i plan to slug one end and use the taper in a manner similar to my usual slugging

anyway, top tube stretch ~12", down tube ~7 5/8", botom ~7 1/2" - the slucgs are longer and fit inside the frame

i could use short slugs at the extension ends, but this lets me adjust, mark and measure easily
2017-04-14 15.57.19.jpg
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2017-04-14 16.27.56.jpg
 
here is the frame slugged up, ready to be measured for the matching tube "sleeves" that will be cut from matching material i have collected for these projects.

i am going to try someting with the top tube - i found what appears to be a portable pedestal table leg about 27" long and tappered at both ends. i plan to slug one end and use the taper in a manner similar to my usual slugging

anyway, top tube stretch ~12", down tube ~7 5/8", botom ~7 1/2" - the slucgs are longer and fit inside the frame

i could use short slugs at the extension ends, but this lets me adjust, mark and measure easilyView attachment 76330 View attachment 76328 View attachment 76329
looks pretty cool ! I love this frame also it's very beefy and strong and not many are able to use it because it requires some fabing to make work right! this is how I did mine and like I said love it!
 

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