Rugblaster's 2015 OldMiniBikes buildoff "cactus donkey" jff

rugblaster

Active Member
#1
This is my first attempt at this. I'm building this bike for my younger brother to take camping, general pasture riding. So, it will be used primarily off road. They have a Honda Trail 70 now, and they need one more in the stable. They bought a little Sprinter motorhome, so they need little bikes. This frame is a NOS item that was bought out of Missouri. My older brother bought it and some hotrod parts off somebody on the HAMB. It came in an old Bird box, but I'm not sure it is a Bird. It is half again as large as a typical mini bike. It was a kit (just bent tubing, front fork and that front piece the fork bolts to) that was never welded together. The size is ideal because were all 6'+... 250-300 lbs.

I already tacked the frame, otherwise it would be a scratch build. This is my second mini bike I've done. My first is a '70's K&S.
We ordered all new parts from OldMiniBikes. Comet converter, wheels, tires, chain, spacers, brake, axles, beer, hardware etc. Also a new Harbor Freight stove. I have some parts to make heavy duty foot pegs, and a cratered Campbell-Housfeld mini compressor to make a cool gas tank out of. Also will paint and pinstripe it.........should be fun.
 
#4
Very nice start Rugblaster!! What size are your tires 410 350 6? They look good on those Astro's!! I'll be watchin!! :thumbsup:
 

rugblaster

Active Member
#5
Very nice start Rugblaster!! What size are your tires 410 350 6? They look good on those Astro's!! I'll be watchin!! :thumbsup:
Thanks Dogg.....I'll have to look at what size they are and report back. My bro picked them out. He wanted ground clearance and knobbies.
 
#13
Frame Welding

Finished tacking some stuff together and welded up the fork. Made some tabs for the rear axle.

The fork I tig welded......the rear axle tab needed a big fat mig bead, so I mig welded those.








 
#14
Frame jig

Here is a shot of my Redneck frame jig for this project. It features 2x4 "axle indexers", I knew the wheel/tire radius so that is what located the axle height. There is a center line marked on the table to line up the indexers to one another.

Sorry for the background clutter. About half embarrassing.

 
#16
Front fork rake

I have this old VW/Porsche adjustable protractor I used to come up with 30 degrees rake.

You could also use it to see how much your mother-in-law has been drinking....(lean factor.)


 
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#17
Thanks Dogg!!!

Shout out to Jody at weldingtipsandtricks.com YOUTUBE lots of good info on there for folks who want to be better self-taught welders. tig, mig or stick.

I usually drink a beer or two before welding something I want to look good. Calms the hand and the soul.
 
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CarPlayLB

Well-Known Member
#19
I would have to drink a six pack to make my welds look good! At that point I would not care!

Nice job! Your welds are very nice...but about that cluttered shop? Looks like most shops I am sure...no worries! Keep up the good work!
 
#20
Stuff for today

Thanks Car......I heard Long Beach has some decent weldors.....some guy named Jesse.

I forgot to mention in a previous post, in regard to the frame jig, axle indexers is a technical term in the same vein as "pot passers" were used on the billyyard table in the old Beverly Hillbillies tv show.

I'm going to knock out the rest of the frame parts, seat mount, foot pegs and finish the motor mount today and move on to the torque converter and some of the motor stuff. The weather is cooling off however.

The motor plate will have to be raised and moved over to the left. I thought about tilting the motor forward, but the little carb would have to be repositioned....f that. And I don't know how these motors oil themselves either. I want the torque converter and motor to be centered in the frame, looking at it from the rear, or front??
 
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