Hello and Welcome. I built this Mini Chopper (Above) from a toddler bicycle I had that was missing the front-end. I had given the front wheel & tire along with the fork to a friend, for something he was building.
Above: The chrome tip fork I used for the mini chopper was originally part of the white Nishiki Olympic hanging on the wall. The frame was stressed. So I stripped it
for parts and hung it up. Turns out the fork fit ok, but the Steerer tube was too short. I solved this problem by cutting a 1/4 inch off the top and bottom of the head-tube on the toddler frame.(after removing the cups of course) This gave me enough exposed thread to mount the fork on the frame. I had kept the bearings and hardware with the fork. The Nishiki bearings fit the cups on the Huffy head tube pretty good.
Above: For the stem I used an old Schwinn stem that I think was off an old Varsity.
The handlebars are from a typical 1980s mountain bike. I cut about 4 inches off both ends of the bars. Then I put on a set of Schwinn-like grips I had left-over from some long ago project. As for the head-set, I screwed on the threaded top cup/cap. Then I put-on a keyed head-set washer then the Nishiki threaded lock ring.
At this point I ran-out of threaded tube, so no cap nut.
Above: I took the "John Deere Yellow" wheels off this John Deere tyke bike. Looks like I might be building a Mini John Deere Chopper at some point in the future. The original wheels were also yellow but not the same shade.
Above: I replaced the red/pinkish pedals with these black ones from the scavenged pedal-box. They are a little too big for the bike. I will see if I can scrape-up a smaller black set.
Above: I`m not too keen on this "girly looking" Pacific saddle. I need to find a black mini bmx saddle. I think "Bullet-Proof" makes one that costs about 10.00 . I might spray this one black "for show" till I find one. I forgot to mention how I removed the paint from the fork blades. I used a 4 inch angle grinder with a soft brass wheel-brush. I used the same to clean-up the dingy looking Schwinn stem. As for chopping the head-tube. First I made a groove using a cutting wheel attached to a 3/8 high-speed drill. Then finished the cuts with a hand hack-saw. The cutting wheel on the drill was too difficult to control. To cut-off the bar ends I placed the end in the bench vise and cut those by hand with the hack saw. I used the jaw-width (vise) as a guide to cut-off the exact amount from both ends. Then filed off the sharp edges with a (hand) metal file.
Above: Me cleaning the last traces of white-paint off the fork crown using a "tooth-brush size" brass detailing brush. Right now I am putting the finishing touches on a Royal Blue Schwinn Caliente. I sure hope they make fingernail polish in royal blue. I`m sure gonna need some for touching up the paint.
Above: Preview of the Caliente. Till Next Time, RIDE SAFE and Remember to Always RESCUE,RESTORE&RECYCLE!!
Cheers,Hugh
