vintage Ross balloon-tire tank-bike (big pics)
12-13-07, 10:55 PM
#1
Viking Warrior
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Location: Bristol, CT
Posts: 224
Bikes: 60's SpaceLiner, 60's Ross Futura, 60's Sears spyder, 70's Zebrakenko, 98 Ross Chimera Hybrid, 90's Schwinn Frontier, and ThunderHorse, my trusty mountain steed, also my gf's 64 Schwinn ladies cruiser and her purple lowrider are at my disposal.
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vintage Ross balloon-tire tank-bike (big pics)
Found on CL for $50 with a spare set of 26" cruiser wheels. Some rust and flaking paint, but not too bad. It's going to be a little bit of work, but I think this might make a nice custom rat rod or something. Any ideas?
As for a year I am at a loss. I know Ross history is a little vague, I read the long thread, but I was able to determine that because it was manufactured at Chain Bike Corp in Rockaway Beach, NY, that it was built sometime between the 50's and the early 70s. I couldn't find a serial # anywhere on the frame. It appears all original, with the spare wheels, because it seems someone swapped out the front wheel with the front wheel from the nicer pair. So I have one rusty spare and one clean spare, two complete sets. Anyway, here are some more pics, and the rest can be seen on my Flickr Page:
Chain Bike Corp, Rockaway Beach, NY
I can't tell if the lights are supposed to do anything
coaster brake set up
Spare wheels included.
Thanks for looking!
As for a year I am at a loss. I know Ross history is a little vague, I read the long thread, but I was able to determine that because it was manufactured at Chain Bike Corp in Rockaway Beach, NY, that it was built sometime between the 50's and the early 70s. I couldn't find a serial # anywhere on the frame. It appears all original, with the spare wheels, because it seems someone swapped out the front wheel with the front wheel from the nicer pair. So I have one rusty spare and one clean spare, two complete sets. Anyway, here are some more pics, and the rest can be seen on my Flickr Page:
Chain Bike Corp, Rockaway Beach, NY
I can't tell if the lights are supposed to do anything
coaster brake set up
Spare wheels included.
Thanks for looking!
12-14-07, 05:01 PM
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If you havent seen it "ratrodbikes" or" bike rod and kustom" can give you some ideas.
Personally I would get a cheepo chrome spring and paint the legs, remove the carrier, get a Persons styled seat , find a pretty cast stem for it and perhaps some duck tailed fenders.. Oh and remove those green reflectors.
Personally I would get a cheepo chrome spring and paint the legs, remove the carrier, get a Persons styled seat , find a pretty cast stem for it and perhaps some duck tailed fenders.. Oh and remove those green reflectors.
12-14-07, 05:48 PM
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Location: My response would have been something along the lines of: "Does your bike have computer controlled suspension? Then shut your piehole, this baby is from the future!"
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If your going to rat it visit https://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/ind...d9573ec68ad8c0
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You see, their morals, their code...it's a bad joke, dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these...These "civilized" people...they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve
You see, their morals, their code...it's a bad joke, dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these...These "civilized" people...they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve
12-14-07, 06:47 PM
#4
Viking Warrior
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bristol, CT
Posts: 224
Bikes: 60's SpaceLiner, 60's Ross Futura, 60's Sears spyder, 70's Zebrakenko, 98 Ross Chimera Hybrid, 90's Schwinn Frontier, and ThunderHorse, my trusty mountain steed, also my gf's 64 Schwinn ladies cruiser and her purple lowrider are at my disposal.
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Yeah, since I posted this here last night I've been to ratrodbikes.com and that's what I've been doing all afternoon here, searching through all those sweet bikes. I've definitely got some ideas already.
01-07-08, 08:34 AM
#5
Viking Warrior
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bristol, CT
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Bikes: 60's SpaceLiner, 60's Ross Futura, 60's Sears spyder, 70's Zebrakenko, 98 Ross Chimera Hybrid, 90's Schwinn Frontier, and ThunderHorse, my trusty mountain steed, also my gf's 64 Schwinn ladies cruiser and her purple lowrider are at my disposal.
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I finally got around to putting the Ross back together, and I am so glad I did. All it really needed was a major clean-up and regreasing. I decided to leave the paint as is for now, although on closer inspection during clean-up I realized that it had been repainted by a previous owner, and rather poorly at that. It was once a rich metal-flake red that I wish was still intact. At least now I won't feel bad if I decide to take a rattle-can to it myself. I ended up swapping out the rusty steel wheels that were on it for the newer aluminum cruiser wheels that came for free with it, and of course changed tubes, but otherwise it's as original as I got it, which is why it has mismatched tires right now. Soon I will get a matching pair of whitewalls. So here it is:
all apart and getting cleaned. It had the filthiest BB that I had ever encountered.
I don't know if this is truck axle grease or what, but the BB was packed to the gills with it, and it had the consistency of honey, thick, sticky, and hard to clean up. But I got it sparkling by the end.
I took it for a spin, and it's a smooth ride. I gotta do some tweeking but I think I might be able to ride it to work tomorrow if this unseasonable warmth holds out. Here it is together with the SpaceLiner back home in my living room.
one big happy family
all apart and getting cleaned. It had the filthiest BB that I had ever encountered.
I don't know if this is truck axle grease or what, but the BB was packed to the gills with it, and it had the consistency of honey, thick, sticky, and hard to clean up. But I got it sparkling by the end.
I took it for a spin, and it's a smooth ride. I gotta do some tweeking but I think I might be able to ride it to work tomorrow if this unseasonable warmth holds out. Here it is together with the SpaceLiner back home in my living room.
one big happy family
