Post by snowworks on Oct 22, 2015 22:33:43 GMT -5
Well I got some pic of the Manta Ray today and I need to post the build of it... I always wanted a Manta Ray of the 70's but the price of them, I will not spend what they are going for$$ SO, this is the next best and it looks a little freaky anyway!! Got the Manta off Craiglist for $60. Not to bad but it was rusty and no chain or chain guard. Got it on my birthday so it was a gift to me!! I tore it down went through all the bearings and cleaned and cleaned rust off the chrome and frame. Did minor touch up paint on the frame but keep the decales. Since this a kids bike I had to make it fit me. It has a large seat post 31mm and tall sissy bar. Got what I needed there and needed some tall bars. Picked up at the Ann Arbor swap a pair of new Sunlite 25" bars . Ebayed a pair of Schwinn red black grips. Still NO chain guard?? Looked and am still looking for the origonal one I think it looks good on the bike. I have not found any for sale.. SO digging through my stash of bikes and parts wanted to find a guard that looked good so it had to match the front sprocket size. SO I came across this one. I took this off an old smashed girls bike. It was a double rusty Wald adjustable one. It was a mess, rusty, they painted silver and was rusty again. So I have access to a sand blaster to clean it. It had the correct curve for the front sprocket and the indent was a nice touch and could paint it black or red. So I modifyed the guard to fit the stock mounts. Notice I extended it and had to cut the front mount and make it work. If I find the correct guard I can put it on. I painted the guard with chrome spray paint and the inset satin black. I also modifyed the front stem to accept stainless allen bolts. Got it together and did the madin ride in late August at the Hines Cruise. Classic Cars and Bikes. I have did some more detailing and need to raise the seat or lower the rear. Bars are a little high, If they were about 5 inches lower would be nice. I need to find a decal or metal plate to fit between the sissy bar so to have decal or pic of the real Manta Ray. Yes the fish!! Ridding it you do get some looks and comments!! But it does take some effort to pedal this one. Must be the wide tires and the tread is a V and I can hear the tread on the pavement. It is also HEAVY!! Ned to put it on the scale!. So I will only ride it at shows or events.. the next ride is ride through the lights at Hines Drive Nov19.