ORBO I Love Lucy

(Frame change = Name change)

So yeah, I'll give it shot.
I took most of the winter off from bicycle matters but now that my pink legs have seen the sun for the first time in months I'm all in.
I've wanted to do something with this frame since I got it over a year ago. It's a 1971 Schwinn Varsity in sunset orange my favorite Schwinn color.
I had a 1974 in the same color in High School and loved it. Loved it so much I placed an Impeach Nixon (thus Milhouse) sticker on it so it would be easy to spot in a crowd. Sadly that didn't keep it from being stolen at my girlfriend's house.
Looked like this web example:



So I'm starting today with a stripped neked frame and a few parts to throw at him. I gave him a good bath and hit him with the rubbing compound to clean up the oxidized paint and make him shine a little.

Lay down mock up.










I cleaned up the headset and bottom bracket and was preparing to mount that black fork...





when I realized the steerer tube is too short, again. By 10mm. I briefly considered cutting 5mm off the top and bottom of the head tube. I still might.
The other option would be to find another fork (smart) or cut and weld on a section off another steerer (not so smart, but I've done it before).
The third option would be to mount the original fork but it's a little to "roady" for me.

I'll sleep on that one and check out the collective's options next Wednesday when they open.

I'm torn between going simple single speed or maybe nine speed rear. I basically toss almost all schwinn rims due to their oddball size making tire options pretty thin. I need to see if the original caliper brakes will work on the smaller wheels.

That's it for now. I've got parts cleaning in Ultra-groovy and will sort through some old cranks.

Peace!

Oh man that's beautiful.

I truly wish there was money to be made doing this stuff cuz it sure is fun.
Last night I was mulling over what to do for a fork and I remembered this poor guy that gave up his steerer tube for a greater cause.


I thought about it for about a minute and pulled out the pipe cutter and plugged in the welder. I cut off the steerer from the varsity and set about welding it to the Marin fork.







Tuned up my nasty weld on the lathe.

I really had a single speed in mind to keep things simple. I have this steel wheel with a Komet Super hub I got with the purchase of an old Columbia. It spins great and has no play in the axle, it was just very caked with old oil and dirt.





It cleaned up nicely, love the well-chromed steel from back in the day (1962).

I repacked and installed the bottom bracket and added a nicer one-piece crank and a chain wheel is a Wald from a Schwinn Heavy Duti.

I sanded, primed and painted the fork with Rustoleum hammer paint in gloss black.

I had purchased a pair of Panaracer Smoke tires for another bike before I realized that they are paired front and back. Smoke in back, Dart in front. doh. So I ordered two Darts to make two, complete sets. The second set is going on Milhous.

The stem is from a 50's Monark and the handlebar is a new Wald newsboy. The Brooks saddle is from a bike I intend to sell. No Brooks for you!
I have a set of Deore v brakes for the fork and some Oury grips cuz I love them.

The only pedals I had that will work with that crank is the original Varsity. Pretty ugly but the spin ok (not rebuildable) and couldn't help but paint them hammer black as well.






PS: I corrected the spelling of Milhous.

It's the hard lessons that you remember longest, eh?
I tried and tried but short of a lot of cutting and welding I failed at stuffing 2.1 knobbies into that road frame.
I'll remember this one for a while.

Maybe build him up like @twojs.bike 's beautiful 700c single speed.



All is not lost, I may take a shot with this one.



Lucille is a 1959 Corvette that I paid stupid money for almost two years ago.
I stripped her down back then and she's been collecting dust until today.
What say, ye? Give her a go?

OddJob said:

What is the tire you have in the rear right now?




Looks great! (and like it fits))
I really like your work on Milhaus, hope you reconsider!

DiRt RaT oN~!

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Thanks OJ, that is a Panaracer Smoke on the back.

I tried and tried to get the wheel to set back far enough for the tires to clear.
I took an extra eighth of an inch out of the back side of the dropout but it didn't leave enough room to mount the wheel AND leave space to adjust the chain tightness. Given more time I could probably fabricate new dropouts and maybe I will later on.

For the build off I'm going to go with the same parts on the Corvette frame.

She's a rider, boys.

MattiThundrrr said:

Smoke and Dart are such a killer pattern. Great bike already

Click to expand...

Thanks Matti. I could use some critique.
Stem too high? Lose the chain guard? I normally wouldn't add it to a dirt bike but I thought it's pretty.
I think the pedals look ok and they're grippy but I have some old bowties that are nice. They're the only 1/2" pedals I have right now.

Thanks for your input y'all.
It's really fun to ride, gearing is perfect and braking is solid.
A few minor tweaks and then some glamour shots!

Maybe squeeze in a SWBO entry.
Bendix red band and a $20 fork. Oy vey.