My Corvette

[sprucemoose]

I've been working on this since high school, here's what it looked like back then:

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

your pics didint work try again i love corvetts

 

[elvis51]

no pics and try posting an intro first. people get kinda cranky when ya dont!

Easy E

 

[Hooch]

there I fixed the pics
use the IMG tags for pics

 

[sprucemoose]

Thanks for fixing those images. Took your advice and posted an intro. It's nice to meet everyone!

 

[sprucemoose]

When I went down to college I gave the bike a paint job:

I call this the McFly version of the bike.

Here's a close-up of the original 2-speed hub:

This was one of those centrifugal shifters--you just kick back a little and it would switch gears. I think this was really supposed to be a 3-speed, but didn't work right? I had super easy gear and very easy gear. I replaced this with a Shimano 7-speed hub a couple years back when I started using the bike for commuting and errands instead of pure joy riding.

 

[ratina]

No its a 2 speed, easy and hard.

 

[sprucemoose]

This is what it looked like up until last fall. I busted the original crank (and my junk) and decided to replace that and other hardware with some low-rider parts. Turns out most of these parts were/are really cheap, so I'm replacing them all currently.

The beast you see below weighs in at 55lbs! I added all the baskets, because I was using it for grocery and take-out runs.

This version of the bike also has new wheels, along with the Shimano 7-speed hub. It's nice to have a smooth ride (with the old wheels it was a bit like riding on water (that is, without sinking)).

This setup was like riding on a couch, somewhat reclined--kinda hard on the knees over 2 miles...

 

[sprucemoose]

I had this wacky idea to make this old schwinn a light-weight road bike...an impossible and pointless task.

So this is a pic of the new light-weight bars and stem. It was comfortable, but ridiculous looking.

So that's going away. Here is a pic of the new bar setup:

These are the original bars, only flipped. I also picked up a new (to me) stem from an old Schwinn my ma picked up at a garage sale. This looks real tough in profile.

 

[sprucemoose]

I'm in the process of refinishing the horn tank. The horn no longer works, so I'm still thinking of something fun to do with it.

I generally say don't paint chrome, but I couldn't resist. Here it is in process:

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

you replaced your junk? nevermind, I don't want to know.

 

[sprucemoose]

... :!:

 

[sprucemoose]

I'm working on the details at the moment, while I wait on a bottom bracket tool to come in the mail. Also, I've been really inspired at the detail work I see in other folks bikes here--really impressive.

I call this my rustification process. I picked up this 2-part solution made by Sophisticated Finishes, which rusts or patinas etc. (depending on which solutions you grab). I got this at Michaels -- an unlikely spot.

Here is the process of rustifying my badge. This was a replacement Schwinn badge and it was looking too shiny for me.

Step 1: Apply Iron Surfacer:

Step 2: Apply several coats of Rust Antiquing Solution. This is how it looked after a couple days of sitting. I also gave it a light sanding:

Step 3: Then gave it a clear coat:

The irony of this process is: 13 years ago I spent a ton of time removing all the rust from the bike in my attempt to make it look like a brand new 1950's Phantom! Why fight the bike's desire to be rusty?

 

[Rustinkerer]

I've been working on this since high school

I bought my '56 Corvette in the summer of 1980, I was 9, and it was my first old bike! And I'm STILL working on it, though it's sat on the sidelines for the last 3 1/2 years while I went on a bike collecting bender! ~Adam

 

[sprucemoose]

That's cool. I've had a handful of other bikes since I grabbed my corvette, but this is the one I keep!

 

[Fireproof]

Thats a cool tip for "new" rust! Thanks!

 

[sprucemoose]

Thats a cool tip for "new" rust! Thanks!

I s'pose it's cheating, but what can you do...

Here's my box of things to come for the corvette:

The main thing here is a Brooks Saddle--dark brown leather, big copper rivets, and white springs--having really nothing to do with the bike's style at the time of purchase. So, I've been thinking and waiting for when I would have time to make it work. I think I've got it figured now. Gonna get started this week... I'm planning to add some decorative copper plate elements to the horn tank, we'll see how that goes--I'll post pictures as I finish things.

 

[sprucemoose]

painting away on the porch:

I did a distressed look with the fenders, chaingaurd, horntank, etc. I'll get some detail shots of those soon. I've got the bike about put together again. Tomorrow I work on setting up the gears. Then I ride it to work friday...

 

[sprucemoose]

I'm nearly finished with the rebuild! I'll be working on the horn tank as I begin my wife's bike and look for a job...

Here's a detail of the distressed paint job on the fenders and chainguard:

The rust matches the new (old) Brooks saddle. I used white gear cable housing to tie in with the saddle's white springs.

I changed out the handlebars again, the grip shifter didn't fit on the other pair :wink:

 

[sprucemoose]

I've been working on this since high school

I bought my '56 Corvette in the summer of 1980, I was 9, and it was my first old bike! And I'm STILL working on it, though it's sat on the sidelines for the last 3 1/2 years while I went on a bike collecting bender! ~Adam

That's cool! I really love this Corvette. I just tracked it down as being built in 1963. A not-so-eerie coincidence: I was born in 1980 :shock: