1980 Collegiate 3 Restoration

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Joined
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May 16, 2011
I've had this one on the rack for a while...But after seeing Rat Rod's Collegiates I got real motivated! :mrgreen:
Here's where I started:

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And so last night I broke 'er down, bagged, tagged and got 'er ready for a major service, lube tire 'n tube and clean & shine!!

First thing: Front wheel off, dis-mount tire...
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Front wheel cleaned up real nice! :mrgreen:

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Woah! The fenders are pretty rusty underneath... :(

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My fellow Rat Biker at work has been raving about Wood Bleach (OXALIC ACID) to clean chrome...You can follow this thread on the subject: http://www.vintagebmx.com/community/index.php?showtopic=4004702...SO I thought I might try it... :| Anyway....
I continued to break 'er down and good thing! Cuz' ALL the bearings were as dry as....

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So here we are as of 8/26/09:

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So now it's back on the rack for a detail/wash/polish on the frame...

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And a tub 'o parts for the same... :wink:

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Please stay tuned.... :mrgreen:
 
The fandamily and I went to the circus this evening...We had a blast! (pics soon!) :mrgreen: And so after that I managed to get this done:

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I polished the BB cups with bronze wool, 000 steel wool and finally with 0000 steel wool.

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The headtube cups gave me a lesson...the chrome on the bottom one was "fogged"...it just won't shine...BUT the top one looks like a mirror! So I bangs' em out and swappes 'em....

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Then I took 100 grit sandpaper to the kickstand...Then with my Dremel tool I cleaned up the kickstand real nice! Then into the parts washer, and clean-up for re-install....I got this for my efforts:

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The kickstand has this mark:

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:?:

Here is an idea I have for "Business Cards":

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Oops! :oops: I spelled "enthusiast" wrong!! My bad... : oops

Build Journal Page:

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ibid.
I hope to get a little more work done tomorrow... :mrgreen:
 
Now thats organized!!!! nice setup I should'nt have given away all the skinny tired bikes I have found.
Hey I found a new magizine last nite at Borders its by the Dirt Rag gang just for regular every day riders and commuters I don't remember the name I'll look it up. I'ts http://www.bicycletimesmag.com/
 
lookin good! A hairdryer might get that yellow sticker off there :wink:
 
Markm said:
lookin good! A hairdryer might get that yellow sticker off there :wink:
Thanks!! Ya' know...I was debating that myself! Since I'm not going to paint the frame...And since I'm going more for a 'restore' than a 'mod' I thought I'd leave it (ugly as it is :| )...Plus, I was afraid that if I took it off, it would leave a 'shadow'... :?
 
Here's an update...Nothing too dramatic. Got the frame polished last night:

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Before:

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After:

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Next up: fork, fenders and rear wheel...
 
i'm no expert on it, but have been using the stuff for a couple of years now. let me know if you have any questions.
 
Metal Miltia said:
i'm no expert on it, but have been using the stuff for a couple of years now. let me know if you have any questions.
I got tied up with some other stuff, so I didn't get the O.A. solution going yesterday afternoon....Should I remove the non-chrome plated fender stays before dipping? I understand that the O.A. can discolor those parts? Thanks!
 
i like to leave them on to save the original rivets. i dip the fenders and the whole fender brace, then scrub them with steel wool.
 
Ok. So I wanted to try this oxalic acid dip process. So last night I mixed up a batch...(No, bad language filter I did not say a b***h...) I said a "bAtch"... :wink:
Here is what the fenders started out looking like:

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I decided to take the struts off. Probably could have left 'em on...Not bad on the topsides...
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My formula:

1 tbs per quart of water.

That's what the package suggests. (For bleaching wood...)
So for this go 'round I figured I'd need 3 gallons. So that's 12 tbs...Or as it turned out, 2/3 of the package...So I mixed it up in a storage tote/tub and this is what it looks like:
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After about 30 minutes:
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The total soak time was about 3 hours. Every once in a while I'd give 'em a good brushing with a nylon detail brush. And here's how they turned out:

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Not bad...

Front fender before:
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After:
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Rear fender before:
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After:
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My pals at work were satisfied with the job...So encouraged, I stopped by the house on my way to the dentist, to see what it was gonna cost to get my tooth fixed. From my header off my MTB last week... :roll: So I decided to toss the crank/chain ring in the tub and the stem and what the heck! Let's try the front fender strut too! And after about 3 1/2 hours I got:

Chain ring, front:
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Back:
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Stem:
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Fender stay:
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So I imagine that I'll continure to play around with the o.a. It has some big advantages. First, while the o.a. solution is working you can be doing something else! Total soak time witha little scrubbing was 5 1/2 to 6 hours...So it's not fast. I understand most guys soak the parts over night...You can be doing something else in the mean time. Next it seems a little expensive. 12 oz of o.a. cost me $7.50 And I used a good two thirds of the tub...But, I did dip 5 items over two days...And I'll continue to use the same solution until it quits working, so I'll see...Thanks for lookin' :mrgreen: Next up forks and rear wheel...
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Love this...thanks for showing the results of the o.a. bath...really need to try this sometime.
 
Rat Rod said:
Love this...thanks for showing the results of the o.a. bath...really need to try this sometime.
You're welcome! I hope the rest of the project goes as well! :mrgreen:
 
jealous of how organized this thing is, and the number on the kickstand is a part # different lengths had different part #'s on them. theyre may be different part #'s for the same lengths but different finishes too but i dont know that for sure.

i love the "schwinn" lettering style on these bikes :)
 
CCR said:
jealous of how organized this thing is, and the number on the kickstand is a part # different lengths had different part #'s on them. theyre may be different part #'s for the same lengths but different finishes too but i dont know that for sure.

i love the "schwinn" lettering style on these bikes :)
My wife is convinced that I have an OCD! :lol: Thanks! It's my first and I wanted to start with good habits! :roll: :lol: I wish I could find a set of replacement decals...If I could, I might concider re-painting it... :wink:
 

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