These are a couple bikes I just finished up for myself and the wife! We got these early Schwinns (hers a '59 and mine a '62) at a local estate sale nearly 3 years ago (only $50 each too!)! I let them sit for a while, but finally got around to their final restorations. It's a his and hers, yin/yang, black and white, "stock" and "modified" combo for these beauties now! These are 24" Schwinns (middle-weights, not very common) and they both had most of the Muscle bike accessories on them when we found them. I believe the replaced parts to be absolutely period as the patina and age of the parts fit with the era of the bikes. So, 24" middle-weight cruisers with muscle bike fenders, banana seats and ape-hangers.....I dug it, so I kept all those parts!
Hers (the white one of course), is basically how we found it, save for brand new tires and tubes and a complete disassembly, cleaning and rebuild of all the vitals. We only added new grips and period streamers, the basket (Bill Matthews original courtesy of Judd Thornburg), the Troxel rear seat reflector and the whip with the coyote tail, also made by Judd. She rides like a dream!
Mine on the other hand, is more custom! It used to say, "Schwinn De Luxe Sting Ray" on the chain guard (it's absolutely not a Sting Ray to be certain, but again, it came that way), so now, to go along with its shrunken heads this one's called, "The Shrink Ray" (see the custom decal I had made for the chain guard and thanks to Judd Thornburg for the idea on the new name!). It's a little rat rod, it's a little hot rod, it's a little lowrider bike, it's a little muscle bike....it's allot COOL!!! It has a 20" front rim with original Bill Matthews front bumper. It also now sports a Jerald Sulky 24" rear "slick" tire on a used rear rim which I actually laced myself for the first time ever! I did the red lines on the tires myself with enamel paint. The seat was redone by my good buddy and bicycle sensei Judd Thornburg (@odder_art), along with the matching rear sissy bar back rest. Oh, that's a Bill Matthews extra tall sissy bar, courtesy of Judd on there as well! Judd also provided the hand made, custom wheelie bars on the rear, to which I added the new red skateboard wheels. New grips, speedo, headlight, rear light, genuine Schwinn 24" front springer fork, mirrors, black Louisville baseball bat and custom bat holder (Judd yet again) and a complete cleaning and rebuild were also performed. I've also added a genuine Stroud Safety mini drag chute bag on the rear. It does actually have a parachute in there, a Chinese military surplus pilot chute in white silk actually, that I rigged in to fit perfectly. It's a salesman's sample they use for display purposes at Stroud.....I had to have one as it's a perfect fit for a bike! Last, but certainly not least, I added a couple custom painted shrunken heads to round out the theme! One front and one rear, so as to always have an eye out while I'm cruising the mean streets!
Hers (the white one of course), is basically how we found it, save for brand new tires and tubes and a complete disassembly, cleaning and rebuild of all the vitals. We only added new grips and period streamers, the basket (Bill Matthews original courtesy of Judd Thornburg), the Troxel rear seat reflector and the whip with the coyote tail, also made by Judd. She rides like a dream!
Mine on the other hand, is more custom! It used to say, "Schwinn De Luxe Sting Ray" on the chain guard (it's absolutely not a Sting Ray to be certain, but again, it came that way), so now, to go along with its shrunken heads this one's called, "The Shrink Ray" (see the custom decal I had made for the chain guard and thanks to Judd Thornburg for the idea on the new name!). It's a little rat rod, it's a little hot rod, it's a little lowrider bike, it's a little muscle bike....it's allot COOL!!! It has a 20" front rim with original Bill Matthews front bumper. It also now sports a Jerald Sulky 24" rear "slick" tire on a used rear rim which I actually laced myself for the first time ever! I did the red lines on the tires myself with enamel paint. The seat was redone by my good buddy and bicycle sensei Judd Thornburg (@odder_art), along with the matching rear sissy bar back rest. Oh, that's a Bill Matthews extra tall sissy bar, courtesy of Judd on there as well! Judd also provided the hand made, custom wheelie bars on the rear, to which I added the new red skateboard wheels. New grips, speedo, headlight, rear light, genuine Schwinn 24" front springer fork, mirrors, black Louisville baseball bat and custom bat holder (Judd yet again) and a complete cleaning and rebuild were also performed. I've also added a genuine Stroud Safety mini drag chute bag on the rear. It does actually have a parachute in there, a Chinese military surplus pilot chute in white silk actually, that I rigged in to fit perfectly. It's a salesman's sample they use for display purposes at Stroud.....I had to have one as it's a perfect fit for a bike! Last, but certainly not least, I added a couple custom painted shrunken heads to round out the theme! One front and one rear, so as to always have an eye out while I'm cruising the mean streets!
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