BO15 1963 Schwinn Corvette "The Honey Rolla"

Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Messages
1,167
Reaction score
2,864
Location
Poznan, Poland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello RRB people!
Much is going on in my life lately, but i think i can spare some time for this year build-off :)
Because of a virus i can't use my schools workshop at the moment, so i am not signing for class 2 for now. I hope if something changes i still might! I have a really cool project i am planning that would requite building a custom frame.
Anyway, this build begins with my girlfriend trying out '87 Schwinn i have recently built. She liked it a lot and had difficulties switching back to her own bike after a week of test-driving the Schwinn :) I thought of giving the heavy-duti bike to her instead of selling it, but in our climate riding a fenderless bike on a daily basis is just not practical, and i felt that that bike is just finished the way it is. Also, my girl deserves riding an original Chicago built Schwinn, with all my respect to Hungary and this country industry :D
So here we go, i am starting with my first Chicago built Schwinn! This build probably won't be too ambitious or heavily custom, i will try to stay close to original looks instead, though this also won't be complete restoration. I know for many of you, US folks, this can be yet another boring middleweight build up, but here in Europe you don't see them really. So i want to keep it original style with my respect to the era and culture that it had emerged from :)
Here is what i start with, original paint '59 Corvette i got for 70$ (paid almost 200$ on top of that for shipping and taxes :p) from ebay. The guard was not included, so i am looking for one to buy now. From what i have learned about Schwinn middleweight bikes, '59 is when most of the iconic features were presented, so i am especially happy to have it from that year.
s-l1600.jpg


The bicycle license from Grove City, Ohio got expired in 1966, but i guess i can live with that :D Frame number is H359662, that makes my bike August 1959. Obviously, my intention is to leave original paint and restore it. It is in quite a good condition, though with some dirt and rust. I have started to clean it with white spirit yesterday, dirt comes off easily, leaving lots of open rust spots. I don't want to clean it, but rather would try to seal it and leave. I want to prevent further oxidation in case this bike is going to be used a lot, should i just cover it with linseed oil when i am done polishing the paint? I would appreciate the advise from experienced people on what is the best way to go with this paint. I am looking for some way to clean it up that is not too aggressive for the places where paint feels great, but that would let it shine and save the bike from rusting through. For now my plan is to just clean it well and then polish with car paint polishing paste or similar.
Here is how the bike looks in my garage.
IMG_5175.JPG


After applying some wd-40 i was able to loosen the headset. Really beautiful piece with inverted top, the race is pressed into the frame while the cup is screwed on. Apart from being dry the bearings and other headset parts feel good. So does the fork crown. But the fork itself seems bent.
IMG_5176.JPG


I will post a better picture later. Left leg has a curve on it, goes inside and then outside, almost like someone tried to straighten it before. Anyway, the wheel sits straight, so i might leave it the way it is. I don't have much experience with blade forks, so i can't estimate if it is a major or minor flaw, but i hope for the best :D
Despite of paying quite some money for the frameset, i hope this build would be more budget friendly then my CWC Roadmaster build :D One of the reasons for that is that i have already many parts left from my '87 Schwinn build, such as cranks, fenders, stem and so on, that look identical to ones used on early middleweights. I also have some parts from 2008 Schwinn Debutante (photo) that i have used as a donor bike for CWC, like the rear rack that is reproduction of one featured on '59 bike or the Schwinn head badge. As for the wheels, i am going to use 1998 CWC Roadmaster reproduction wheelset that i have recently accuired. The hubs it has have disappointed me, but the rims are nice and shiny, they are wide and made of chromed steel. Though not the lightest, but for sure they will fit the bike. I have already disassembled the rear wheel and got it to a very good master to lace that baby in:
index.php


Late 60's (probably, i should still check for exact production date) SACHS Duomatic kickback hub. Not as cool as original Bendix, but i got it only for 20$ comparing to like 150$ i'd have to pay for Bendix. This hub is already fixed and rebuilt. Originally i have intended to use it for my Roadmaster, but i have found an older alternative since then.
So, this is where i am at with it now. Some more parts for the build are already on the way to me from US, but i would not uncover that part yet, until i got them delivered :)
 
Great looking frame to start with. I love the chrome fork crown, hopefully you can save the fork. I like your plan to keep & preserve the paint. :thumbsup:
 
Great to see you on the Build-Off!

I didn't even have to read the description about the hub it was just a thought seeing the picture - "Nice, a Sachs Zweigang"

I think I might have problem... :crazy:
 
The Corvette was one on my bucket list , until last summer .
The coppertone is one of the rarest but I don't see it listed in there catalog until 1963 ? https://bikehistory.org/bikes/corvette/ No matter the year I will be following this build . Most Corvettes are imitations . Graduations on a cool find of American history .
 
Last edited:
@Starnger , great to see you back here~! Sorry to hear of the 'wrench' thrown in your school plans, but you're young, there's still time. :bigsmile:

The Chicago Schwinn Corvette is a cool frame to start with as well. Your girlfriend has good taste.
RaT oN~!
 
The Corvette was one on my bucket list , until last summer .
The coppertone is one of the rarest but I don't see it listed in there catalog until 1963 ? https://bikehistory.org/bikes/corvette/ No matter the year I will be following this build . Most Corvettes are imitations . Graduations on a cool find of American history .
Hm, then maybe there is a mistake with the frame number check? I have used the same website database that you have given me the link for. I am new to Schwinns, so i am not sure if this database is reliable.
 
So, here is how my fork looks. It is kind of okay, but not really perfectly straight.
IMG_5177.JPG


I was unable to take the broken bolt out of a fender hole, so i have just drilled it through and cut a new thread.
IMG_5178.JPG


Then to polish the bike i have decided to put it on the wheels, just to have it nicely stable in front of me. This way i won't be scared to scratch the paint in my home-brewed bike stand.
IMG_5179.JPG


This are not the wheels i am intending to use, but just a set i had lying nearby. At same time i have done a clearance test on 2.35 tires. Unfortunately they do not fit, and this sets a new issue for me. I want to run white wall tires on this build. The only nice set of whitewalls i have available is Project 346 tires, but they are 2.35.
IMG_5180.JPG


They clear the frame, but obviously leave no space for the fenders. The other options available are goodyear threaded or modern-looking CST (kind of like Dyno Superslick), but i don't feel like using either of them. Getting Schwinn Typhoon Cord tires is not easy where i am. But if there won't be a better alternative i would have to buy some second hand late 2000's Schwinn cruiser just to harvest the tires and then sell it.
IMG_5182.JPG


As you see, the fender feels okay there, but has no clearance anywhere. The other issue is that i would need to remake the holes to fit the frame fender mounts. On the front as well, since blade fork does not have extra holes for fenders like my '87 Schwinn had. One of the ideas to make them fit is to laser-cut the washers with extra fender holes on them.
IMG_5181.JPG


The other issue is that the modern Schwinn badge i have is slightly bigger then the original one, so i won't be able to put it on with bolts.
IMG_5184.JPG


Though it still looks kind of nice, so maybe i end up just gluing it in, not to spend another 50$ on just a badge.
IMG_5183.JPG
 
The Corvette was one on my bucket list , until last summer .
The coppertone is one of the rarest but I don't see it listed in there catalog until 1963 ? https://bikehistory.org/bikes/corvette/ No matter the year I will be following this build . Most Corvettes are imitations . Graduations on a cool find of American history .
Hm, by that chart my bike is 20 August 1963. So i believe you are correct, and my bike is actually 1963 because of its color. Still cool, first coppertone year :)
 
A strong glue should work for the head badge. I like your white walls idea. With fenders, they would fit your resto really nicely. They don't have to be overly wide, a 2.125 would be fine.
 
A strong glue should work for the head badge. I like your white walls idea. With fenders, they would fit your resto really nicely. They don't have to be overly wide, a 2.125 would be fine.
The question of glue is rather aesthetical then functional :) It would look way nicer on little bolts or rivets then just glued. Double sided tape or hot glue would fork just fine to hold the badge. 2.125 is what i am planning, yes. But we will see :)
 
The black badge on the coppertone looks sweet . You may consider more blackout parts ? Are you going to be installing a rack or truss rods out front ?
 
The black badge on the coppertone looks sweet . You may consider more blackout parts ? Are you going to be installing a rack or truss rods out front ?
I also have black Schwinn grips i am planning to use, but have oredered a white saddle from US. I think i would have to balance the use of this two colors. Talking about the rack or truss-rods, i have neither, so i guess i would need to manufacture them similar way as i do on my Roadmaster. For now i am more thinking of truss rods option. I am going to have a rack on the back, so functionality-wise it should be enough.
 
The question of glue is rather aesthetical then functional :) It would look way nicer on little bolts or rivets then just glued. Double sided tape or hot glue would fork just fine to hold the badge. 2.125 is what i am planning, yes. But we will see :)
I'm pretty sure I saw somewhere here on RRB where someone glued a head badge on and then glued little screw heads on it.
 
The coppertone will look great shined up. Your bike still has the original bracket for the front rack.The catalog says all 63 Corvettes came with one. You could make the trussrods longer and put a couple bends in each one to mimic a rack out front.
1589077752295.png
 

Latest posts

Back
Top