1957 Schwinn and a 1946 Schwinn

[kram]

So I've had this 1957 Schwinn up for sale locally for what I thought was a really cheap price. Not one person has seemed even slightly interested. For whatever reason this one has really interested me, maybe because it has been beat up for a long time or something. I hate to say it but it has a lot of character. The guy I got it from saved it from the scrapper, so maybe it needs a chance at being a bike again. I'm clearing out a lot of my bike stuff so I figured I would throw some parts at it and have some fun. It will have some similarities to some of my past builds because I have some similar parts still.

Here is what I started with.


I got it all disassembled and it came apart surprisingly easy. Even the seat post came right out, and I don't think that has ever happened to me on a bike that has been outside for a long time. The one part that didn't cooperate was the crappy replacement stamped steel stem. Eventually I had to turn the bike upside down and hammer it out with a sledge, but it eventually came out.

At some time in it's life this bike had gotten water in the cantilever tubes, froze, and then split the metal. It's not really structrual where it happened, but it was pretty noticeable. So I hammered them closed the best I could, and since they are on the under side you can't see them. I was going to weld them closed, but that would just burn a lot of paint so I decided against it.

This is what the split looked like at first, the other side was significantly worse, but I forgot to take a before picture (you can see it in the above picture).


Same split after being hammered closed.


This is the other side after I closed it.


I'm going to use a nexus three speed in the back so the next thing was to spread the stays to take the wider hub.


Then getting it all squared back up with the string method. The bike in the background is where the nexus is coming from.

 

[kram]

I degreased and power-washed the frame. Then when it was dry I hit it with some rattle can clear coat to liven up the cool paint.


Close up of the paint. I think at one time the entire bike might have been spray painted gold, there are still little hints of it here and there.


So last summer I bought a couple collections of bikes from two different areas. It's funny because with each of them I got a rear JC Higgins wheel that was exactly the same and in similar condition, what are the odds of that?


I cut out the hubs (I believe they are mussleman built and are really cool). Then I did one treatment with naval jelly to get rid of some of the rust and hopefully show just a little bit more of the white paint with red pinstripes. After that I hit them with clear, and laced in the nexus hub.

 

[Lil' rat rod]

This is cool. I'll be watching.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Nice work so far!

Luke.

 

[Fv2]

Ok, so this is a newbie thing.
I've seen the string method before, but what is it for? And how is it done?

Cool project you've got here.

 

[user 135]

Ok, so this is a newbie thing.
I've seen the string method before, but what is it for? And how is it done?

To help check frame alignment after spreading. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html#symmetry

Nice project. That paint is perfect. Shows is age but still as classy as the day it was made.

 

[kram]

Thanks cman for posting the link. I've spread a handful of frames, but this is the first one that was spot on and didn't have to adjusted.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Looking good. I have spread a few too ,right after I cut all that
back part off.

 

[kram]

Ok, here's a little update. I had a chance to get the wheels trued up and started putting it together. Rims that have a bunch of different colors make it harder to true, it kind of messes with your eyes. For old beat up rims I ended up getting them pretty close though. On this bike I'm trying to only use stuff I already have. The tank, springer, and pedals came off a mid 90's schwinn reproduction bike that I had previously parted. The seat it a troxel, and I have no idea what the bars came off of but I love their shape.



Rear tire is a Jerald slick, I bought a couple of them before they went out of business.


I stripped and cleared the legs of the springer. I installed the truss rods wrong but I'll fix that later. I like the look of the headlight but I need to try switching stems to see if I can get it sitting lower.


By the time I got more parts on it the light was going. I found a phantom style sprocket in my parts, and unfortunately the stock crank has messed up threads on the right side. I really wanted to use the crank that came on it but for now this one will work.





I just thought it was cool how the light from the garage was reflecting on the tank.


I need to figure out the shifter and weld up a laid back seat post and this one should be getting close to done.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Looking good!

Luke.

 

[franconuevo]

Looking fabulous Mr. Kram.
speaking of ''nobody wants me"....man I can relate
I too rescued this '57 Schwinn....Spitfire I believe ladies bike from an evil silver all -over rattle can job.
Solid bike all original cleaned , greased.even the front and rear hub bearings.
Had to paint the frame....Put it on Craigslist...Nada.
Man I thought old bikes were collectible...ha.
Probably part it out on EBAY
Doesn't matter cuz now I'm into a rat rod build..started with a semi rusty hulk with no tires, but what a patina...Monterey probably 89-90...mens frame....its a zero dollar build....
I'm broke, but I got lotsa parts...so in that way...I'm rich
Franco

 

[kram]

It’s been a while since I messed with a bike. I figured it was time to get this bike finished. I welded up a new seat post. I got idea of how to make it from @The Renaissance Man . Also working on relocating the shifter in the tank using a cut up twist shifter.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Two years from your last post. I feel better about the rate of progress on my latest build!

Seat post turned out good!

 

[kram]

Two years from your last post. I feel better about the rate of progress on my latest build!

Seat post turned out good!

Lol, yeah a lot of life happened in those two years. This bike has been waiting patiently in storage.

 

[Indyjps]

Cool build, I can only see the pics from this week. I'd like more details on your seatpost process.

Heres one i did recently 55 schwinn
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/in...ather-schwinn-cruiser-custom-complete.104591/

 

[kram]

Cool build, I can only see the pics from this week. I'd like more details on your seatpost process.

Heres one i did recently 55 schwinn
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/in...ather-schwinn-cruiser-custom-complete.104591/

You did a good job on the '55. Most of this build started a few years ago before the whole photobucket debacle. Maybe eventually I'll try to reload some of the pictures. For the seat post I stole the idea from The Renaissance Man and his Schwinn. Just be aware that it makes the end of the post 5/8 and so you have to shim it if you have 7/8 clamp on your seat. http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/schwinn-convertible-sex-change.95578/page-4

 

[kram]

I’m going to throw this bike in this thread because I’ve been working on it at the same time. It’s a 1946 Schwinn built B.F. Goodrich frame. The dropouts on these are thin and I had to repair a crack. Frame and rat trap springer were stripped to bare metal and clear coated. Electra wheelset with with a nexus 3 and a Shimano click stick shifter. Most of the parts I had or came from other builds. This bike is a gift for my girlfriend for Christmas. It’s as finished as it’s going to be for now, but I have a few more little things I’d like to do to it.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

View attachment 68134 View attachment 68135 I’m going to throw this bike in this thread because I’ve been working on it at the same time. It’s a 1946 Schwinn built B.F. Goodrich frame. The dropouts on these are thin and I had to repair a crack. Frame and rat trap springer were stripped to bare metal and clear coated. Electra wheelset with with a nexus 3 and a Shimano click stick shifter. Most of the parts I had or came from other builds. This bike is a gift for my girlfriend for Christmas. It’s as finished as it’s going to be for now, but I have a few more little things I’d like to do to it.

Love this one man! Very much a bike I’d ride!!

Hope the fork doesn’t come loose with out the top nut!