1964 Schwinn Fleet

[nateyboy]

Finished up the Fleet this weekend. Ended up stripping the whole thing down to the frame and doing a thorough cleaning. It's amazing what a little polishing compound and some elbow grease will do to oxidized paint. Repacked the hubs, headset, and bottom bracket; trued the wheels and cleaned the chrome. I tracked down a headlight that needed some love. Stripped the paint off of it and gave it a fresh coat. It's a little rough, but so is the bike. The horn fired right up with a new battery. Swapped the apes that came on it for the correct handlebar (thanks Skoda). I decided to keep the rear fender as-is; my grandpa was a mechanic/car guru in Detroit and I like the idea that he "customized" it for my Uncle (who gave me the bike). I'm not usually a Schwinn guy, but this one will stay in the family.

Before:

After

 

[JoeyMac]

cleaned up nicely, great job! Awesome to keep stuff like this in the family, I have my dad's old 57 Schwinn myself.

 

[ratina]

Sweet, very cool to have been in the family that long. I love those Fleets.

 

[roadmaster]

great schwinn!!! love the black and while color scheme going on there and the general rusticness of it. i have a 62' schwinn american myself (a heavy duty) with the beefy saddle and heavyduty bendix hubbed wheels. i have picts of it around here somewhere and id post one now, but my wife (the window queen) has a few too many windows open for me to access them. pm me if you want to see picts of my 62'.

your is definatly a keeper.

 

[blacksheep]

That's a cool bike. I'd love to find one like that for myself some day.

 

[skoda]

not usually a Schwinn guy

....says the guy with three Schwinns now :wink: