'64 American

[RainierBeer]

I scored this rider Saturday morning at a garage sale. It's a Schwinn American built 2/14/1964. I put some air in the tires and took her for a ride. Rides real good! Bike is a bit rusty, but otherwise in great shape. It has a wald rack up front, and I'm guessing the apes were added later on in life.

 

[Nagant]

Very nice find. It's hard to tell with the angles of your pictures but the fork looks like it might be bent.

 

[RainierBeer]

Very nice find. It's hard to tell with the angles of your pictures but the fork looks like it might be bent.

I just went and looked and sure enough it is bent! Thanks for catching that, not real sure how I missed it.

 

[Nagant]

Sorry to hear that it is. Luckily there are different ways that many can be fixed. That or there are plenty of replacements that can be had these days.

 

[RainierBeer]

Sorry to hear that it is. Luckily there are different ways that many can be fixed. That or there are plenty of replacements that can be had these days.

It's all good, I will figure something out when I tear it all down for cleaning.

 

[Wildcat]

Nice score. Coppertone! That color was only available 63-67. And the original S7 rims are there too. The rack probably came with it.. The Schwinn chrome and paint was very good. It might polish up nicely even though the fenders look rusted through the chrome. Maybe not though, but the patina will look great too. The lettering on the bike will rub off if you're not careful.

 

[RainierBeer]

Nice score. Coppertone! That color was only available 63-67. And the original S7 rims are there too. The rack probably came with it.. The Schwinn chrome and paint was very good. It might polish up nicely even though the fenders look rusted through the chrome. Maybe not though, but the patina will look great too. The lettering on the bike will rub off if you're not careful.

Thanks! Any tips on cleaning it?

 

[dragnusa]

Aluminum foil and water cleans chrome pretty good

 

[Wildcat]

I cleaned up a black 64 American for a lady in ND. It was her late husband's bike and looked pretty worn but the paint and chrome came back and looked great. I used very fine steel wool (0000) and wd-40 on the chrome and used a plastic pot scrubber sponge and dish soap to clean the paint. Then I waxed down the bike twice to really bring out the color. I used regular paste car wax. I've had 2 coppertone Schwinns that I cleaned up the same way. This 65 Continental came from a scrap yard and I didn't think the color would come back as well as it did.

 

[RainierBeer]

I cleaned up a black 64 American for a lady in ND. It was her late husband's bike and looked pretty worn but the paint and chrome came back and looked great. I used very fine steel wool (0000) and wd-40 on the chrome and used a plastic pot scrubber sponge and dish soap to clean the paint. Then I waxed down the bike twice to really bring out the color. I used regular paste car wax. I've had 2 coppertone Schwinns that I cleaned up the same way. This 65 Continental came from a scrap yard and I didn't think the color would come back as well as it did.

Thanks!! I know what I'm doing this weekend now!