65 Racer Re-Do

[Green P1]

Picked this Racer up with with a couple other bikes, as detailed in this thread viewtopic.php?f=16&t=70719, but as it's too short for me.... and really just interests me the least... it will be the first of the three to go. It's not quite as clean as this picture would suggest, but i really think most of the surface rust will clean right up. I'm stealing the 2-speed kickback for another bike so my only real hurdle in the rebuild will be figuring out what size spokes I need to lace a regular Bendix coaster into the stupid odd shape S5 wheels.

 

[Green P1]

Tear down was quick...not a single thing frozen or stuck. Started polishing a little bit of chrome... man I wish all shiny bits cleaned up as easy as these from Chicago.
Before:

After:

My idea for the paint is to polish it up with rubbing compound, fill in most of the bigger scratch marks, and clear over it. Never done anything like it in the past... we'll see how it goes.

 

[mikeeebikey]

Sometimes touching the paint up looks worse than not. I have just clear coated a number of old bikes and the results are nice, patina for no work.

 

[Wildcat]

Be careful around the white decals, they might rub off. I cleaned up a 64 Schwinn American and the black paint shined up like new with ordinary car wax. Schwinn's chrome and paint was a notch better than the others. You might be happy without clear coating.

 

[Green P1]

I polished the fork last night and the paint (thats there) really does shine after minimal work. The main reason I'm thinking about clear coating is just to protect from the rust quickly returning. On that note, whats the best way to protect chrome ofter you've cleaned all the crust off?

 

[Green P1]

The Bendix coaster I'm planning on lacing into the S5 didn't have much stopping bite up until the point of locking up. After taking it apart it seems like it was filled with motor oil rather than grease. Is this normal for a Bendix? It has the little door you can open on the side to oil it I guess... but I wouldn't think you'd want it that thin of lube in there. The bits are soaking in gas right now awaiting re-assembly.

 

[Green P1]

I guess I need to figure out how to use a spoke length calculator myself... here's how well the spokes the local bike shop figured up for me worked out...

Also, $45 for spokes and nipples seems too high... oh well. I'm sure they'll swap them out for me.

 

[Green P1]

Got a little more done. Here's how the fork came out... I'm pretty darn happy with it.

What I did was a quick once over with rubbing compound, filled in the scratch marks with a black sharpie, over again lightly with rubbing compound to smooth/blend everything in, thin coat of clear, and one more time with the rubbing compound... Time consuming, but the photo really doesn't begin to show how good it looks. Aged but not worn.

Started on the chainguard tonight... the frame is going to take a while.

edit: this photo/flash makes it look quite foggy for some reason... I'll try and get a better picture tomorrow in the sun.

 

[Green P1]

Here she is all finished up. I kinda gave up on updating the thread....

The shade pic really do the paint justice. Ill get a couple out in the sun later today.

 

[Green P1]

Pics from a ride on a sunnier day...

 

[supergoob]

Thats a sharp rig, I really love a good cable-free lightweight.

 

[ilikebikes]

I think you REALLY need to get those fenders back on her, they really do make that specific bike.