We got 38 here the other day, but that was in Celsius...Thanks! This is what we do up north when it's 38 degrees and raining and we can't play outside!
'77 Sunset Strip - 1977 Schwinn Sting-Ray Refresh
- Thread starter OddJob
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
That's a hot day!
Our high for the next 10 days is in the low 30's F. Looks like winter is coming early this year. Snow on the ground this morning.
1930 today and I've only got 4 pages and no video promotion haha... But you're in a different division. We ain't competing till February.
Carl.
Yeah, just pulling your chain Carl. I always enjoy our banter.
And, look for more 'promotion' by me in the coming months. I have to do something to stay relevant.
Checking in late, but I LOVE the way this came out. Nice ride.
We do still have half the time left...Yeah, just pulling your chain Carl. I always enjoy our banter.
And, look for more 'promotion' by me in the coming months. I have to do something to stay relevant.
I haven't done much on my most ambitious build ever, Muscle Spasm. So dig deep, put your long johns on and build a class 2 bomb.
Carl.
Thanks ! Had a lot of fun with the bike.
Thanks TJ! The original paint was in pretty good shape, needed cleaning and polishing to bring the color back and make it shine. I had one good, sunny and relatively warm day in October to get the photos shot; we had a short Fall this year. The bike park seemed like the perfect setting for a muscle bike!
Thanks furyus! In my research, I found that apparently 1978 was the only year they made the Sting Ray in Sunset Orange. It's a great muscle bike color, and I didn't have any other bikes in orange, and never owned a true Sting Ray; so two birds with one stone! The original grips on there were worn and torn through on the ends of the bar. So after the chrome shined up so nicely, I thought the caps might fit the bill-d.
Nice job again, OJ. If you're in AZ this winter, come on down to Tucson. We can ride two of my vintage cruisers along our loop!
Since you brought it up SD....yes, I am in Arizona! The BACK40 Southwest got busy today. This is not a muscle bike, but since the Winter Build Off is not happening, and after all, it is Winter (even in the desert); I figured I'd share a few pics of my results from today.
Last year, while riding my WBO bike from '16 / '17, Mesa Boogie Woogie, I went off a jump and snapped the chain stay. Luckily, I was only about 3 miles from home, and it was a nice day for a walk.
Here are the results of that...
I had my klunker build, Desert Sky (yes, that's really what I named it 3 years ago), a Hiawatha framed klunker with motocross bars from a '78 Yamaha and 2.4 tires on original wheels sitting in the BACK40 in Minnesota. It was the perfect candidate for the switch over.
So I picked the frame clean of the rear wheel, derailleur, chain, disc brake, cabling and levers, BB conversion and crank set. I will hang the '51 Schwinn DX frame on the wall for decor. The '50s Hiawatha frame wears those parts well!
I elected not to use the fat wheel / tire combo from Mesa Boogie, and go with a standard 26" front to match the rear.
I found a Next full sus bike in bad shape at the Goodwill near us, slapped down my $4.99, and hauled it home. My main attraction to this budget dirt buster, was the front wheel; a bolt on disc hub alloy rimmed wheel at that! I will order another CST Cheyenne 26 x 2.4 knobby to mount on the wheel, and spray the rim and spokes all black to match the rear. But I wanted to get this ready for the Arizona Coasters ride this Sunday, so it will ride as is for now.
It was a fun day in the garage in NE Mesa, at the base of the Red Mountain. And by 4:30 pm, MST, I was on a test ride in my neighborhood trail.
Again, it's not a muscle bike per se, but it is 'muscly' and, I'm biding my time till I can post my final pics 77 Sunset Strip in the 'Finished Build Thread' ....*nudge nudge wink wink* ....
Very nicely done!
I always learn something from you, OJ.
Are you interested in another
I may be if he's not
OddJob and I have already "discussed" this, but I worked at Tonka Schwinn for about ten years, starting a year or two after this bike was sold. I still have a couple of those bike shop stickers around here somewhere... They later changed their name to "Tonka Cycling and Fitness". That shop was eventually sold and it moved.
The funny thing (to me) is, it moved to a strip mall that shared a parking lot with what was at one time "Hopkins Schwinn". I worked there too, for about a year before I went to Tonka Schwinn. Hopkins Schwinn burned down one night and the building wasn't rebuilt.The sad part was, the owner of Hopkins Schwinn was a car guy and the lower level of the building was set up to restore cars and there were a few stored down there. He had some cool stuff when I was working there and I'm guessing he lost a lot when the building burned.
And to further ramble on about something no one asked about, Hopkins and Minnetonka border each other. I think that "Hopkins Schwinn" was actually located in Minnetonka. It had also moved at some point, when I was very young it was a mile down the road, main street of Hopkins, and it was still a Hopkins mailing address so there was no reason to change the name.
Aren't you glad you asked? What? You didn't ask?
Oh.
Nevermind.
Love the history DesmoDog!
