Cricket Ain't No Rat (she's a Lady) 73 Collegiate Commuter

[katezila]

Haha No she kind of is a rat rod. And I mean no offense fellow rat rod lovers.

Anyways I finished restoring/modding the heck out of my 1973 Schwinn Collegiate. Well for the time being, there's always work do be done and I am certainly no professional bike mechanic.

She was saved from a barn for a bit o cash and brought home covered in rain, rust, and all the other crud you accumulate from sitting in a barn 30-some years.

I swapped the rusted-beyond-saving fenders for some english 3-speed style ones (from a huffy? i don't really know) I wanted more of the vintage look anyways so I like them better. Plus come on, that cool little front fender nose tip? Awesome.

Pre-work. You can see the rust on the spoke protector, rims, a bit on the neck, pretty much everything thats chrome. :b

The paint was real cloudy, here's a before (top tube) and after (bottom tube) after using Tutle Wax Color Back.

The head light was a trial! I took it from my dad's beater Hercules. The chrome on the main housing was so bad it was flaking off. I ground and sanded it clean and repainted it a lovely cream. Then I retrofitted an led light for it following bikeriderx's approach.

and the almighty power of navel jelly.

But Cricket doesn't care about any of this. She just wants to go for a ride.

 

[katezila]

Oh! Before I forget, there's an old Sears-Roebuck sitting in the garage that's got white pedals. I'm thinking of swapping mine for them. Thoughts?

 

[deorman]

Are you sure her name's not Katy-did?

 

[katezila]

Hahaha! The rear wheel's a little crooked or something, so the little fringies on the new tire brush the fender and it sounds like a quiet little cricket. She seems to have chosen her own name.
But maybe she'll need a new one after more breaking in. :wink:

 

[Markm]

Looks Great!!!!!
8) :mrgreen: 8) :mrgreen:

 

[aaronarthur]

Nice!

What kind of bag is that?

 

[Rat Rod]

It does look cool.

If the white on the pedals matches the headlight I say go for it.

That bag looks great on the bike too.

 

[katezila]

Looks Great!!!!!
8) :mrgreen: 8) :mrgreen:

Thanks! See the fenders? :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Nice!

What kind of bag is that?

It's a swiss army ammunition bag. While hunting around for a good army surplus bag i simultaneously found this and this. Had to take the cheeper route there. heh

It does look cool.

If the white on the pedals matches the headlight I say go for it.

That bag looks great on the bike too.

Thanks! I think I'll try it out tomorrow. I'm a bit worried about how fast they'll get dirty though.

Works great too. :wink: Gunna get a folding basket for the other side

 

[aaronarthur]

It's a swiss army ammunition bag.

Never saw one before. Looks great.

 

[aaronarthur]

Cool bag. Would you mind showing us how you have the it attached? Is there anything supporting the bottom, or keeping it from swinging into the spokes? I like this idea of alternative (and affordable) pannier bags. I'm going to have to search out some more examples now. Thanks!

 

[bigj]

Lookin' fine!

 

[Markm]

fenders look sweet!!

 

[bikeriderx]

The head light was a trial! I took it from my dad's beater Hercules. The chrome on the main housing was so bad it was flaking off. I ground and sanded it clean and repainted it a lovely cream. Then I retrofitted an led light for it following bikeriderx's approach.

Looks great! I'm glad I could help! :mrgreen: