Farm Hand Fastback

[Sting Ray Lover]

I met a local guy that found this 1971 3 Speed Fastback in a barn along with a Violet 5 speed Fastback and a Campus Green 3 speed Sting Ray. I picked what I thought was the best of the group. Maybe I was wrong? I'm going need need a lot of replacement parts. The paint along with the tires and wheels are toasty originals. What I will start out with on this build is the frame, forks, shifter, brakes, brake levers, and chain guard. The fenders are in fair shape, not great but ok for now. I will replace the wheels, tires, handlebars, hand grips, seat, seat post, sissy bar, sprocket, crank, pedals and cables. Wait....what have I gotten myself into? That's most of the bike!

 

[Sting Ray Lover]

Started the teardown last night. The paint is terrible.

 

[CRASH]

Don't dismiss Schwinn chrome. They really went top notch back in the 70's. Hot water, balled up aluminum foil, and a lot of elbow grease. It sounds crazy, but it works with knocking off rust! If the plating isn't broken, and just has some surface corrosion, this method will bring it back WITHOUT scratching the chrome, like steel wool or a brillow pad will do.

 

[Sting Ray Lover]

Someone already took what looks like a wire brush to the fenders and handlebars. I could have saved to fenders but there is no chrome left on the handlebars.

 

[Palepainter]

Gotta love a fast back. No matter where it ends up, it will be worth your time for sure. Will enjoy following along as I have one in about same condition waiting on me.

 

[OddJob]

Welcome to the best vintage custom bike forum on the internet, and the build off fun, @Sting Ray Lover !

You've got a great bike to start with there! Remember, we aren't necessarily a 'restoration' forum as much as we are a 'customization' and 're-creation' forum; so like @CRASH (aka resident Muscle Bike guru) said, there are ways to bring back chrome or paint that give the build your own special touch, and keep the costs and parts hunting down.

So cool to see you here! How did you find us? We are always looking at how to attract more members / builders.

Lastly, when you upload photos to your posts, click on the word Insert on your image, and then select Full Image. That way we will get a full-sized view of your progress photos. Here's your first image, done that way:

I use a mix of white vinegar and water, the harder the rust the stronger the vinegar proportion, to get the surface rust off initially. It will leave a shadowy film on the parts, so use hot water and rinse afterwards. I use a rag or sponge as to not scratch the chrome. There is a site to get authentic 'Schwinn Approved' decals for most models if you want to do logos after cleaning or a touch up paint on the frame. That looks similar to the blue on my friend's '69 Sting Ray that I 're-freshed' and switched his BMX mods he did as an adolescent back to the original set up as a production Sting Ray. That blue is available in a rattle can GM paint as I recall. I just did a spray over, without stripping the original paint, covering over his vintage stickers and bicycle license tabs with blue painters tape, and then just spraying a light coat on top of the original. And added the new Schwinn decals after. Here's a photo of the before and the after on my vintage re-fresh of the One Owner '69 build:

And after....

 

[GeePig]

You have some really narrow tires on there!

 

[Sting Ray Lover]

OddJob thanks for the input. After looking at the prices of replacement parts I'm thinking about using some of the parts I have or can find locally. I couldn't save the paint so it's now sanded waiting for me to get a plan together. Hopefully!

 

[Wildcat]

I met a local guy that found this 1971 3 Speed Fastback in a barn along with a Violet 5 speed Fastback and a Campus Green 3 speed Sting Ray. I picked what I thought was the best of the group. Maybe I was wrong? I'm going need need a lot of replacement parts. The paint along with the tires and wheels are toasty originals. What I will start out with on this build is the frame, forks, shifter, brakes, brake levers, and chain guard. The fenders are in fair shape, not great but ok for now. I will replace the wheels, tires, handlebars, hand grips, seat, seat post, sissy bar, sprocket, crank, pedals and cables. Wait....what have I gotten myself into? That's most of the bike!

"I picked what I thought was the best of the group. Maybe I was wrong?"

Maybe. Maybe not. To be sure you made the right choice, go back and get the other two.

 

[Pondo]

"I picked what I thought was the best of the group. Maybe I was wrong?"

Maybe. Maybe not. To be sure you made the right choice, go back and get the other two.

I second that! Let me know if you want to unload any of the unused parts.

 

[Sting Ray Lover]

A sneak preview of Farm Hands new duds and jewelry. Waiting on the rest of the replacements. Paint is Dupli-Color Metalcast Blue with Metalcast Base coat. Pretty close to Schwinn Blue.

 

[Sting Ray Lover]

Farm Hand has got his new duds, boots and jewelry. Just gotta shine his boot and finish his reflector.

Covered his saddle myself. Looks ok for a old man with arthritis.

 

[Pondo]

That’s a really sharp looking Fastback!

 

[Sting Ray Lover]

That’s a really sharp looking Fastback!

It turned out pretty nice. Not a RatRod but was a fairly complete bike that just needed A LOT of love.....() and it deserved to be restored.

 

[OddJob]

It turned out pretty nice. Not a RatRod but was a fairly complete bike that just needed A LOT of love.....() and it deserved to be restored.

Rule #1 on this forum, we never define what is a "RatRod bicycle" and what is not. ( I get what you meant) We have our 'ratty' RaTs and our 'natty' RaTs; yours definitely fits in the latter RaTter!

Beautiful work on this bike! Paint is awesome and yes, very close to the Schwinn blue. Great seat re-cover. (I can relate to the arthritis) and cleaning / assembling of parts. Very cohesive build!

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Agreed. Big Daddy Roth proved some rats can be well dressed:

nice tie, Ed.

 

[CRASH]

That Metalcast came out really, really nice! I'm using a red over chrome to give an anodized look on a bike. I'm really liking it!

Well done!

 

[Chad T]

Beautiful job.. Bike looks fantastic.