Ready for powder

[El Pocho]

So I'm thinking a dark metallic teal on the frame and where the chrome used to be on the springer, and black for the main legs of the springer....any thoughts or suggestions other possible color combos??

 

[One-eyed Sailor]

Teal sounds great! Beauty of a frame!

 

[Wildcat]

A pre 1952 Schwinn straightbar. Can't go wrong unless it was pink with polka dots.

Maybe the chainguard teal and black to match? I'm not sure if they can spray the powder two colors on the same piece.

 

[El Pocho]

A pre 1952 Schwinn straightbar. Can't go wrong unless it was pink with polka dots.

Maybe the chainguard teal and black to match? I'm not sure if they can spray the powder two colors on the same piece.

The chain guard is actually an issue...powder vs paint, one color vs two or just no guard at all...gonna run 3 pc black cranks on it...

 

[El Pocho]

The components will be black and gold...gold pedals, bar clamp, black bars....maybe black hoops w gold hubs

 

[El Pocho]

A pre 1952 Schwinn straightbar. Can't go wrong unless it was pink with polka dots.

Maybe the chainguard teal and black to match? I'm not sure if they can spray the powder two colors on the same piece.

And I bet I could do a sweet polka dot build ..maybe a challenge??lol

 

[Wildcat]

The chain guard is actually an issue...powder vs paint, one color vs two or just no guard at all...gonna run 3 pc black cranks on it...

With the 3 pc cranks, I'd leave it off to highlight the chainwheel.

My 42 Hawthorne with 3 pc conversion:

 

[JA331]

I went with black and chrome on my ‘53. I’m waiting for a mate to lace the rear wheel. I contemplated fitting a set of 3 piece black cranks too.

I had the frame powdercoated and painted the bars and tank myself.

For a 2 color scheme if powder coating, I believe you would need to powder coat the main color and paint the second one.

 

[El Pocho]

With the 3 pc cranks, I'd leave it off to highlight the chainwheel.

My 42 Hawthorne with 3 pc conversion:

View attachment 261856

yes...also a very possible option, which is what I usually do...but this guard is really cool lookin...very nice ride btw...

A pre 1952 Schwinn straightbar. Can't go wrong unless it was pink with polka dots.

Maybe the chainguard teal and black to match? I'm not sure if they can spray the powder two colors on the same piece.

im thinkin im going to end up doing it teal and then hand pinstriping it. That is what I do for a living after all...

 

[El Pocho]

So this is my next build. It's a 1950 panther straight bar. If you look at the rear wheel it lines up perfectly with the head tube, the problem is you can see the top right down tube is bent and it's pulling the seat post tube to the right. The rim is perfectly centered with the bottom bracket and the lower tubes, the problem is I was going to run a free wheel and a handbrake but the wheel being so off-centered in the top tubes, it does not allow the brake to line up correctly. Is this issue common with these old Schwinn frames, or does this thing look bent? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[El Pocho]

Here's another pic of my issue...

 

[Wildcat]

So this is my next build. It's a 1950 panther straight bar. If you look at the rear wheel it lines up perfectly with the head tube, the problem is you can see the top right down tube is bent and it's pulling the seat post tube to the right. The rim is perfectly centered with the bottom bracket and the lower tubes, the problem is I was going to run a free wheel and a handbrake but the wheel being so off-centered in the top tubes, it does not allow the brake to line up correctly. Is this issue common with these old Schwinn frames, or does this thing look bent? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

It's definitely bent somewhere, but I can't tell without getting a better look at it. It may be the lower section that's bent. One dropout seems higher than the other.

This might work:

On the floor or flat surface, draw a straight line about 4 feet long with a line perpendicular at one end, exactly 90 degress to the straight line.

Take the wheel out and set the frame on the flat surface, resting on the bottom bracket and following the line you drew.

Are both dropouts touching the surface with the bottom bracket sitting completely flat?

Does the headtube look vertical or is it slanted left or right?

With the ends of the dropouts square to the perpendicular line, does the frame follow a straight line?

I think a chain stay adjustment is all it needs, but that's just a guess. These old Schwinn frames are steel, so corrections may be made that work well.

If it's a chainstay that's bent, it can be adjusted.

 

[musclebikemadman]

So this is my next build. It's a 1950 panther straight bar. If you look at the rear wheel it lines up perfectly with the head tube, the problem is you can see the top right down tube is bent and it's pulling the seat post tube to the right. The rim is perfectly centered with the bottom bracket and the lower tubes, the problem is I was going to run a free wheel and a handbrake but the wheel being so off-centered in the top tubes, it does not allow the brake to line up correctly. Is this issue common with these old Schwinn frames, or does this thing look bent? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

@Wildcat int he second pic the chain stays look way off, I'm guessing that is where the issue starts

 

[El Pocho]

It's definitely bent somewhere, but I can't tell without getting a better look at it. It may be the lower section that's bent. One dropout seems higher than the other.

This might work:

On the floor or flat surface, draw a straight line about 4 feet long with a line perpendicular at one end, exactly 90 degress to the straight line.

Take the wheel out and set the frame on the flat surface, resting on the bottom bracket and following the line you drew.

Are both dropouts touching the surface with the bottom bracket sitting completely flat?

Does the headtube look vertical or is it slanted left or right?

With the ends of the dropouts square to the perpendicular line, does the frame follow a straight line?

I think a chain stay adjustment is all it needs, but that's just a guess. These old Schwinn frames are steel, so corrections may be made that work well.

If it's a chainstay that's bent, it can be adjusted.

It's definitely bent somewhere, but I can't tell without getting a better look at it. It may be the lower section that's bent. One dropout seems higher than the other.

This might work:

On the floor or flat surface, draw a straight line about 4 feet long with a line perpendicular at one end, exactly 90 degress to the straight line.

Take the wheel out and set the frame on the flat surface, resting on the bottom bracket and following the line you drew.

Are both dropouts touching the surface with the bottom bracket sitting completely flat?

Does the headtube look vertical or is it slanted left or right?

With the ends of the dropouts square to the perpendicular line, does the frame follow a straight line?

I think a chain stay adjustment is all it needs, but that's just a guess. These old Schwinn frames are steel, so corrections may be made that work well.

If it's a chainstay that's bent, it can be adjusted.

Thanks for the input. I know it's bent, I guess I was just more or less asking the best way to fix it. At some point the rear triangle has "shifted"to the left. I just need to find out the best way to bend it back without breaking it or making it worse. I'll probably just take it to a local MC builder here in Sarasota who may be able to help me. But I appreciate everyones help and advise

 

[Wildcat]

That's a good idea. A shop may have all the tools and equipment needed to straighten it. I would have 2 x 4's, baling wire and a dozen clamps set up to try to fix it. With a big hammer.

Take the rear wheel with it so they can check the alignment.

I'm looking forward to seeing it built up.

 

[El Pocho]

The Fab shop I took it to hadn't touched it in ten days (they told me 5) so I got it outta there and decided to (attempt to) fix it myself. I put the front half of the frame from the bottom bracket forward on the solid concrete patio w the back half hanging off the edge. I then put my left foot on the head tube and my right foot on the back axle, w the wheel in place to keep the chain stays properly spaced, and proceeded to gently apply pressure on the axle while holding the front half down w my weight and gently bouncing...after doing this carefully about 15 or 20 times, I got the frame back to about 97%. The last pic is the "before". Didn't want to push my luck any further. I can live w 97%. Archaic, I know...but it worked. And now I have a pretty cool story to tell...lol. Anyway...off to powder coat.

 

[Pondo]

Looks good, much better!

 

[twojs.bike]

Looks perfect to me.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

"good enough" is better than "not at all"

 

[El Pocho]

Pile is getting bigger!!