Stingray build

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So I picked up this 1968 Stingray for 80 bucks from a guy in Marion and just got the perfect parts bike for it today a 1971 Schwinn Fair Lady plan is to use all the parts from the fair lady to rebuild this Stingray. Rear stays still need a little adjustment but not far off now.

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So I picked up this 1968 Stingray for 80 bucks from a guy in Marion and just got the perfect parts bike for it today a 1971 Schwinn Fair Lady plan is to use all the parts from the fair lady to rebuild this Stingray. Rear stays still need a little adjustment but not far off now.

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The rear wheel on a Fairladyt is an S-7 a Stingray would have a S-2, other than that some good parts for your bike. How true to '68 do you want to be? The '68 handlebars are the same as the first year Krate so everybody looking for them. I have a couple sets of the Wald version they are exactly the same just stamped Wald. The correct '68 seat is either expensive or cheap and beat. I'm not so hung up on all parts being correct for all my bikes. Did the 46 tooth Mag clear the frame? '68 was the last year for the shorter long frame if that makes any sense. In '69 they lengthened the chan stays to accommodate the bigger 46 as opposed to 36 sprocket. I have never tried to fit one on my '68 so I did not know if they fir. You will need the later chain guard as the wingtip will not fit over the 46 for sure. I have some parts for that bike including the green guard if you are interested. Love my Stingray's and I feel everyone should own at least one. Good luck reach out with any questions.
 
The rear wheel on a Fairlady is an S-7 a Stingray would have a S-2, other than that some good parts for your bike. How true to '68 do you want to be? The '68 handlebars are the same as the first year Krate so everybody looking for them. I have a couple sets of the Wald version they are exactly the same just stamped Wald. The correct '68 seat is either expensive or cheap and beat. I'm not so hung up on all parts being correct for all my bikes. Did the 46 tooth Mag clear the frame? '68 was the last year for the shorter long frame if that makes any sense. In '69 they lengthened the chan stays to accommodate the bigger 46 as opposed to 36 sprocket. I have never tried to fit one on my '68 so I did not know if they fir. You will need the later chain guard as the wingtip will not fit over the 46 for sure. I have some parts for that bike including the green guard if you are interested. Love my Stingray's and I feel everyone should own at least one. Good luck reach out with any questions.
So this frame originally had the Lucky 7 sprocket so I'm not even sure if it's a stingray or maybe some lower model. The rear of the frame is bent slightly both chain stays and seat stays are swayed to the right looking from front to back on the bike the chainring stay does hit but not sure if due to the bend in the frame or it's made for the smaller chainring. I'm going to try some creative flexing and see if I can bring it within tolerance. Mainly just doing a period correct restoration and get the vintage look not super super concerned about it being 100% corksniffer correct. I still have the original bars (wider) for this bike as well as rims and all that but they are pretty rusty and krusty. I just want a head turning stingray to ride around on once in a while without spending a fortune and I'll make it correct as I gain those parts and refurbish them.
 
By the time the Stingray was available and popular I was too old for it. I never actually got to ride a real Stingray back in the day.

I did ride on a Huffy “stingray” I built up for my daughter many years ago. But it’s interesting to hear some real Stingray history, because I don’t have a good handle on any of that, and how simple or complex it might be.

Of course I am a customizer and I will never restore anything exactly on purpose.
 

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