The Rat Phantom '59- Finished!!

[mr. handlebar]

So I got this 1959 Schwinn Red Phantom back in January. It has a really nice patina that i wanted to protect. Not all the parts were original but i wanted to use the parts that came with it when i bought it. The chrome needed to be cleaned up and the tires needed to be replaced and the chainguard needs to be repainted. I still plan on laying the seat back and doing something different with the handlebars.

This is what i started with:

These are the fenders that came with the bike:

The chrome needed a little cleaning:

The seat leather is in really good shape but the pan was a little rusted:

After a few weeks of working on it i've been making good progress this where i'm at.

I taped off the leather on the seat and cold galvanized the pan:

I got the chrome cleaned up and polished:

I cleaned the dirt off the frame and clear coated it to protect the original paint/patina. I also clear coated the rear fender to keep its patina. Then i threw some whitewalls on to give it that rat look:

With the front fender i wanted to add a personal touch, and since my other interrest is growing an epic handlebar moustache i decided my bike needed one as well:

I did the maroon and gold to match with the colors already on the bike and then cleared it as well:

Now i have the fenders on, i need to find a handlebar stem for it, a headlight,and finish the chainguard. But overall it is really coming together:

Thanks for checking it out and let me know what you think.

 

[mikesbikes36]

Re: The Rat Phantom '59

lookin good man ...hows about a pic of the epic stache...i want to grow one but my ol lady says no .... :mrgreen:

 

[mr. handlebar]

First off a pic of my fender inspiration--the stache.

Now back to the bike, i painted my chainguard to better match the existing paint on the bike and ordered all the parts i needed to finish. I decided to flip the original handlebars i had and go for a boardtrack look:

I won an auction on ebay for an old Oliver tractor headlight with a 5.5" lense. I converted it over to LED by stripping down a flashlight i had gotten at some trade show and putting a toggle switch where the existing wires had come thru the housing. I clear coated the light to match the patina already on the fenders:

The headlight came with a mounting bracket and since i have a spot for a headlight on my front fender, i got a flat elevator bolt mounted the bracket cut off the access threads and put my tractor light there:

I had some leather handlebar tape from another bike that i decided to put on the handlebars just to add a little something:

I ordered a laid back seat post from a builder named Kip who can reached at [email protected] and it turned out amazing i shot a little grey on it and got it and my seat on the bike:

Of course i got it done when we are having crappy weather so an extended ride will have to wait but i did take it for a cruise around the shop and it's awesome. Once again thanks for checking it out and let me know what you think.

 

[MplsCoaster]

Your bike turned out great! Nice job

 

[Xcruiser]

Thats sweet.You worked with the original patina perfectly and of course a mustache adds class to anything!

 

[scott brownsey]

looks great stache to

 

[kipharley]

Hi,Brodie
Thank's for the shout out! I'm glad your happy. Very nice bike.Nice stach also!
Kip.

 

[mr. handlebar]

Thanks Guys! It finally stopped raining and is headed back up to the 80's so hopefully i can get and ride this week.

 

[gcrank1]

Really nice from concept thru build; bet you get lots of compliments when you ride it!
BTW, just to follow your theme, if you ever get a deal on some 'real' mustache bars, think about putting them on?

 

[flatflip]

Good Job! Good looking build. I like the clear coated patina.