The Wifey Delux

[Foybles]

Here is a 1964 Schwinn Deluxe American I picked up this Wednesday for 70 clams. It is in working order and except the missing tank and light is all origional. Yes even the tires are old school US made Schwinn.

This will be my spring build. A bike for my wife.

I got this from Chicago's Working Bikes Co-op

They always have nice vintage bikes.

All the money goes to recondition bikes for people all over the world.

This one will stay here though.

The colors will be light green medium green and pink.

 

[karfer67]

nice original bike gotta find a tank for it

 

[Rat Rod]

I found one similar to that before...24" wheeled bike.

It went from this....

To this...

Ended up selling it to a lady with a 12 year old daughter who was all smiles. :mrgreen:

 

[Foybles]

Nice bike Rat Rod. I like the basket and the overall blue/white color scheme. That's a lucky little girl that was given that sweet ride. I'll be rubbing the rust off this bike for a while.

 

[BrigmasterA]

It's kinda fun doing up chick bikes sometimes. I made this one for my wife. I got lucky as there was no chrome on it...

 

[Foybles]

Wow, love the whole sting ray look. The ram's horn bars are cool. I think the Wifey is gonna have some big cruiser bars and we're losing the blue paint.

 

[Foybles]

Well, so far I've taken the whole thing apart. I rebuilt the coaster hub and dismantled the wheels. I got a new set of handlebars and cleaned up the gooseneck. The hardest part will be painting it. Has anyone ever used Epoxy spray paint? I wonder if it will make a good base for pinstripes.

The origional tires had large gouges and were cracked badly.

I sanded and primed the head tube to clean up some pits.

Rims before and after

The frame only, still need to take off the kickstand. A friend has the tool.

Nice clean parts.

 

[Baron von Zach]

I have always wondered, what the Schwinn kickstand tool looks like. Would you mind posting a photo when your friend lends it to you?

 

[Foybles]

Go to this link for a pic of the Park Kickstand removal tool.

http://www.hyper-formance.com/DCP_2685.JPG

 

[rgallen]

Everytime I get about half way through a project somebody comes out with a great looking bike like this and makes me want to change MY project in midstream and do what they did. Why do ya'll do this to me? I'll never get one finished this way. Anyway you did a great job. It looks very nice.

 

[Foybles]

I decided with the help of a friend to powder coat the Wifey Delux. It will cost about 80 for the frame and fork, and 15 for each rim. I think that's an awesome price considering the strength of the finish. The company doing the powder coat normally does race cars and motorcycles so I am confident that the finish will be smooth and glossy.

QUESTION???? Has anyone used vinyl to create graphics on a bike? Like the way graphics are applied to cars. Just thinking of options for this build.

 

[Foybles]

Well I have been a little too busy in the last few months. I made some changes to the Wifey Delux plan. I think we are going rattle can on the paint and although I really like the Schwinn rims (with the bendix coaster) I opted to buy new rims and the cream Fat Franks.

The rear wheel barely fit.

The front wheel hub is too big and does not drop into the fork. I would imagine a little grinding would work. Anyone else ever deal with that issue?

My LBS had a customer exchange her new Chwinn seat with some gel thing and I picked it up for the Wifey Delux.

It's a much bigger, thicker seat.

 

[greg66]

my girlfriend just built a 1964 ladies schwinn american .she also paid 70 bucks for hers.its in bike builds under other female builders. 8)

 

[bikebuilder]

I really like the white tires and blue frame.

The front wheel hub is too big and does not drop into the fork. I would imagine a little grinding would work. Anyone else ever deal with that issue?

The schwinn blade forks spread apart fairly easily. Just pull the fork legs apart as you drop the bike down on the axle.

I have always wondered, what the Schwinn kickstand tool looks like.

I would imagine something like channel lock pliers in their wide open setting. That is what I use.

 

[Wildcat]

Good idea on the seat. It looks a lot like a vintage seat, only with padding. The old seats get rock hard as the padding doesn't last. I put some padding in my old schwinn seat, but there was only a small amount of room for padding, so it still rides hard. I warmed up the vinyl cover in hot water to get it to come off.

If you meant the axle diameter was too big for the existing holes in the forks, this might work for you. I needed to put a tandem front wheel on a beehive springer front forks, and the slots needed widened also. I used a drillbit the exact size as the bigger axle and widened them that way. I was able to spread the forks open easily with the springer, but yours may need some filing to get it to drop in. Or possibly just one side needs filed down, as the first side can slide in, then the other drops in the widened and filed slot, like my schwinn springer that has one side closed off.

I would only take away just enough to fit the axle, and make sure it has the right washers when bolting it on.


Your old blue seat looks to be in pretty good shape, as does the old bendix hub.

 

[bikebuilder]

If you meant the axle diameter was too big for the existing holes in the forks,

I forgot about that. I didn't mean stretch the fork over the axle ends, I had in mind that your cones and locking nuts were too wide for the fork. You might try to find an axle like this. It slides right in then you turn it 1/4 turn to help keep it in place.

 

[deorman]

Any of those methods could work, using hand files is pretty much S.O.P.. :wink:

 

[Foybles]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm thinking a round file or a grinding stone. I need to get the fork to 3/8 and it is roughly 5/16.

 

[blink]

i just had to do that for my build.

used my side grinder. done in 2 minutes.

 

[Foybles]

I ended up using a file and a grinding bit. I took off about a 16th and the axle fit in perfect.