A couple months ago, my friend Randy asked me about restoring his '69 Schwinn Sting Ray so that once he has grand-children they would have a cool old bike to ride. He got this bike new as an 8 yr old, and has owned it ever since.
At one point of it's rambling about in the garage, it got pinned up against something by a car backing out. Fortunately, the action was aborted immediately and the result was only a bent handlebar and the rear triangle got pushed about 10-15 mms toward the drive side. So, I will have some 'body work' to do on this baby. And, last Sunday I picked up a '70s ape hanger bar from a local CL seller, so that problem is solved!
As all kids do, he thought it would be cool to paint his rear rim red (looks like house paint) and put a knobby Schwinn tire on it. And mimic the BMX style by pulling the 'naner seat and sissy bar to go with a small cruiser saddle. So I will need to find a relatively 'period correct' banana seat / bar combo as well. Otherwise, everything else is original to this bike. Should be fun!
He wants the vintage patina, including the stickers, left on the frame. So clean up, grease bearings, strip paint on the rim, polish chrome parts, wheel truing, and add replacement parts will be on the menu for this, my first ever bike restoration.
Here's how she sits on Day 1.....
Since this is my first restoration, I welcome hints / tricks / methods for frame straightening, paint removal, etc. RaT oN !
At one point of it's rambling about in the garage, it got pinned up against something by a car backing out. Fortunately, the action was aborted immediately and the result was only a bent handlebar and the rear triangle got pushed about 10-15 mms toward the drive side. So, I will have some 'body work' to do on this baby. And, last Sunday I picked up a '70s ape hanger bar from a local CL seller, so that problem is solved!
As all kids do, he thought it would be cool to paint his rear rim red (looks like house paint) and put a knobby Schwinn tire on it. And mimic the BMX style by pulling the 'naner seat and sissy bar to go with a small cruiser saddle. So I will need to find a relatively 'period correct' banana seat / bar combo as well. Otherwise, everything else is original to this bike. Should be fun!
He wants the vintage patina, including the stickers, left on the frame. So clean up, grease bearings, strip paint on the rim, polish chrome parts, wheel truing, and add replacement parts will be on the menu for this, my first ever bike restoration.
Here's how she sits on Day 1.....
Since this is my first restoration, I welcome hints / tricks / methods for frame straightening, paint removal, etc. RaT oN !