Schwinn Strand Survivor -- Finished

[Dizzle Problems]

So I’ve had this idea for a bit, and I finally found the frame I wanted.

A ‘52 Schwinn straight bar—

In the early 80s there was a custom cruiser boom. Customizations usually involved a tubular fork, bmx bits, and anodized colors.
The aim is to build it as a ‘survivor’. As if it was built in the early 80s and left since.
Most of what I have is appropriate age. However I will have to include a few new things-
Chain, headset, rear spokes/nips.

I hadn't intended on entering in the build off, but I am building this bike regardless, and it falls within the time allotted, so...why not.


More pictures as the weekend comes!

 

[kingfish254]

Great frame and a good plan.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Quick mock with stuff I had sitting in the house—

‘82 chrome Schwinn forks, brooks champion saddle, sugino bb adapter, and gold Ukai wheels. That’s two front wheels. The front is laced to a high flange Schwinn hub stamped ‘80. The rear hoop to an SR hub stamped ‘82.
I’ve already taken apart what will be the rear. It’ll get laced to a Bendix red band. Spokes arrived last night. I have a 28 hole redband, NOS 36 hole shell should arrive tonight.
(Bars pictured are for my ‘round town klunkin’ build that I’m draggin my feet on)

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Great frame and a good plan.

Thanks Kingfish!

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Hub shell came in. Didn’t expect it in the original box. Thought that was pretty cool!

I’ll get the guts swapped over from my 28 hole shell tomorrow and lace the wheel up.
Also put proofide on the saddle. Was a lil dry.
After I try and knock some surface rust off the frame, I’m hoping to get the headset and fork in tomorrow, as well as overhaul the front hub and get tires on both wheels.

 

[DeFresh]

Quick mock with stuff I had sitting in the house—

View attachment 69202
‘82 chrome Schwinn forks, brooks champion saddle, sugino bb adapter, and gold Ukai wheels. That’s two front wheels. The front is laced to a high flange Schwinn hub stamped ‘80. The rear hoop to an SR hub stamped ‘82.
I’ve already taken apart what will be the rear. It’ll get laced to a Bendix red band. Spokes arrived last night. I have a 28 hole redband, NOS 36 hole shell should arrive tonight.
(Bars pictured are for my ‘round town klunkin’ build that I’m draggin my feet on)

Love those bars!!

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Got the guts put in the proper hub shell and built the rear wheel this morning.

Also overhauled the front hub and got the 80s snake belly tires mounted. Forgot the og tubes were in them, holding air. So even the tubes are era appropriate now

Also hit the frame with a lil wd40 and 0000 steel wool to knock down some of the surface rust.

(Had a lil help buildin the rear wheel)—

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Love those bars!!

Thanks @DeFresh . They’re wald long horns with a cross bar welded in. What’s funny is I had talked to a friend a few month back about an idea to do just that. And then I found these at a swap lil bit back. The cross bar curves, pretty stoked on them.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

I believe the frame previously had a kickstand. Looks to have been removed, and a plate welded behind that bb at the chainstays.
I got this frame from Rex at Santa Barbara Cruisers, so I have no worries about the welds here at all.

To keep from future rust, I sprayed the bare metal with some clear coat.

Got the headset, Fork, and BB installed.

Somewhere I was reading a thread that all the chrome Schwinn straight tubular forks were made in '82. (apparently)

Sugino BMX BB

(Tange Headlock in gold keepin the headset tight)

Aiming to get the seatpost clamp, post, and saddle on tomorrow. The seatpost I wanna use, as well as a few others weren't quite fittin. The top of the seat tube on the frame seems slightly oblong. So need to straighten that out.

SR Lamprade BMX post, that I was told was milled down to 13/16 to fit Schwinns. I havent seen that many of these post, and the ones I have were 7/8. Schwinn clamp that 'dry' fit, but we'll see if it clamps all the way when I get the post in. I've got others if not, but I'd like to run this one.

Soon as my chainring gets here I should be able to call this one a wrap.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Looks like a good plan.

@Rat Rod will like this one.

 

[Rat Rod]

The wheel set

 

[kirkpatrick]

Got the guts put in the proper hub shell and built the rear wheel this morning.
View attachment 69255
View attachment 69240
Also overhauled the front hub and got the 80s snake belly tires mounted. Forgot the og tubes were in them, holding air. So even the tubes are era appropriate now

View attachment 69241
View attachment 69242


Also hit the frame with a lil wd40 and 0000 steel wool to knock down some of the surface rust.

(Had a lil help buildin the rear wheel)—
View attachment 69243

Pretty wheels, I like your style dude.

 

[SILVERKINGPC]

Those old Ukai 26x 2.125 rims are great for Rods for sure. Are you going to match the new rear wheel more closely by re-lacing the front hub using Stainless spokes? Or are you going to leave the heavy-gauge orig. steel ones? New & shiny would match the back wheel a bit better, especially when rolling....
Coming along nicely DP!

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Those old Ukai 26x 2.125 rims are great for Rods for sure. Are you going to match the new rear wheel more closely by re-lacing the front hub using Stainless spokes? Or are you going to leave the heavy-gauge orig. steel ones? New & shiny would match the back wheel a bit better, especially when rolling....
Coming along nicely DP!

I thought about relacing in some stainless spokes on the front, but as the aim is for the bike to look like it just rolled out of a shed after 30-35 years and got a lil clean up , I decided to leave it. I actually searched my spoke stash and old wheels for old galvanized spokes to lace into the rear to match the look but didn’t have the right size.
I want it to look like a kid in ‘82 or so took his dads old Schwinn, stripped it down, and built it with parts available on the cheap, or scavenged. So I figure the rear hoop having minor brake rub, but being laced to a coaster, could have been relaced with stainless at any time..
The original idea for this build involved a bunch of mis matched anodized parts, for a real backyard pieced together feel. I just happened across another gold wheel and since I had the gold headlock, and the bars used to be gold, I decided I could do all gold and silver on the frame.
As a result of that, I’ve got a good assortment of red and blue ano stuff that I will prob do another bike with

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Made some changes to the seating situation. The SR post I wanted to use just wasn't going in, and I didn't want to force it. The seat clamp I wanted to use is for a 22.2 post, didn't want to stress it, or shim it. Also decided the Brooks Champion was a little narrow.

So, went with a Vintage Brooks B72, wald seat post, and an AS bolt seatpost clamp (not pictured here)

The last piece to the puzzle I was waiting on was the chain ring. Came in last night.
Tuf Neck 45T chain ring, sugino bolts, and sugino Super Maxy cranks w/ proper dust caps.

Gold KMC chain and gold KKT pedals round out the drive train. (hadn't initially intended on a gold chain, but it was the only single speed chain in my stash, so, right on.

To finish off the cockpit, Tuf Neck Pro Model stem in black, and VDC cruiser bars in used to be gold.

The bike was essentially build around the bars. I had been hunting a blue and/or red pair, found the faded gold, and thus the idea started to form.
Finished pics coming next.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

And there we go. A Schwinn strandie that could have been built in the 80s. I'm really stoked with how this came out. It'll get a lot of saddle time. Took it for a test run just as the sun was going down and it rode really smooth and quiet. I hope to get another straight bar soon.

 

[RustyGold]

Looks great!

Jason

 

[macncheese]

I’d ride it.

 

[Funkme]

The rims look excellent. Nice combo with the tires.

 

[kirkpatrick]

I’m liking this! The black and gold go great together.