My $37 1954 Schwinn Ladies balloon tire!
- Thread starter lildietz
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I'll be happy to take them off your hands! I need some for my '58 and they sure don't look trashed to me!lildietz said:
Check out what I had to work with on my Columbia ... viewtopic.php?f=21&t=59091
Dents I don't mind... they are easy to take out. It's the rust that is the problem. I suppose I could get some bondo and take some time with them, but it's going to be a few hours of body work regardless.
I ordered rims and spokes that will be at the shop tomorrow. The frame and fork have received two coats of white paint and as of 1 hour ago, 2 coats of blue paint. I will remove the tape on each tomorrow to see how that came out, and if I'm happy with it, I will start overwhelming them with clear coat. The tank just got its second coat of rusty red primer and the chainguard has one. I'll see where the chainguard is at condition wise and decide if it needs some work and more primer, or I will just go ahead and do it white.
Everything will have at least 2 coats of white on it. Some parts will have blue and lots of clear on top of that (frame, fork, tank, chainguard, fenders), and other will just have the white and clear coat (truss rods).
I did something interesting with the parts listed below. With the exception of the front hub, they all got 1 or more coats of grey primer. All the parts received multiple coats of Rustoleum chrome spray (1-3 coats), and up to 5 coats of clear on top of that. It says on the back of the cans to not use clear coat on that chrome paint, but it wasn't until I already cleared it that I realized. Fortunately, it takes away from the very cheap looking idea that it's chrome spray paint and makes the parts look very nicely powdercoated.
Here are the faux-dercoat'ed parts, all of which are original to the bike:
Rear hub shell
Rear skiptooth cog
Coaster brake arm
Kickstand
Skiptooth chainring
One-piece crankset
Headset cups
Truss rod bracket and hardware
Headset preload nut
Front hub shell
Although I did do the headset, I am undecided about using the original one or a new one. I will probably go with the new one if I can make it work.
I did not do the handlebar and stem yet.
The fenders are a nightmare.... I honestly don't know what I will do with those.
I ordered rims and spokes that will be at the shop tomorrow. The frame and fork have received two coats of white paint and as of 1 hour ago, 2 coats of blue paint. I will remove the tape on each tomorrow to see how that came out, and if I'm happy with it, I will start overwhelming them with clear coat. The tank just got its second coat of rusty red primer and the chainguard has one. I'll see where the chainguard is at condition wise and decide if it needs some work and more primer, or I will just go ahead and do it white.
Everything will have at least 2 coats of white on it. Some parts will have blue and lots of clear on top of that (frame, fork, tank, chainguard, fenders), and other will just have the white and clear coat (truss rods).
I did something interesting with the parts listed below. With the exception of the front hub, they all got 1 or more coats of grey primer. All the parts received multiple coats of Rustoleum chrome spray (1-3 coats), and up to 5 coats of clear on top of that. It says on the back of the cans to not use clear coat on that chrome paint, but it wasn't until I already cleared it that I realized. Fortunately, it takes away from the very cheap looking idea that it's chrome spray paint and makes the parts look very nicely powdercoated.
Here are the faux-dercoat'ed parts, all of which are original to the bike:
Rear hub shell
Rear skiptooth cog
Coaster brake arm
Kickstand
Skiptooth chainring
One-piece crankset
Headset cups
Truss rod bracket and hardware
Headset preload nut
Front hub shell
Although I did do the headset, I am undecided about using the original one or a new one. I will probably go with the new one if I can make it work.
I did not do the handlebar and stem yet.
The fenders are a nightmare.... I honestly don't know what I will do with those.
The faux chrome part thing kinda went out the window when I applied the clearcoat. Now they look like faux powdercoat. I think it's better that way. The faux chrome just looks sooo cheap. I will go take pics and try to get them up within the hour.
We'll be right back after a word from our sponsors...
We'll be right back after a word from our sponsors...
Enjoy.
I did the front hub today. All nice and clean. I need to reassemble both hubs pretty soon because my rims and spokes will be here tomorrow and I don't want to waste any time! The chain has been soaking in Liquid Wrench chain lubricant for 6 days. I hope that's long enough
I just sprayed the tank and chainguard white. I'll probably do another coat tonight and let it dry overnight. I'll tape them up and paint them blue tomorrow. I'm off of work, but I'll probably be spending some time there anyway. I can't imagine having a different job that I would willingly go to my "office" on my day off to have fun. :lol:
I did the front hub today. All nice and clean. I need to reassemble both hubs pretty soon because my rims and spokes will be here tomorrow and I don't want to waste any time! The chain has been soaking in Liquid Wrench chain lubricant for 6 days. I hope that's long enough
I just sprayed the tank and chainguard white. I'll probably do another coat tonight and let it dry overnight. I'll tape them up and paint them blue tomorrow. I'm off of work, but I'll probably be spending some time there anyway. I can't imagine having a different job that I would willingly go to my "office" on my day off to have fun. :lol:
After you get some road grime and oil slime on those shiny bits they will probably look fine, and maybe good enough from a 'stand-off distance' that most wont even know.
I kinda like an 'industrial' look anyway, so it works for me!
I kinda like an 'industrial' look anyway, so it works for me!
That's looking pretty good. As for your fenders... my current project is a 37ish Henderson that sat in the cattle barn from 1958 until this spring. 3M stripping wheel gets the worst of the crud off, and the metal is pretty sound under the original fender tips and striping. Rust converter, then primer, then color coats for those replications. Tape off, high build primer and lots of sanding to fill the pits. Then the main color. Time consuming but worth it (although I'm leaving mine lightly pitted). Any holes in the crown (mine is rusted through where the front fender light was) can be easily covered.
Just taking it slow and easy redoing my bike. Cost me a couple hundred bucks to have the original hubs and hoops relaced with stainless spokes and chromed brass nipples.
I wouldn't mind finding one like you are rebuilding to redo for my wife, I hate her 70s Suburban 10 speed.
Just taking it slow and easy redoing my bike. Cost me a couple hundred bucks to have the original hubs and hoops relaced with stainless spokes and chromed brass nipples.
I wouldn't mind finding one like you are rebuilding to redo for my wife, I hate her 70s Suburban 10 speed.
Lacing wheels is an awesome thing to know. Between the 2 shops that are under my shop/s name, we have a total of about 12 employees, 2 1/2 of which knows how to lace wheels. (I think I count as a half because I am learning). It's actually really easy once you get the hang of it.
I am off tomorrow so I will probably work the heck out of the fenders. They are pretty gnarly.
I finished lacing the front wheel this evening (had to get 265mm spokes), so now both wheels are done. I hope to have the tires ordered by the end of the week.
The paint is done on the frame, fork, and truss rods. I just have to start clearing them... a lot. I just taped off the chainguard, so I will got a pair of coats of Navy blue on it tomorrow. Once I tape off the tank, I'll get going on it too.
Another thing I wanted to add is that these bikes are muuuuuch easier to find than a comparable men's bike.
I am off tomorrow so I will probably work the heck out of the fenders. They are pretty gnarly.
I finished lacing the front wheel this evening (had to get 265mm spokes), so now both wheels are done. I hope to have the tires ordered by the end of the week.
The paint is done on the frame, fork, and truss rods. I just have to start clearing them... a lot. I just taped off the chainguard, so I will got a pair of coats of Navy blue on it tomorrow. Once I tape off the tank, I'll get going on it too.
Another thing I wanted to add is that these bikes are muuuuuch easier to find than a comparable men's bike.
