my new rat project for the wife

[vdub11]

well here it is a mint 1964 schwinn bantam picked up for free at http://www.freeridepgh.org can you believe they were gonna throw it away?! anyhow its in really good shape and everything is there it's almost a shame that i'm gonna take a perfectly good old bike and make it look older .....oh well thats half the fun, i'll keep updating the post when i start building it up.

 

[ratina]

I have an identical blue bantam with rough paint...wanna trade??

 

[vdub11]

thats funny..the only thing i planned on keeping original was the paint b/c it is sooooo perfect, sorry my wife would kill me.

 

[vdub11]

well i got it completely stripped tonight and started to paint some of the accessories in a ivory pearl white....should contrast nicely to the factory blue...also as an added bonus my local ace hardware store had a set of blue sparkle grips for 3 bux! not sure why they were there but who cares! i'll get some pix up of the tear down and progress in a day or so. i need some advice on wheels...............should i restore or replace? the wheels are ok shape but there are minor imperfections in the chrome...atzlanbicycle.com sells 20" 72 spoke wheelsets with tubes and tires for like 70 bux. anyone ever used these? again if it weren't for my wife i'd just paint them red and call it a day but shes not really into the flat black and red rat look like i am, she likes pretty things. any help is appreciated.

 

[sensor]

depends on what size they are(20x1.3/4" or 20x 2.215) are they knurled? or just plain?

 

[ej599]

Try fine bronze wool with WD40, wipr em' clean with solvent and clear coat em or just car wax.

 

[vdub11]

20" 72 SPOKE LOWRIDER FRONT AND REAR WHEEL SET W/ WHITE WALL TIRES AND TUBES - SET
Price: $69.95...they are 20x1.75 http://www.aztlanbicycle.com check 'em out

 

[vdub11]

ok so heres sorta an update i got abunch of little odds and ends for the bike plus i painted everything so heres the bike as of right now, i'm still waiting on the wheels.

 

[ej599]

Nice!

 

[HotRod Charlie]

Very nice I like the fenders

 

[KOTA]

Looks GREAT! I like the color combo. Oh yeah, I had a bike just like that, once! :wink:

 

[vdub11]

here it is ALMOST FINISHED!!!!!

 

[br549]

Looks good, too good to be rat!
I like the seat, and the spokes, very clean.
Needs a bell and tassles

 

[OUTLAW]

nice job, looks good

Outlaw :mrgreen:

 

[fast eddie]

good work man!
fast eddie outty

 

[Markm]

Very NIce!!!!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[vdub11]

yeah ive got a bell for it..its not really rat but the mundo i just picked up for myself will be ratted out...check out my :fresh finds: post for pix on the mundo