Questions regarding vintage Schwinn Stingray Restoration..
Hello, I purchased to what I believe is Schwinn Stingray from the 70's. The bike is pretty close to being complete other then a reflector,tire and some spokes. I have thought about restoring the bike for quite some time but I need information before I start the project so that I do not harm the ending value of the bike.
I attempted to post a picture of the bike to show what I was working but it said I have to post 10 times before doing so. |
If it is from the 70'sit is less valuable than earlier models. Do an intensive google search and find the value before attempting to do anything with it. Many of the older bikes need the original parts to be authenticated. It may be collect-able but move forward with caution. Smiles,MH
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Originally Posted by Mad Honk
(Post 21355271)
If it is from the 70'sit is less valuable than earlier models. Do an intensive google search and find the value before attempting to do anything with it. Many of the older bikes need the original parts to be authenticated. It may be collect-able but move forward with caution. Smiles,MH
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The only number I can find in on the fork tube. It reads 3361 from what I can tell.
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Unless the paint is shot repainting wouldn't be the way to go.
https://www.bicycleheaven.org/collec...ats-sissy-bars |
I agree, but the paint has rust and it would certainly cause damage cleaning it up. The paint isn't perfect by no means. I wish I could post the picture for show. I cleaned up the vin number a bit and it appears the first letters are LH and from what I found online that makes it manufactured Nov of 1972
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Bikes do not have VIN numbers. They have serial numbers. Serial numbers have much less information on them than a VIN number. In the case of Schwinn, the serial number will tell you year and month basically. Its kind of sad bicycles do not come with VIN numbers.
Generally, the boys style bikes have all the value, and the Krate style much more so. Girls style bikes can end up being donor bikes for boys bikes. +100 Original paint even with defects will tend to be more desired than a repaint. And getting a repaint "right" along with the decals can be challenging. There is a Schwinn specific forum out there, where you will get more information. Not much on this forum pertaining to children's bikes. Endless threads on how to handle rust, I've treated rust on many hundreds of bikes, along with a lot of parts. So far, I have never repainted a bike. |
Serial number my mistake, I'm a car guy. I would much rather leave the original paint. Even tho the bike is not a high valued bike it would still be nice to see it cleaned and in working order. Perhaps I will just clean the chrome and grease on the bearings.
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Originally Posted by j_Maynard
(Post 21355314)
Serial number my mistake, I'm a car guy. I would much rather leave the original paint. Even tho the bike is not a high valued bike it would still be nice to see it cleaned and in working order. Perhaps I will just clean the chrome and grease on the bearings.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...nd-rescue.html I thought it turned out very well. Original paint and chrome was left in place. Just some clean up and polishing compound was used. The seat was reupholstered, which made the whole bike look great again. I haven't payed attention to vintage Schwinn prices in years, so I can't help you with that. I think this forum is still going, which may be of some help: https://thecabe.com/forum/ |
Originally Posted by wrk101
(Post 21355306)
. Endless threads on how to handle rust, I've treated rust on many hundreds of bikes, along with a lot of parts. So far, I have never repainted a bike.
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Originally Posted by Prowler
(Post 21355442)
+1 My winter project has been an 84 Fugi. With Bill's advice and help, I did and OA bath on most of the frame and fork. All the rust was removed and the paint was still nice. I polished and waxed all the paint. I've protected all the large and wee bare spots with numerous thin coats of boiled linseed oil. The only touch up was a couple of spots where the decals were scraped. I like how it's come out. Nice clean frame, bit of life history here and there, nice shine. Heed what Bill says here and various times back thru the ages.
I have a '75 Raleigh Tourist with "patina" I would like to address before it turns in to just plain rust. |
I'd not spend big $$$ on restoring a girls Stingray, or any Stingray actually. Even on the high end Krate it's easy to end up spending more than the bike can be sold for it you're trying to make it all "correct" with the right parts. Clean it up and re-grease everything. Use reproduction parts where needed. Tires, banana seats, and grips are all available new, and will make the bike pop for not a lot of money.
Keep posting so you can post a pic of the bike here. Oh, and have fun! |
You should talk to the guy from Bicycle Heaven (see @DEHed's links above). He's got a passion for Stingrays and probably has any and every part you could want. His "shop" has several rooms filled with old parts. This is in one of those rooms:
https://live.staticflickr.com/7380/2...c0b74e7f_b.jpg |
Originally Posted by AlmostTrick
(Post 21355595)
I'd not spend big $$$ on restoring a girls Stingray, or any Stingray actually. Even on the high end Krate it's easy to end up spending more than the bike can be sold for it you're trying to make it all "correct" with the right parts.
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Pic assist:
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...05b9ef7c53.jpg Drive side photo, from straight on (not looking down or up at the bike) would be better. Is that a pattern on the seat cover, or just 45+ years of icky something? The original seat doesn't appear to be the type with the cross-ribbed cover, so a new cover should be less of a challenge. IIRC, those wheels were their own 24" standard; fortunately, the big tire makers such as Kenda still make them in these legacy sizes. If the 3361 is the number on the headbadge, that means it was built Dec 02, 1971, which would make it a 1972 model. |
Originally Posted by Andy_K
(Post 21355868)
Is this not true of any restoration? I know there are some people who manage to make money restoring bikes/cars/whatever, but I've always assumed most of us did it just for the joy of bringing new life to old stuff.
On the other hand refurbishing and using reproduction parts can make a nice Stingray that isn't %100 correct, but looks and rides great, at a much more reasonable return. My 68 Orange Krate. It had several reproduction (or incorrect) parts on it. And the repo chainguard was decaled, not silk screened. Repainted with Chevy engine enamel in a can! :eek: But the end result was a bike that looked and rode great, costing me around 300 to 400 dollars, and sold last year for $1400 in a week. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6c45c4dec3.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3b8dd0fdcd.jpg |
Originally Posted by madpogue
(Post 21355922)
Pic assist:
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...05b9ef7c53.jpg Drive side photo, from straight on (not looking down or up at the bike) would be better. Is that a pattern on the seat cover, or just 45+ years of icky something? The original seat doesn't appear to be the type with the cross-ribbed cover, so a new cover should be less of a challenge. IIRC, those wheels were their own 24" standard; fortunately, the big tire makers such as Kenda still make them in these legacy sizes. If the 3361 is the number on the headbadge, that means it was built Dec 02, 1971, which would make it a 1972 model. but those rims look different for some reason that bike is in rough shape- chrome on rims looks like toast. if I had it sitting in my garage, I would be tempted to turn it into a proto BMX like I built up in 1971. Weld in a top tube about half way up the step through - take the wheels apart, sand blast the rims and powder coat them black - orange frame, satin black fork ditch the chain guard and kick stand- chrome bar end cap in the kick stand tube... I think would be worth much more than a girls sting ray in any form. |
Originally Posted by thorstein
(Post 21355512)
About the boiled linseed: .
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Bicycle Heaven
Nice restoring a Schwinn from the 70's.
As a kid of the early 70's I love bikes from that era. We used to drool over the Schwinn catalogs. I have a early 70's 3-speed stick shift Schwinn Stingray to restore to a rider. Am I going to let my grandkids ride it. Maybe...............after I thouroughly beat them all in races!!!! |
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