Danny S

Good news: I was fortunate enough to snag an '83 Schwinn Superior on Craigslist last year. Getting serious about overhauling it. Nice bike, low end Campy group, gorgeous Nervex lugs.

Not so good news: The '83 Superior was sprayed the most blah shade of grey imaginable. I'm a big fan of originality, but I can't see putting in the time & effort on this bike and leaving it grey. Every time I look at Pastor Bob's "Sporty" I think some bike's just look better after a color change.

Cleaning up a part at a time, seatpost came up practically new, big improvement on brake caliper, reproduction hoods and an amateur anodizing have brake levers looking good. Getting close to decision time on frame color though. I'm thinking a metallic spruce green will contrast w/ honey Brooks, gumwalls, hoods, & natural cork tape nicely.

My C&V side says ORIGINAL COLOR!! OTOH, I really like "pretty" bikes, and no matter how cool the ornate lugs are, a grey bike will never be a pretty bike.

So....

Piff 

With those lugs it doubtless deserves a nice paint job, but have you seen it in the sun washed and waxed? I'd wait until you give it a nice shine before deciding to change it up.

I can't wait to see it all done, regardless of color
​​​​​​

obrentharris 

Give that grey paint a good once over with some polishing compound to bring out the sparkle and you just might change your mind.
Brent

Velo Mule

Great job polishing and cleaning the brakes Danny S . Nice pictures too. These are the type that we tend to like here at Bike Forums. I'm kind of with you on the color. I know what you are saying about the lugs almost disappearing. Campus Green, is a really nice color. I don't know if Schwinn offered the Superior in that color or some other green. I also think it is your bike, do as you please with it.

Repainting a frame is a big project even on a bicycle. As Piff and others point out, it might be worth it to put some effort in to polishing the frame and see how it looks.

jetboy 

certainly not an iconic color scheme.. you have my permission for what its worth.

3speedslow

Full frame pics pls!

branko_76 

Beautiful bike and nice job so far.

Before you commit to repainting, consider painting only those awsome lugs a contrasting yet complimetary color. Red, Maroon, Navy Blue, Battleship Gray, Black, etc. While you're at it, add a 8 inch band of the same color on the seat-tube and apply a Schwinn decal to the band from ebay.

nlerner

Permission denied.

Hudson308 

Permission granted.

trainman999

81 to 83 Superiors are tuff to come by, mabey a 1000 of them. Platimun Grey ones are harder ot find, than orange ones. I'd think twice about painting it if paint is good. If I know a bike I am looking for has been repainted I pay less

Danny S

​​​​​​Like this idea. Vintage feeling, distinctive but still retaining some originality;

Rubbing out & touching up original paint is exactly what I had in mind when I found this one.. But when I looked a little closer I found rust worming it's was out of the seat stay vent holes (near the R brake). Gonna have to get under the paint to address the rust anyway.

I've had some luck having motorcycle frames powdercoated. Think I'm gonna try that. Powder suppliers are happy to send you color samples. I was originally trying to find a close match to Flamboyant Red.. but the more I look, the more I'm liking the Blue/Green.

My 1st paying job was at Thornbury Schwinn in Lou, Ky. Employee discount on bikes and parts (and if a "friendly" manager was working that day, we'd trade-in the new parts removed when building our personal bikes).. Don't know if it makes much sense in the light of day, but I'm comfortable with Mods, 'cause that's what we did back in the day. Have both Olympic Ring, and Tophat Paramount seat tube decals, still deciding which way to go.

Danny S

All 1000% true. ..and if paint was good I wouldn't DREAM of altering it.

On the up side, this bike was totally complete and original. Down side, it's been stored in an outside shed since new, so outdoor humidity has been working on it for decades. Lots of work remaining on chromed pieces, and just enough rust (not a lot) under the paint in places that it has to have some paint work done to be in "restored" condition. ..and since I have to molest the paint anyway, I just figure a more flatering color is in order.

What TRULY shocks me is the calm/reasoned replies?! I had my asbestos shorts on for this one.. was expecting to be thoroughly flamed.

Good on ya guys!

Wildwood 

I'm always of the opinion that MY comments about YOUR bikes should be taken as seriously as YOUR comments about MY bikes. And in that regard, I do what pleases me.

Bikes interest me more than owners (except for a few friends and regular acquaintances).
A shiny new paint job on any vintage bike tells me more about the owner than the bike - usually. (Exceptions for frames with paint/chrome that is thoroughly, completely trashed.)
A bike with lots of patina, touched up gently - screams of the bike's history and travels, not the owner (except when the owner bought the bike new).

It's all about the originality = except,....except,....except!

Ride On!

Classtime 

Still waiting for full frame pics. If you've painted a bike as nice as your Superior before and were always happy with your decision, then do it again. I did it once and the result looked great, but after a few months, while it still looked great, I wished that I'd never painted it. And the paint was really bad before. So you have my permission.

I won't paint this one.

Wildwood 

If going powder, then at least find a powder coater with LOTS of experience with high-end vintage lightweight bikes.
In Puget Sound area, a quality blast + single color paint (not powder) with decals costs $700+ USD. Powder a fraction of that estimate.

Did you say this is a relatively hard-to-find Schwinn Superior???

cleroica

I would keep it in the original metallic grey. If I were to change the color, it would be paint rather than powder coat. I have never seen powder coating that could even come close to the quality of a proper paint job. It is your bike, though!

Danny S

Man.. I hate well reasoned replies.. (especially when they deter me from doing what I want!)

Original paint is going to come up great (except for the couple of vent holes w/ a little rust creeping out)

Guess I'll rub out original finish 1st. Full frame photos later, yard work first.

Spaghetti Legs 

I was thinking a spruce up along the looks of Classtime’s bike. Red or blue on the head tube +/- some lug lining. That being said, a tired metallic gray is truly underwhelming and I get your desire for a little more oomph to your project. My Heron Randonneur came to me in a very beat up metallic gray and I had it powdered in British Racing Green by Groody Bros in Kansas City. Gugie has at least one Raleigh redone at Groody and I’m sure he’ll be along once his Raleigh spidey senses start tingling about this thread.

BTW, very nice work on the brake rehab!

Danny S

This pic tells the whole story.

On the one hand, bike is SO original, it still has an inspection sticker on the frame. Came outta the box that way, whoever set the bike up was in a hurry, didn't peel sticker off.

On the other hand, seat stay vent has rust blooming under the paint. My OCD is gonna make that tough to live with after I've cherried out the rest of the bike.

PilotFishBob 

I like the motto "Better to ask for forgiveness than permission". That said, I rarely ask for either.

cudak888 

If you go for a color that works with the later yellow headbadge and decide to swap, let me know. I've got a burgundy metallic '82 Superior that could use it - I think it has been wearing a Paramount headbadge ever since someone repainted it from orange.




-Kurt

Danny S

Funny thing. The Platinum Grey '83 Superior came w/ a red headbadge.



Bike is such a mixed bag.. chainrings show very little wear, but every chromed surface is rusty.



Just when I'm thinking I'll go ahead and polish up the original paint, I find more rust.



Really on the fence here...

Gotta get this project buttoned up shortly, having a hard time not tearing into recent finds. Just picked up matching Sports Tourers from the original owners.

SurferRosa

I'd line the lugs with a paint pen in either gold or black. They'd pop.

USAZorro

The frame definitely needs attention.

Since you need to do some painting - go for what you want.

My sole suggestion is - consider lug lining. It can make a huge difference in appearance.

Danny S

Recently heard about a local who's doing old school hand pinstriping. This is some of his work.