Rust and Grease: Schwinn for the win!

If you're old enough to remember Schwinn bikes from back in the day, then you'll probably remember the quality and feel of riding one. Maybe you'll remember when they came out with the Sting-Ray with the high handle bars, banana seat and sissybar and wild colors! Lately, I've been searching out the internet for a few old Schwinn bike parts to restore and build into a working bike.

There seems to be plenty of girls bikes around but the boys bikes are getting harder to find in one piece with spending a small fortune. If you search Ebay or other auction sites you'll see that original 1960's Sting-Rays are going for a thousand dollars or more.

Here's a few I've recently pieced together into good looking and great riding bikes below.....

A 1973 Stingray frame

cleaned up the original paint and installed new crank and neck bearings

new seat and rims....

new wheel bearings, tires and handlebars

Me and Isaac adjusting the handlebars and installing a shorter front end to allow him to ride

Isaac on his new 1973 Stingray!

Here's a 1966 Stingray "Fastback" frame below. I found all the pieces including rear tire and wheel on eBay.

used crank and pedals and chain cleaned up nicely

seat, sissy bar and springer front end from California

complete with a chain guard found in Texas that I lettered.

the "Copper Chopper" is complete with the aid of my pinstripping box

Far-out Daddy-O

Here's my own freshly paintedadult sized Stingray made from a 26" men's Schwinn to look like a 20" Stingray.

coming together...

ready for the boardwalk!

the "Board Beater" will reside down at the shore house and ride the boards all summer!

Here's a few other Schwinns I've done

below- Not a Schwinn but it's a second best, a Raleigh that only needed to be taken apart and cleaned.

I added the handle bars and fenders.

below- This sears "Spyder" Stingray clone cleaned up nice after I found it in the trash with flat tires and a few missing spokes and bent and rusted fenders.