Monday, November 18, 2013

Bringing a Schwinn Varsity back to life (Part 2)

If you read the last post, you know that the new color is green—straight out of a spray can from Lowe’s.

I stripped off the old paint, sprayed on a primer coat, and then sprayed green onto every part that wasn’t chrome plated. Here’s the bike in my custom paint rack.

Schwinn 1979 rebuild 08 green frame EM

Another cheap bicycle
I found a female Schwinn Varsity and brought her home to keep the male version company. Here she is, waiting for a rehab.

Yellow Schwinn Varsity 01

Originally a 10-speed, she is now mostly a one-speed bike, with a misaligned front shifter and two twigs jammed into the rear derailleur to lock it on one easy-to-ride cog.

If you lose an important component
Many vintage bicycles used a steel wedge to lock the steering column into the headset. It’s an important part. It’s the part I lost.

I looked at some pictures on Google, made a few measurements, and manufactured another part in my shop. It worked!

Schwinn 1979 rebuild 10 steering wedge EM

If you lose another important component
Yeah, I lost a ferrule (or sleeve, or bushing, or whatever it’s called). The rear brake needs two of them to secure the cable into a couple of brazed-on rings. Being a bit obsessive, I ordered 50 of them, but I didn’t want to wait.

I made one that’s better than the original. It’s also shinier.

Schwinn 1979 rebuild 10 cable ferrule EM


Next time: The test ride

 

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