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Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
0
I found a new addiction.

I came across a very nice old 1955 Schwinn Deluxe Hornet and that led to, well a Schwinn collecting spree.

I'm restoring the '55 for my daughter.

She wanted a new bike for school (and I'm going to get her one for THAT too) but then I came across this CLEAN '55 heavyweight Schwinn and decided to restore it for her. I told her that any NEW bike I got her would be worth less every day she owned it but THIS would only become more valuable every day she held on to it.

Now all of a suddun I find myseld owning a '54 Schwinn Amercian, a '55 DLX Hornet, a '56 Travaler, and I have a '53 Phantom comming soon.

And here all I thought I was addicted to was Anandtech and computers! :eek:

The Hornet

One more

my '54


The ONLY piece I'm missing for the Hornet


Keep an eye out for one for me. Anyone finds one, and I will be eternally grateful!!!!!!!!

BTW: The head light is called a Delta Rocket Ray. They came on many of the old 50's bikes.
 
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Mr Incognito

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2007
1,035
0
0
It beats drugs and/or alcohol!

All kidding aside, that is a cool hobby. I'm more of a mountain bike guy but whatever, if it has pedals ride it.
 
CrackRabbit

CrackRabbit

Lifer
Mar 30, 2001
16,642
62
91
/Whacks Brutuskend on the head.

Right!

See you next Tuesday?
;)

That is a nice bike. They certainly don't make them like that anymore.
 
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Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
0
Originally posted by: Mr Incognito
It beats drugs and/or alcohol!

All kidding aside, that is a cool hobby. I'm more of a mountain bike guy but whatever, if it has pedals ride it.
Click to expand...

Believe me, I have a VERY nice MTB and a VERY VERY nice road bike ( I run a bike shop and have for YEARS!) but at 53 and with a bad back, I can't really enjoy either of them any more. :(

But these, well, they call them cruisers for a reason!

THIS is what the one I'm building up for myself will look like! :D
 
DrPizza

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
166
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
Very nice. :)

In regards to restoring them, to what extent is repainting the frames allowed? It seems that I've seen similar bikes in horrible shape, a lot of surface rust, etc.
 
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Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
0
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Very nice. :)

In regards to restoring them, to what extent is repainting the frames allowed? It seems that I've seen similar bikes in horrible shape, a lot of surface rust, etc.
Click to expand...

Like a lot of things if they are in original un restored condition they are worth more money, but some times you have no choice BUT to repaint them. They can still be worth quite a bit of money in restored condition, but not as much as if they still have the original paint.

I was UNBELIEVABLY lucky with the Hornet. A customer came into the shop with a ratty old Schwinn that needed some repairs and when he came in to pick it up his wife was with him. She mentioned how SHE would like to find a old Schwinn bike and 3 days later she came in with THIS! She found it at a garage sale for !!!!!!!$50.00!!!!!!!!!.

I was STUNNED, and commenced to tell her how special it was while trying not to drool all over it. Several weeks went by and one day her husband called me at the shop and asked me if I wanted to buy it. HECK YES I SAID! I asked how much they wanted for it and they said $175.00 (A VERY good deal) but I talked them down to $150.00. Then I promptly lost their phone number. I searched FRANTICLY for 3 days and then I finally found their number again and when I called them they said that they had unexpectedly come across some money. (I was freaking out expecting them to say that NOW they didn't want to sell it) But, the reason she wanted to sell it to me in the first place was, she is kind of small and this bike is HEAVY so it is slow, also her husbands bike is a 5 speed and this one is a one speed, making it hard for her to keep up. So anyway, she had found a Schwinn Corvette with 24 inch wheels and a 3 speed and she wanted to sell the hornet for money to buy the 3 speed. In the mean time, she had gone ahead and bought the Corvette but it needed work, plus her husbands bike needed some work as well so they told me that if I fixed their other bikes, they would sell me the Hornet for $50.00!!!!

I'm sure a broke about 10 traffic laws getting over there to get their bikes so I could fix them. I picked them up one day, and delivered them back the next. Handed them their $50. and then worked for 2 days straight until 2-3 in the morning cleaning and polishing this bike. Three days later, my daughter and I took a ride on Fathers day, her on the Hornet and me on this.

Although the black one I now have LOOKS OK, it isn't "Right" in several ways. The frame is the wrong year for one thing, so I'm in the process of getting a '53 Phantom frame from one of the guys at the Schwinn forums I've been hanging out at.

If you want to see something TRULY AMAZING, check THIS OUT!!! Talk about a ONCE IN A LIFE TIME FIND!!!
 
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EGGO

Diamond Member
Jul 29, 2004
5,504
1
0
I love old bikes, still wishing I had one. By the way, they're called "Cruisers". Schwinn and a lot of the other manufacturers still make them in that style but with newer metals and everything.

If you ever plan on just giving one away... ;)
 
pyonir

pyonir

Lifer
Dec 18, 2001
40,855
319
126
A '55? What were you...about 40 when that bike came out?

:D

Nice bikes Brut
 
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Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
0
Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
It's all good! At one time, via PM, you said Whizzer. :D

http://www.extreme-scooters.com/whizzerindex.htm
Click to expand...

I saw this old guy selling Schwinn decals on Ebay and I looked over at his location and he lived here in my town (Eugene) one thing led to another and he has become a invaluable source of info and old hard to come by parts.

I was over at his house and he was telling stories and he said a few years back a guy tried to sell him a Whizzer for $20.00 and he told the guy he didn't want it.

Of course NOW, he wishes he had taken it.

But then all of us old (er) guys have stories like that.

Ahhh for a time machine....
 
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GalvanizedYankee

Diamond Member
Oct 27, 2003
6,986
0
0
This site might be worth a look see. http://oldroads.com/

Got an old lg framed Medici that is going back together, it's a Pro Strada and all mid-range campy. Gotta sevice the pedals and buy toe clips for them. The original G40 Mavic rims are as new. The hubs got new balls and DT double butted spokes I broke down and bought a good workstand. Working off the floor kills old knees. ;)

I always liked the pics you post of vintage & classic bicycles. That high wheeler gotta laugh out of me. I will tour the Long Beach marathon with the Medici in mid-october. Start time for the bikes is 6:00am, several hours before the runners.

 
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Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
0
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
my parents own a bunch of bikes that look like that...
Click to expand...

Got a spare Delta Rocket Ray headlight kicking around????? :D

Or a old springer fork?

or,

Well, ANYTHNG?!?!
 
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Brutuskend

Lifer
Apr 2, 2001
26,558
4
0
Originally posted by: GalvanizedYankee
This site might be worth a look see. http://oldroads.com/

Got an old lg framed Medici that is going back together, it's a Pro Strada and all mid-range campy. Gotta sevice the pedals and buy toe clips for them. The original G40 Mavic rims are as new. The hubs got new balls and DT double butted spokes I broke down and bought a good workstand. Working off the floor kills old knees. ;)

I always liked the pics you post of vintage & classic bicycles. That high wheeler gotta laugh out of me. I will tour the Long Beach marathon with the Medici in mid-october. Start time for the bikes is 6:00am, several hours before the runners.
Click to expand...

NICE!

Way to go!

Actually my addiction has gotten so bad, I'm trying to sell my "one off" Bruce Gordon. Know anyone who wants a very nice high end (NOT CHEAP) road bike? ;)

Oh and it helps if they are a sawed off little runt like me. The frame is a 52cm....
 
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