Can you really paint an old bicycle ?? - Page 2

That's what I want to do, restore it. I could make a nice utility bike out of it easy enough, but
restoring the paint job back to original condition is well out of my skill and financial abilities.

Lorenzo

ThreeLeggedDog wrote:
> It's value as a collector's item is minimal, unless the bicycle is very rare. I don't think
> Traveler's are but I hunt for English roadsters not Schwinns. Collectors tend to look for bikes in
> as "original" condition as possible. Post your question at Old Roads be and get their opinion.
>
> Have you considered restoring it? It would be an interesting project, definitely not cost or
> effort effective but still interesting. Help with the logos, pin stripes and decal can be
> obtained. This is an aspect of bicycling I wasn't even aware of until last year.
>
>
> On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 05:22:43 GMT, "Lorenzo L. Love" <lllove@thegrid.net> wrote:
>
>
>>OK, I know HOW to paint a bike, but should I? I have a 1954 Schwinn Traveler 3-speed (
>>http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove/travelersmall.JPG ) Front and rear rack, fenders, generator and
>>headlight work, tail light missing. Rear rim looks like it was run over with a car and
>>"straightened" with a big ball pen hammer but is still ridable, front rim needs replacement too,
>>otherwise it is mechanically sound. All I need to restore this to full functionality is new rear
>>light, new rims, new brake pads, new tires... and a paint job. The original paint is about 40%
>>gone. It had silk screened logos on the frame, hand painted pin stripes on the fork and a big
>>decal on the chain guard. No way I can reproduce any of that. I am very hesitant to strip it and
>>give it a plain jane utilitarian paint job and destroy what ever collectible value it has even
>>with it's current ratty paint. But I can't leave like it is with bare metal hanging out. What to
>>do, what to do...
>>
>>Lorenzo L. Love http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove
>>
>>"Americans are broad-minded people. They'll accept the fact that a person can be an alcoholic, a
>>dope fiend, a wife beater, and even a newspaperman, but if a man doesn't drive there's something
>>wrong with him." Art Buchwald
>>

On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 22:10:00 GMT, "Lorenzo L. Love" <lllove@thegrid.net> wrote:

>That's what I want to do, restore it. I could make a nice utility bike out of it easy enough, but
>restoring the paint job back to original condition is well out of my skill and financial abilities.
>
>Lorenzo
>
>ThreeLeggedDog wrote:
>> It's value as a collector's item is minimal, unless the bicycle is very rare. I don't think
>> Traveler's are but I hunt for English roadsters not Schwinns. Collectors tend to look for bikes
>> in as "original" condition as possible. Post your question at Old Roads be and get their opinion.
>>
>> Have you considered restoring it? It would be an interesting project, definitely not cost or
>> effort effective but still interesting. Help with the logos, pin stripes and decal can be
>> obtained. This is an aspect of bicycling I wasn't even aware of until last year.
>>
>>
>> On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 05:22:43 GMT, "Lorenzo L. Love" <lllove@thegrid.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>OK, I know HOW to paint a bike, but should I? I have a 1954 Schwinn Traveler 3-speed (
>>>http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove/travelersmall.JPG ) Front and rear rack, fenders, generator and
>>>headlight work, tail light missing. Rear rim looks like it was run over with a car and
>>>"straightened" with a big ball pen hammer but is still ridable, front rim needs replacement too,
>>>otherwise it is mechanically sound. All I need to restore this to full functionality is new rear
>>>light, new rims, new brake pads, new tires... and a paint job. The original paint is about 40%
>>>gone. It had silk screened logos on the frame, hand painted pin stripes on the fork and a big
>>>decal on the chain guard. No way I can reproduce any of that. I am very hesitant to strip it and
>>>give it a plain jane utilitarian paint job and destroy what ever collectible value it has even
>>>with it's current ratty paint. But I can't leave like it is with bare metal hanging out. What to
>>>do, what to do...
>>>
>>>Lorenzo L. Love http://home.thegrid.net/~lllove

Well, that's the thing to do then but consider it a long term or a "wheel and deal" type project.
Over the long term you can put a little bit aside each month and save until you have enough for the
paint job or get to know the people who are currently restoring bikes in your area and barter with
them for the task. Provide the paint and you'd be surprised how little an auto paint shop will
charge you for the project (Don't use auto paint, it chips). The great thing about bikes is that you
can still ride them while you are working on them.

Schwinn parts are common in the U.S., even old ones. Ebay is a great source for them. "Networking"
works for restoration projects as well, ask your LBS about anyone who works on or owns old bikes.
Check around your neighborhood too. I peddled past a house for six months before by chance I really
looked at it and saw the forty something bicycles hidden in the shadows of the big front porch. Only
another bicycle lover will tolerate someone in shorts and soaked in sweat knocking on their door at
seven o'clock in the morning. I won't lie to you and tell you that restoring a bicycle is an easy
thing to do, I'm working on a 1939 Rudge-Whitworth that will take me forever. But I'm having fun and
learning a hell of a lot doing it. Consider it a challenge.