1935 Schwinn Excelsior Klunker Redux on P6
- Thread starter Dr S
- Start date
- Feedback
- View
oh for the love of God! ....now I want,no,NEED a clunker in my collection!!! my wife is just not going to understand.....
inspiring build my friend.
inspiring build my friend.
Its been out and about today funnily enough. Its still covered in grime from last months epic ride around Glentress and Innerleithen. I need to make a new seatpost and straighten the wheels and forks, but enjoyed riding it again.
Lookng forward to riding it in the OWMTB race in Fairfax 2011.
Lookng forward to riding it in the OWMTB race in Fairfax 2011.
Time for a little update.
It's two years since I started the build on this old Schwinn. Since then it has done a few RetroBike meets- Glentress and Innerleithen with MacRetro, Dalby with the Yorkies, 2 Big Dirty Weekenders and the Global Nightride being the highlights.
During a stripdown and rebuild late last year I notied that the seatstay had developed a crack around the canti mount. The bridge on the chainstays had also cracked on closer inspection. The stays are ovalised and whilst stiff in one direction they are very weak in the other and the stress of canti's pushing out on them had taken their toll.
Whilst I loved the way it rode and performed (it was a relatively light Klunker coming in at 36lbs with its cantis and alloy rims), I always wished I had built it to an earlier specification. The build represented the last of the Klunkers from the end of the 70's when better, purpose built machines were becomeing available from Joe Breeze, Mert Lawwill and Tom Ritchey.
When a pair of NOS Araya 2.125 steel rims turned up on eBay late last year I decided that, as i was going to have to do a more comprehensive rebuild that I was expecting, now was the time to build it as I always wanted it built.
I began a search for suitable hubs on eBay and eventually turned up a pair of Atom hubs from the mid 70's. The rear came through and having stripped it down I suspect it has never been fitted to a bike- the linings were as new and there were no signs of wear on the braking surfaces.
The front however was in a bad way and needs a complete strip and rebuild. I am awaiting parts for this and as it was holding up the build I decided to use a NOS 70's Sturmey Archer that i had kicking about in a spares box. The Atom will be fitted as soon as it is repaired.
So, I had rims and hubs. Spokes were tricky. My local bike shops didn't have any heavy duty spokes and skinny double butted spokes would not take the weight. Digging through the shed I found a pair of drum braked wheels from a Post Office bike. The spokes were galvanised 14 guage but a little too long. I spent an evening in front of the TV in the kitchen stripping out the spokes, cleaning, shortening and rethreading as I went along- all 72 of the buggers!
So back to the frame. It was a shame as the paint had started to take on a lovely patina. I decided to repair and repaint as little as possible. The canti mounts were cut off and the welds filed down and the cracks were cleaned back, TiG welded and then filed smooth. A little silver solder was used to smooth a few dents out before prep for paint. I had a little paint left from the original build which was used to get a fresh batch of paint matched up so there was no need to do the whole frame again.
The repaired frame was degreased, flatted back with fine scotchbrite before etch and high build primers were applied to the repairs. Then it was baked before a quick wet flat, dry, degrease and tack, followed by 3 coats of Piaggio Metalic Violet blended in to the sound paint. Quick dry and then demask the white spears before 4 coats of 2 pack laquer.
It was then baked and left for a few weeks over xmas whilst the wheels were built up and the other parts were stripped, cleaned and lubed.
So, we now have a drum braked, steel rimmed bruiser. It is back up and running and I'm hoping to get a good test ride in this week prior to its post resto debut at Thetford on saturday. There are a few things I want to change.... I need some Magura Motorcycle levers so i can run motorcycle cables to those drum brakes- the standard cables are stretching to much and the heavy duty Shimano 2mm cables I wanted to use are just too short to get down to the rear hub. The front brake is really good, but the rear is shocking and is currently merely decoration. I will strip it down this week and see if I can improve matters. I really prefer the way the bike looks now- the hub brakes have given it a certain purity of line, uncluttered by awkward canti brakes. Schwinn Ballooners are such beautiful looking frames with those arcing curves- it now shows them off really well.
I hope you enjoyed the little update as much as I enjoy riding this old beast. There have been some lovely old Klunkers coming out of the woodwork over the last few years. They are great fun to build and ride and if you have ever fancied one I suggest you go for it. Finding the bits over here is challenging yes, but highly rewarding.
Cheers
Si
And now for a few pics..
It's two years since I started the build on this old Schwinn. Since then it has done a few RetroBike meets- Glentress and Innerleithen with MacRetro, Dalby with the Yorkies, 2 Big Dirty Weekenders and the Global Nightride being the highlights.
During a stripdown and rebuild late last year I notied that the seatstay had developed a crack around the canti mount. The bridge on the chainstays had also cracked on closer inspection. The stays are ovalised and whilst stiff in one direction they are very weak in the other and the stress of canti's pushing out on them had taken their toll.
Whilst I loved the way it rode and performed (it was a relatively light Klunker coming in at 36lbs with its cantis and alloy rims), I always wished I had built it to an earlier specification. The build represented the last of the Klunkers from the end of the 70's when better, purpose built machines were becomeing available from Joe Breeze, Mert Lawwill and Tom Ritchey.
When a pair of NOS Araya 2.125 steel rims turned up on eBay late last year I decided that, as i was going to have to do a more comprehensive rebuild that I was expecting, now was the time to build it as I always wanted it built.
I began a search for suitable hubs on eBay and eventually turned up a pair of Atom hubs from the mid 70's. The rear came through and having stripped it down I suspect it has never been fitted to a bike- the linings were as new and there were no signs of wear on the braking surfaces.
The front however was in a bad way and needs a complete strip and rebuild. I am awaiting parts for this and as it was holding up the build I decided to use a NOS 70's Sturmey Archer that i had kicking about in a spares box. The Atom will be fitted as soon as it is repaired.
So, I had rims and hubs. Spokes were tricky. My local bike shops didn't have any heavy duty spokes and skinny double butted spokes would not take the weight. Digging through the shed I found a pair of drum braked wheels from a Post Office bike. The spokes were galvanised 14 guage but a little too long. I spent an evening in front of the TV in the kitchen stripping out the spokes, cleaning, shortening and rethreading as I went along- all 72 of the buggers!
So back to the frame. It was a shame as the paint had started to take on a lovely patina. I decided to repair and repaint as little as possible. The canti mounts were cut off and the welds filed down and the cracks were cleaned back, TiG welded and then filed smooth. A little silver solder was used to smooth a few dents out before prep for paint. I had a little paint left from the original build which was used to get a fresh batch of paint matched up so there was no need to do the whole frame again.
The repaired frame was degreased, flatted back with fine scotchbrite before etch and high build primers were applied to the repairs. Then it was baked before a quick wet flat, dry, degrease and tack, followed by 3 coats of Piaggio Metalic Violet blended in to the sound paint. Quick dry and then demask the white spears before 4 coats of 2 pack laquer.
It was then baked and left for a few weeks over xmas whilst the wheels were built up and the other parts were stripped, cleaned and lubed.
So, we now have a drum braked, steel rimmed bruiser. It is back up and running and I'm hoping to get a good test ride in this week prior to its post resto debut at Thetford on saturday. There are a few things I want to change.... I need some Magura Motorcycle levers so i can run motorcycle cables to those drum brakes- the standard cables are stretching to much and the heavy duty Shimano 2mm cables I wanted to use are just too short to get down to the rear hub. The front brake is really good, but the rear is shocking and is currently merely decoration. I will strip it down this week and see if I can improve matters. I really prefer the way the bike looks now- the hub brakes have given it a certain purity of line, uncluttered by awkward canti brakes. Schwinn Ballooners are such beautiful looking frames with those arcing curves- it now shows them off really well.
I hope you enjoyed the little update as much as I enjoy riding this old beast. There have been some lovely old Klunkers coming out of the woodwork over the last few years. They are great fun to build and ride and if you have ever fancied one I suggest you go for it. Finding the bits over here is challenging yes, but highly rewarding.
Cheers
Si
And now for a few pics..
The front one is fine, so I guess when the rear one is working it will also be good. At the moment it is not good at all.
The canti's and alloy rims were much lighter though- the bike coming in at 36lbs. It now weighs 52lbs. The wheels alone are 11lb and 12.5lbs respectively. :shock:
The canti's and alloy rims were much lighter though- the bike coming in at 36lbs. It now weighs 52lbs. The wheels alone are 11lb and 12.5lbs respectively. :shock:
