40’s Schwinn DX klunker Build?

[Imlach]

Regarding paint and that. I echo what Matti says about BLO. Personall I'd also treat the internals with something designed to target rust and leave a protective coating. I recently started using corrosion x, which seems to have stood up well in tests and is used in the maritime industry. The hd version is pretty solid.

BLO on the frame itself, making sure that any courser crusty spots are sanded down lightly. I'd refrain from clear coats as they don't really offer anything positive. Cheaper ones tend to have yellowing issues and they offer little corrosion resistance. If anything they make it all harder as rust will form under the clear and you'll have to sand down the clear to treat the rust. BLO applied once in a while will do a better job than a clear.

 

[HuskyDinoBomber]

Regarding paint and that. I echo what Matti says about BLO. Personall I'd also treat the internals with something designed to target rust and leave a protective coating. I recently started using corrosion x, which seems to have stood up well in tests and is used in the maritime industry. The hd version is pretty solid.

BLO on the frame itself, making sure that any courser crusty spots are sanded down lightly. I'd refrain from clear coats as they don't really offer anything positive. Cheaper ones tend to have yellowing issues and they offer little corrosion resistance. If anything they make it all harder as rust will former under the clear and you'll have to sand down the clear to treat the rust. BLO applied once in a while will do a better job than a clear.

Nice great information thanks for the guidance. I’m currently renovating my garage so time will be limited but I will post progress as I go. I’ve got a green scrub pad that I’ll use with some WD40 to get at the frame. My concern is getting the headset and cranks off.

 

[Imlach]

Nice great information thanks for the guidance. I’m currently renovating my garage so time will be limited but I will post progress as I go. I’ve got a green scrub pad that I’ll use with some WD40 to get at the frame. My concern is getting the headset and cranks off.

The seized components will probably need a good long dousing in some strong penetrating oils. I'm not sure where you're from but if America you'll no doubt have access to a wide selection.

It'd be best to find a way to remove them proper and be able to use them as I think the headset sizings of that time were probably some odd hard to come by sizing but I could be wrong. Best to be able to keep the parts, so get it soaking. I'm sure @Nabeaquam will be able to help there as well

 

[MattiThundrrr]

For a klunker, I'd say that donor bike won't work, you definitely want aluminum rims for that. As a rat rod it would definitely cool to rock that skiptooth setup

 

[HuskyDinoBomber]

Looks like I’ve narrowed the bike down to a 52ish DX Spitfire.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

https://thecabe.com/serial-numbers/schwinn-serial-numbers-1952-1969/

 

[27motorhead]

Couldn’t you have found a bike with a bit more corrosion on it??? Joking aside this will clean up lovely. Patinafantastico! Look forward to seeing how this progresses and many of us love garages too, so you can share the progress on that as well!

 

[Nabeaquam]

I think you have an early 50s DX frame as you have forward facing drops. It looks like the small frame. DX was Schwinns economy bike. It will still make a good klunker. The forward facing drops are a real problem if you are going to be using a coaster brake. The rear axle will creep forward and twist, making the tire rub on the frame. This happens anyway but on a klunker you really use the coaster so it will move in those drops. There is not a good working solution for using chain tugs on forward facing drops. I usually convert forward facing drops to track style if I’m going single speed coaster klunker.

Without truss rods your steering on single track will be poor. Better with truss rods, but still poor. I would go with a BMX type fork or mountain bike fork. A mountain bike fork will allow front brakes, a must if you’re going coaster single speed. A broken chain and then no brakes. Ditch the 70 year old skip tooth chain setup for a modern 1/2 inch pitch. Makes sure you use a really good headset or it will continually loosen on rough trails. I use alloy headsets with sealed bearings. Here is my 1940s coaster brake DX clunker.

 

[legrandefromage]

Looking at this, these Schwinns are the same age to Charlie Kelly, Joe Breeze et al back in the 1970's as my GT Zaskar is to me (it's 30 years old this year)

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Here is my 1940s coaster brake DX clunker.

Drum front hub too