40’s Schwinn DX klunker Build?

[Nabeaquam]

A cassette multi speed will almost certainly thread on. The wheel is probably not dished for this and your chain line will be off. The wheel won’t be centered in the frame without dishing. Also the rear spacing on the bike frame will be too narrow and the hub will need a new axle and a spacer for the hub to have the axle extend beyond the hub drive side. You need to take the wheels to a bike shop to make sure they’re ok. It appears that some of the spokes on the rear wheel are not under crossed on the third cross but it’s hard to tell from a photo. It might need to be rebuilt properly. The Bike shop can see about having the wheel rebuilt and dished if a longer axle can be found in the proper threading for the cones. If you use a cassette the chain for it won’t fit on a standard single speed chainring. A BMX spider can be fitted and a multi speed chainring could be used. It would have to be a narrow wide chainring if you go single chainring. I don’t think a spider would work on a narrow wide. You could also use a bottom bracket adapter and use a two or three chainring crank.

 

[HuskyDinoBomber]

Finally had a bit of time to work on the DX. Cold set to 130mm to fit the rear. Pretty early in the process but nice to see some wheels come into play. The stem wedge is rusted into the fork so not aure if it can be saved. Wasn’t going to use but lately been really liking the look with truss rods.

 

[HuskyDinoBomber]

Messing around with parts that are available. Will be more variations before we get to the finally.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

The stem wedge is rusted into the fork so not aure if it can be saved. Wasn’t going to use but lately been really liking the look with truss rods.

The bike is telling you what it wants. This is good. The hard part is knowing what to listen to, and what to ignore. I would also think about the original fork, truss rods are just cool.

Try soaking the wedge with PB blaster or a penetrating oil, and then thread a stem bolt in it and tap with a hammer to break it loose. If there's a hole at the underside, with some luck, it can be tapped upwards right out of the stem

 

[27motorhead]

think about the original fork, truss rods are just cool.

100% agree! I would be doing everything to keep the original forks. No idea at what height the wedge is stuck out. Pretty much what @MattiThundrrr is saying. If you can have access from underneath you stand a better chance of whacking it out, but from the looks of it you don't.

Do you have a slide hammer? A threaded bolt into the stuck wedge and one of those could work if you have top-only access

Heat is also your friend. You can use localised heat on the steerer combined with technical whacking! You can protect the paint on the legs of the forks using a form a heat sink. This could be cloths soaked in water or the whole legs submerged in water or sand, but to do this you'd need to find a container or make one and with water would need the forks up vertically obviously!!!

You can also drill the f**k out of the wedge so if you cannot thread a bar into it you can drill it out to weaken it prior to more heat & technical whacking!

Take your time and it will come out. Those forks are SO worth saving.

 

[HuskyDinoBomber]

I will try, it’s full of wd40 right now. There is a screw/bolt underneath the fork that I can’t remove as well not sure it’s purpose. Looks like the end of the wedge bolt broke off in the wedge. No bolt access no access from below

 

[Nabeaquam]

100% agree! I would be doing everything to keep the original forks. No idea at what height the wedge is stuck out. Pretty much what @MattiThundrrr is saying. If you can have access from underneath you stand a better chance of whacking it out, but from the looks of it you don't.

Do you have a slide hammer? A threaded bolt into the stuck wedge and one of those could work if you have top-only access

Heat is also your friend. You can use localised heat on the steerer combined with technical whacking! You can protect the paint on the legs of the forks using a form a heat sink. This could be cloths soaked in water or the whole legs submerged in water or sand, but to do this you'd need to find a container or make one and with water would need the forks up vertically obviously!!!

You can also drill the f**k out of the wedge so if you cannot thread a bar into it you can drill it out to weaken it prior to more heat & technical whacking!

Take your time and it will come out. Those forks are SO worth saving.

Is the head tube a little deformed from someone over tightening the quill? This will make it harder to get out but not impossible. Feel it for bumps. Sometimes ultrasonic helps, but less than 50% of the time in my experience. I would submerge the entire head tube in a bath of acetone or thinner mixed with auto transmission fluid.

 

[Nabeaquam]

Make your drops parallel after your spread. Hub axles might bend if you don’t do this. Make a tool like this and use the long end of the threaded rod or old axle to bend them parallel.

 

[HuskyDinoBomber]

Turns out this frame is for 24” wheels am I out of luck with this as a 26er?

 

[27motorhead]

Turns out this frame is for 24” wheels am I out of luck with this as a 26er?

Not really will be down to tyre size/height. Looks like you have clearance with those 26" wheels fitted in the photo above. Best to a trial fit with some tyres and see if you have clearance, then you're in luck!