Schwinn Racer 3-Speed

My 1962 Schwinn Racer 3-Speed, it was a barn find at an estate sale that I couldn't pass up. I spent a week fixing it up and cleaning it.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Schwinn
• Racer
• Sturmey
• Archer
• 3-Speed
• bike
• bicycle
• vintage
• classic

[chickabuka]

I acquired a red with white pinstripes schwinn racer 3 -speed, 100% original,my grandpa gave it to me today. even has the original schwinn tires, it needs tires and tubes, most of the bike just needs to be buffed out and it shows much potential, however the rims,hubs,cranks,sprocket are pretty rusted,should i,rechrome the parts,keep em rusted, or find replacements, what should i do?? i will locate the year tomorrow.just want to enjoy riding it on the boardwalk this summer. thanks

[oldschoolmechanic]

@chickabuka Well I couldn't give much advice about rusty parts without seeing them, it depends how rusty they are. Personally I like as original as possible but still operational, so I would clean them up if possible (my chrome buffed right up with some oil, steel wool, and a LOT of rubbing) a wire wheel helps if you're careful. I wouldn't replace parts unless the originals are beyond repair.

[chickabuka]

@chickabuka thanks, yeah you are right, keep it original and buff it out, researched it and it was made August of 1969,the "freewheel" spins both ways and it catches intermittently, guess the 3 speed hub needs some tlc.are those tough to rebuild?? or let a shop do it? Thanks

[oldschoolmechanic]

@chickabuka Now that is quite a problem, those hubs are put together like a Swiss watch. Ask your local shop but I don't know if anyone still knows how to repair them, that might be a part you'd have to replace. One of these days I would like to do some research and teach myself how to rebuild one, but that's still a few years away.

[Pj311foo]

Hey, thats a sweet bike. I recently got into old bikes as well. So far I have 2, 71 Breeze and a 77 Speedster. Question for you that I cant seem to find online. On the head tube, to the left of the SCHWINN logo, mine has four smaller numbers, 1407. Any idea what they mean?

[oldschoolmechanic]

@Pj311foo I've heard those referred to as badge numbers, they indicate when the bike (or at least the badge) was made. The first three digits indicate the day (140th day in your case) and the last digit is the last digit of the year (1977, I'm guessing that one is on the Speedster), this number doesn't indicate the decade though.

[chickabuka]

@pjfadriquela That is awesome, im sure the 3 speed hub internals just need to be cleaned up on mine, other than that no real major issues, im going to start tearing it down and clean it this weekend.stock paint is in decent shape for a 1969. then i will get a quote from my local schwinn shop on reconditioning the rear wheel hub. I will keep u posted heck i will take some before and during and after photos too, might as well.

[pjfadriquela]

@chickabuka for the rims, i unbolted every rod. Polished it, then got the shop to put it back together. Looks like a brand new bike now.

[pjfadriquela]

@chickabuka I got the same bike but mine is sky blue. All i did was polish up the chrome with steel wool and coke, sand blasted and repainted the frame. New chain and got a bike shop to put some light oil in the hub. Replaced the crank shaft with a chrome one. new tubes. Schwinns really are meant to last.

[rovenzoo]

Chuck norris had one of th

[kingsudie]

I had exactly the same bike in 1962. Mine was white with black pinstripes. I loved that fin on the front fender. The 3-speed shifter worked really well. I had few toys as a kid. My step-father had given me a junky old bike that I couldn't even mount w/o getting on it from a curb and peddling it on the 'down stroke'. I saved up my coin and finally bought my white Schwinn Racer at the bicycle shop on Troost,

You've sure brought back some memories for me. I'm so glad you posted this!