# Fastback chainguard question.



## 2psps (Apr 19, 2017)

Hello. I recently picked up a 67 sky blue fastback. The chainguard it came with has a grey painted background and blue printed letters. The chain guards I've seen on other sky blue fastbacks are blue with white printed letters. Is this the original chain guard for my bike? Has it been repainted? Any info would be helpful




 

Thank you


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## GTs58 (Apr 19, 2017)

Looks like an original where the blue has faded away exposing the silver base coat. The white screening protected the blue paint until white faded away. I've seen quite a few bikes where the candy color has almost completely vanished leaving just the silver base.


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## 67Ramshorn (Apr 19, 2017)

Schwinn did not paint a silver base coat on the chainguard. The blue was painted directly on the chrome and then screened white letters. This is not original to the 67 Fastback.


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## 2psps (Apr 19, 2017)

Any idea what year a silver and blue color scheme was used on fastback chain guards or is it most likely a repaint?


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## 1966fastbacks (Apr 19, 2017)

Repaint. Mr 67Ramshorn is correct. No primer was used.


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## 2psps (Apr 19, 2017)

Thanks for the info guys, i appreciate it.


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## GTs58 (Apr 19, 2017)

I beg to differ. Schwinn did use a silver base with the candy colors on the chrome chain guards. Ever try shooting the candy over chrome? I have, and the final outcome is way different than the frame color. So nobody has ever lightly sanded the guard paint to verify their theory of no silver base?  I have, and I'll do another test and post the pics in a bit.


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## GTs58 (Apr 19, 2017)

*SILVER BASE UNDER CANDY COLORS ON CHROME CHAIN GUARDS
*
As I said, Schwinn did use a silver base paint on chrome chain guards. This is a 1961 Radiant Blue guard.



 

 

 

 

Another way to prove there is silver base on the guards is to use a sharpass razor blade and scrap the paint off the guard. Look at the underside of the paint chips.

*The OP's guard is original.*


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## 2psps (Apr 20, 2017)

Thanks for the reply GTs58. 

Im not too sure if this would be a base to another color. The reason being is that if it was a base then it would be a base to sky blue paint. The problem with that is the lettering on my chainguard is blue.  Which wouldnt make sense to have blue lettering over a blue paint job. The lettering seems to be screened on, its definitely not a decal. 

My thoughts were that it was originally painted grey and screened with blue lettering. The problem with that theory is that i cant find a photo of another fastback with that color combo on the chain guard.


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## 2psps (Apr 20, 2017)

GTs58 said:


> I beg to differ. Schwinn did use a silver base with the candy colors on the chrome chain guards. Ever try shooting the candy over chrome? I have, and the final outcome is way different than the frame color. So nobody has ever lightly sanded the guard paint to verify their theory of no silver base?  I have, and I'll do another test and post the pics in a bit.




I think you might be right on this one. I just took a look at my bike and the silver under the knicks and chips throughout the blue paint job look like the same silver color thats on the chain guard. I found this 69 on eBay that also looks to have a silver painted chain guard with blue lettering like mine. Im guessing the chain guard had to be painted silver if the lettering is blue. The lettering on all the blue chain guards seems to be white.


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## fordmike65 (Apr 20, 2017)

2psps said:


> Thanks for the reply GTs58.
> 
> Im not too sure if this would be a base to another color. The reason being is that if it was a base then it would be a base to sky blue paint. The problem with that is the lettering on my chainguard is blue.  Which wouldnt make sense to have blue lettering over a blue paint job. The lettering seems to be screened on, its definitely not a decal.
> 
> My thoughts were that it was originally painted grey and screened with blue lettering. The problem with that theory is that i cant find a photo of another fastback with that color combo on the chain guard.





GTs58 said:


> Looks like an original where the blue has faded away exposing the silver base coat. The white screening protected the blue paint until white faded away. I've seen quite a few bikes where the candy color has almost completely vanished leaving just the silver base.


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## 2psps (Apr 20, 2017)

That can definitely be the case mike. If so the white screening did a hell of a job protecting the blue under the lettering. The chainguard has a few tiny blue spots the rest of the blue seems to be completely  gone.


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## GTs58 (Apr 20, 2017)

I sure hope the myth of no silver base paint on the chrome chain guards is put to rest. I have a 1963 Flamboyant Red Corvette parts bike where the red paint was somewhat faded on the guard exposing lots of silver base and the white screening was gone but the name Corvette was still there, but in red. Paint fading like this is an old issue that started with the Opal paint on the 1954 Jaguars.


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## 67Ramshorn (Apr 20, 2017)

It may have happened on later Stingrays but I am 100% positive that in 1967 the chain guard did not have any silver behind the blue paint.


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## GTs58 (Apr 20, 2017)

67Ramshorn said:


> It may have happened on later Stingrays but I am 100% positive that in 1967 the chain guard did not have any silver behind the blue paint.




Then how do you explain the OP's 67 guard with the silver base and this 1969 on eBay? And saying it's not original will not be an acceptable explanation. The only way to make a translucent paint the same finished color is to paint over the same base coat. There is no way, not even a slight chance of a candy paint directly over chrome matching the same candy paint shot over a silver base. When paint chips or scratches occur on the chrome it usually takes the silver base with it since paint does not adhere well to plated surfaces while the base and candy paint is bonded. I highly doubt Schwinn ever shot a candy directly over chrome, but I've never owned a Schwinn model later than 1981 to be completely positive or verify what they did later than that.  

This same topic was discussed about 7-8 years ago on the Schwinnbikeforum and a few said the candy was shot directly over the chrome. They were proven wrong. I would like to see some valid proof where Schwinn did not use a silver base under the candy on the chrome guards.      





http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335809022&icep_item=182535609656


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## 67Ramshorn (Apr 21, 2017)

Before I keep going I am going to call my painter to confirm.


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## PCHiggin (Apr 21, 2017)

O C'mon,Look@ the chainguard where it was screened and look @ the pics where the blue paint was sanded down? You cant see how the screening protected the blue top coat? Really? You cant see silver base under the blue on that chainguard?  Hey,We're all smart here, lets not be too smart by 1/2.  I learned long long ago that I can still learn some things. Maybe you never noticed the base on your chainguards during stripping? Maybe? Maybe your pros didnt either? Why would you notice when the task is to strip to the chrome?


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## PCHiggin (Apr 21, 2017)

BTW,Not trying to pick a fight,I think you have some sweet bikes,I'd like to have a violet and black myself and I'm too big for them. I have a Sky Blue '67 with some scratches on the chainguard. I see silver there,I'll  take a pic if someone wants to see it.


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## GTs58 (Apr 22, 2017)

Here's a 69 with silver under the Red.


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