# 1966 Dlx Racer Coaster find



## jhook (Aug 28, 2021)

Just picked up this sweet riding Madison WI Haack’s dealer badged 1966 Deluxe Racer at a re sale shop today. Other than the tires it appears to be 100 % untouched original. Not sure about the pedals, they are Wald white ones. Shop had some idea it was collectible, had to part with 40 dollars cash.  It’s going to polish up nice. How common is the coaster Dlx Racer of this vintage. Seems like most people would have paid the little bit extra to get the multi speed versions.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 28, 2021)

nice color. I'd say those are not original pedals. Racers and their cousins are fun bikes to ride with the skinny tires.


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## GTs58 (Aug 28, 2021)

The Racers were a popular model in both configurations over the years starting back in 1956. Pretty good deal on an old complete piece of that era and quality.  You can't even buy a POS at Walmart for that $.

I'm not sure what's going on with Schwinn's paint but I have two 1963 pieces that recently got rained on. I had a cover over them and the wind blew it off and the rain washed quite a bit of paint off both of them. I chalked it up as being mistreated and left out and exposed to the Arizona sun all their life.

Before.




After a little rain.


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## jhook (Aug 28, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> The Racers were a popular model in both configurations over the years starting back in 1956. Pretty good deal on an old complete piece of that era and quality.  You can't even buy a POS at Walmart for that $.
> 
> I'm not sure what's going on with Schwinn's paint but I have two 1963 pieces that recently got rained on. I had a cover over them and the wind blew it off and the rain washed quite a bit of paint off both of them. I chalked it up as being mistreated and left out and exposed to the Arizona sun all their life.
> 
> ...



Improper surface prep at the plant  I would say caused this. Should have been etched for better adhesion of the top coat.


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## GTs58 (Aug 28, 2021)

jhook said:


> Improper surface prep at the plant  I would say caused this. Should have been etched for better adhesion of the top coat.



That may be part of the cause on some examples but it's not the main issue on my two 63's. Between the two shifters I gently rubbed the paint with one finger and it just rubbed right off like granules of fine sugar. The color coat is totally burned out from the UV rays.


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## Jeff54 (Aug 28, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> That may be part of the cause on some examples but it's not the main issue on my two 63's. Between the two shifters I gently rubbed the paint with one finger and it just rubbed right off like granules of fine sugar. The color coat is totally burned out from the UV rays.



Dam, from first to now, maybe U got acid rain? That's just freakin weird.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 28, 2021)

I guess this is the next step for that paint.. I thought this was a '60, but I am smarter now. it was that bright blue originally., you can see it under the decals. this picture is crummy but you can see the blue. I'll have to get a close up pic of the frame ..

EDIT: new bigger pic.. this bike is not really rusty though it looks like there is no paint.


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## Jeff54 (Aug 29, 2021)

jhook said:


> Just picked up this sweet riding Madison WI Haack’s dealer badged 1966 Deluxe Racer at a re sale shop today. Other than the tires it appears to be 100 % untouched original. Not sure about the pedals, they are Wald white ones. Shop had some idea it was collectible, had to part with 40 dollars cash.  It’s going to polish up nice. How common is the coaster Dlx Racer of this vintage. Seems like most people would have paid the little bit extra to get the multi speed versions.
> 
> View attachment 1468942
> 
> ...



"Madison WI Haack’s dealer" That is what you'd typically see on a used bike that was professionally repaired, restored, new tires and lubed, etc.  and resold. Not an actual 'Schwinn  Authorized dealer' or even relations with them, nor the badge too.  As the badge says "Custom built" Prob a 70's badge and kind-of an exaggeration: "Custom built" B/C the only custom is some new parts and badge.

Some people collect those types of badges, an U got plenty nice parts too. Looks like you may have a really nice set of 70's Schwinn 'Puff' tires, they are pretty, too very hard to get. Albeit, not exactly desirable as collectors go, and but, if tires are; 27 x 1-1/4",, however, I bet U have; 26 x 1-3/8" B/C it's a Racer. I think, little known to most unless lightweight Schwinn are your thing, good luck finding 27, Puff, I bet lots O Peeps hunting them,  and not so many but 26's too.

Either way, as GT said, U can't get a good pleasure riding bike like this any more.. Collectible value, not so good but  For transportation or old bike pride, U ain't gonna beat its value vs the junk built today.

If they are Puff's, it may not say 'Puff', but Schwinn is embossed on side of tires. Newer than 70's Schwinn stuck a small colored paint thing , that says "Schwinn" but there're   'Authorized' tires' but Puff's would have  "Schwinn" embossed on the side.  So, depending how marked, U probably  got or should have well more than 40 bucks, IDK but maybe 80, right there.


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## SirMike1983 (Aug 29, 2021)

Is it UV light that causes the topcoat to break down or light plus heat, and then water washes it away? Or exposure to acidic water? I've seen some really washed out bikes, especially ones that were red at one time.


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## GTs58 (Aug 29, 2021)

SirMike1983 said:


> Is it UV light that causes the topcoat to break down or light plus heat, and then water washes it away? Or exposure to acidic water? I've seen some really washed out bikes, especially ones that were red at one time.




I've been saying for years that Schwinn was experimenting with paint when the Flamboyant colors came out. No acid rain here. So everyone has seen the old Opal Red completely fade away leaving a gold color. The red colorant completely fades out but leaves the somewhat clear paint that was tinted the different candy colors. Lets say that tint base is somewhat similar to a Varnish with an amber tint and that's all there was left when the red tint faded away. In the later 50's that product was no longer used, at least with the reds. Now this 60's paint is quite different in make up and the chemicals used in making the base for the tint is clear, not amber like the old varnish type base. What happens with today's clear coats on cars when they've been parked out in the elements where it's sunny and hot most of the time? The clear coat turns milky and then flakes off. So this is what happened to my two Varistys, the clear base that was tinted was destroyed buy the UV rays and the fact that there was also an adhesion problem mentioned by @jhook added to the loss of paint on my Varsitys. My childhood 1964 Flamboyant Lime Varsity had a paint issue with the color coat not adhering to the Aluminum base coat and that bike looked like crap after three years of hard but caring use. I repainted that bike with Schwinn's Lime and aluminum base paint in a can which was a lacquer base. That paint was no better at adhering to the silver base than the baked on enamel factory paint.


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## SirMike1983 (Aug 30, 2021)

Interesting. I'm finding that the aluminum-green paint on the 1949/50 Superior is quite brittle. When I installed a couple of the cable clamps over the weekend, I noticed that the paint actually flaked off when the clamp when on. There was no sign of rust under the paint where it flaked. I've got a little bottle of mixed paint that matches the green now that I keep nearby because the aluminum-green color is not as durable, I guess.


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## Schwinny (Oct 21, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> That may be part of the cause on some examples but it's not the main issue on my two 63's. Between the two shifters I gently rubbed the paint with one finger and it just rubbed right off like granules of fine sugar. The color coat is totally burned out from the UV rays.



GTS, you know I'm a little south of you, and its a little hotter up there in the jungle than here, but that is exactly what I've found. People from other places around the country haven't had the experience of a hot iron on their head.
The sun baked that paint off, there is no doubt.( I dont mean your bikes when young) 
I find MANY that way. It is worse on the aluminum base colors but they all do that. I found a deluxe racer on the south side of a barn in Aho, Az. a few yers back and I thought it was silver at first. Couldn't se ANY color on the bike until I flipped it over. It was originally the Lime color. AND a lot of the chrome was flaked and chipped off too. Very little rust at all. bummed me out too, because when was the last time you saw a Lime green 68' Racer? unheard of. It had to have been a special order or something.  I brought that bike back to life as a black deluxe racer and it was PERFECT. Then it was stolen in Florida last year.
But I digress....
Arizona makes parts bikes if you leave them outside.
Heres one I found not long ago


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 21, 2021)

what sort of person leaves bikes outside! 😮


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