# Restoring a Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 - from crud to new



## teisco (Nov 9, 2021)

Love chrome bikes so  found this fairly nice Schwinn Voyageur in chrome and took it home. It looked ok but bearings were notchy and clear coat was hazy and flaking off the chrome so I decided to do a full restore and try for good as new. 

You have to start some where so stripped all the goodies off the frame. The frame was nice, straight and not beat up but needed to be stripped. 

This is my go to remover, and of course, some heavy steel wool and hours and hours of messy fun stuff. 





Here is the frame with all the go brushed on. Just wait and hour and start scraping. 







And the result, finally. 




Next you know what comes. Finding, buying or making that perfect part. Days of assembly and wondering why the post office lost your cool tires you ordered.


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## teisco (Nov 9, 2021)

Ok so lets jump to the good part, the final, the as good as new version.

What all has been done to make this old girl like new again - well no expense was sparred as they say.

1. Wheels taken apart and rims polished, then new stainless spokes (polished) and assembled correctly by my favorite bike shop and trued to perfection with new bearings and such.
2. Brakes removed and all parts polished to almost chrome, levers and all. New white cable housing and cables all around.
3. Crank and parts removed and cleaned and polished and new bearings installed.
4. Derailleurs taken removed and taken apart and polished and re assembled.
5. New seat (wanted that cool white Brooks special but not for 700 bucks so cheated and bought this look alike at Walmart for 17 bucks).
6. Removed and polished handle bars and stem. Wrapped bars with new White wrap, cool.
7. Tires (wanted all white but all on back order or sitting on one of them ships out in the harbor) Found one last set in the USA on the bay and bought them - but, dang post office informed me that they lost them ! So had the bike shop get me white side walls instead.
8. Chain - gold just like the original brochure stated.
9. Took it to the bike shop (again) for derailleur set up (had to be just right as this bike was not just a looker but had to be a good ride).
10. New decals from Velocals. Of course I messed up and had to order more 
11. Put it all together and WOW, my dreams came true.


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## teisco (Nov 9, 2021)




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## teisco (Nov 9, 2021)




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## Boris (Nov 9, 2021)

Absolutely beautiful!


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## GTs58 (Nov 9, 2021)

Sweet! Loving the NEW bike patina look! 😜


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## teisco (Nov 22, 2021)

Bike shop liked it !

All photos by Waterloo Bicycle Works (thanks guys!)


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