# Checkout the Sting Ray I found today on Craigslist!



## jefferson-25 (Sep 6, 2009)

Hi,

Checkout the Sting Ray I found today on Craigslist and just right down the street from me, literally.  I'd appreciate any thoughts on the bike, especially as to what components might be stock not etc.  If I had to guess, it appears to be a mid-seventies model, I can't find a serial chart anywhere....anyone got one?!  The paint is pretty clean as are most all of the decals and especially the chain-guard.  The seat has a sticker on the bottom saying "seat for one rider not two".  The chrome, while it has rust, it is pretty superficial and would clean up pretty easily with naval jelly I imagine, although Ive never restored a bike and am open to suggestions.  I'd like to keep it stock.  I was thinking disassemble the bike, repack the bottom bracket, wash the frame in a mild soap and wax it perhaps. The seat has no rips and if I had to guess was maybe at one time either white with flecks in it or maybe silver?  I dunno.  Checkout a couple of the pix here and Ive also made a website with more detailed pix:

www.jeffersonclarke.com/Stingrayweb

Thanks for taking the time to read my post, thank you in advance for your feedback.

regards,
Jefferson


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Sep 6, 2009)

This is what you are looking for -

http://www.bunchobikes.com/serialnumber2.htm

Nice find!!


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## jefferson-25 (Sep 7, 2009)

*Thank you!*

Thanks!

Looking at the chart it appears to be a 1974 Sting Ray manufactured in June.  I paid a $100 for it.........probably just clean it up and use it as a neighborhood bike.  They certainly are fun!  The rims are an S-2 and an S-7.  The rims would clean up really nice with a little naval jelly and a light polish.  The spokes are pretty oxidized, some bent a little.  I was thinking I would have the rims re-laced with new spokes as well as rebuild the coaster brake.  I'd like to get a light for it.  Did they make a schwinn specific sting ray light for this bike?  Thanks for the info.

regards,

Jefferson


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## drabe (Sep 8, 2009)

*Nice score!!*

Nice score!! 
Especially for getting it off of CL. 
I've just about given up on CL, my experience is no one responds to their own ads. 
For the last 6 to 8 months I have yet to get any kind of response from anyone on CL (sorry for the rant).
Found a Stingray on CL, even the right color we were looking for. It was about 300-400 miles away, couldn't get a response from the seller (CL ad), so I blew it off. 
Anyway, your's looks to be pretty much original. I really like the speedo!
Have fun with it!


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## greenephantom (Sep 8, 2009)

Jefferson, nice score. 
 In my experience the original spokes are high quality, and a few bent ones are no big deal.  Getting the wheels rebuilt likely isn't necessary and would be pretty expensive.  Leaving the original spokes in place and having the wheels trued and tensioned is probably all they need.
 Getting the coaster brake overhauled is a good idea.  You might also want to have a bike shop overhaul the bottom bracket, front hub and headset.  It's amazing how nice these bikes ride with fresh grease.
    Schwinn sold a couple different styles of lights for their bikes.  Union generator light with tail light and a "pumpkin" style battery-operated light were available in '74.  Any generic ball light will work on these bikes.  The originals are pricey.  The "pumpkin" style light also sometimes gets called a "Krate" light, and can sell for crazy money.
   Enjoy the Sting-Ray, it's a fun hobby.
Cheers, Geoff


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