# Schwinn American.



## Freemason Cyclist (Sep 2, 2009)

I have a Schwinn American that is in pieces. I took apart myself with the hope of restoring it. The most I could do at the time is have it rebuilt as a rideable, but well used looking bike. I would like to restore it, but need to know if it is worth it to do so. Are these bikes very valuable when restored? Or is it more valuable as scrap metal? I am asking based on the concept of selling it once restored.


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## Ronn's Vintage Bikes (Sep 3, 2009)

From my own experience, It will cost more to restore than it will be worth. If you get into paint and chrome it becomes very expensive.
An original bike in good condition, ( Schwinn American) is only worth $200.00 to $500.00 depending on options like gears, racks, brakes ect. And that is in original condition.
 You would need a lot of options to get to the high end of the price range. 
 It would cost at least that much to restore. Not to mention your time and there will be a lot of that.
When I restore bikes, I do it for the love of the project not to make any cash. 
Look on Ebay to get a feel for the worth of your bike and you will need to start by dating your bike. Schwinn date codes are at the top left of this website.
Remember, this is just my opinion. 
Ronn


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## greenephantom (Sep 4, 2009)

A lot of folks say "restore" when they really mean "refurbish".  "Restore" is to bring back to showroom new condition, and is an expensive and time consuming undertaking, not worth it at all on an American.  "Refurbish" is to make mechanically sound and perhaps update things like tires, seat and pedals. 

 As a refurbished bike, your American is a worthwhile piece of machinery.  But you'll have to figure out what it'll cost you to buy the parts and do the work.  I forget if you mentioned in your post if it's a boys or a girls frame, but the boys frames are worth more than the girls to collector types.  But from the sound of it, you have a well-used bike, so likely it will get purchased by someone looking for a funky old bike.

Your other option is to sell in on CL as a basket case box of parts.  People just love putting stuff back together for themselves.  You might actually get more money as a project bike than as a refurbished bike, taking parts and time into account.

Cheers, Geoff


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## how (Sep 12, 2009)

*bike is worth,*

80 to 125 put back together if the paint is so so,,but not real rusted. And as long as the chrome cleaned up somewhat..they make great riders. Bike is worth about a buck as scrap,,never scrap an old schwinn sell it to some one for a few bucks,,so he can rescue it.

any schwinn middle weight rider cleaned and greased is worth 60 bucks.
I have sold them for 60 to young men that use them as riders,,at college or what ever. I have one now I painted with a rattle can put decals on it,,trying to sell it for 80 bucks,,,i have more than that in it lol,,but did it for fun.
here is a pic of it so far no one called lol,,,I will give it away soon if no one calls,,,I know a few guys who would love it for free lol.
here is a pic


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## Freemason Cyclist (Sep 28, 2009)

I finally have gotten around to refurbishing the Schwinn American I have. I have cleaned up the frame and everything else. I am working on cleaning the rust off of the metal now. after I do that I am going to paint the metal with the correct color to protect from it rusting again. After I have all of that done I am going to take it to the bike shoip so it can be rebuilt as a rideable bike. but I do not know what I am going to do with it from there. Any suggestions?

Here is the write up I did on the bike on my blog: http://historyandculturebybicycle.blogspot.com/


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## pedal alley (Sep 28, 2009)

*Any suggestions?*

RIDE IT . bicycle riding is GREAT !


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## Freemason Cyclist (Sep 28, 2009)

pedal alley said:


> RIDE IT . bicycle riding is GREAT !




I ride a Vision R40 recumbent. Have been for the last 7+ years. I just can't bring myself to riding another upright/diamond frame/wedgie style saddle bike ever again. I sent an email to the curator of the Sioux City Public Museum to see if she would be interested in the Schwinn American, once I have finished refurbishing it and after the new museum is completed, for either a bicycle or transportation/travel exhibit. A new museum is in the porcess of being built inside an existing downtown building to replace the current museum, located in the Pierce Mansion, which will be turned into a period home as it should be.

Now if I could find a vintage recumbent, you bet I'd ride it.


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## pedal alley (Sep 29, 2009)

*recumbent ?*

thats like sitting in a lazy chair.haha.


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## Freemason Cyclist (Sep 29, 2009)

pedal alley said:


> thats like sitting in a lazy chair.haha.




I love the satire. But no it isn't actually. I have a La-Z-Boy and beleive me it is a lot differant. Try a recumbent some time, but I warn you, you'll lvoe the way it feels to ride one and may not want to go back to a diamond frame bike. BTW anyone else here ride a recumbent?


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## Freemason Cyclist (Sep 29, 2009)

I have the bike cleaned up and the rust removed. The areas that had the rust are pitted to the bare metal where the chrome was. I need to portect these areas from rusting again as well as the bare metal on other areas of the painted surfaces. I am going to mask the pin stripping, Schwinn name, logo, etc. I am going to use the best type of silver shrome colored paint I can find for the chrome pieces. But what I need to know is for the painted surfaces, which are mostly black, should I use gloss, semi gloss or flat? The color has faded over time and is a bit dull. Should I make this bike look close to show room shine or not? Also with the surface painted as it is right now should I use primer or not?


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## pedal alley (Sep 29, 2009)

*pictures*

would help in giving suggestion to your painting
question. i'd say yes , on the chrome idea.asfor
the black.. it would depend on amount/locations
of sratched,worn paint. pictures would help.


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## Freemason Cyclist (Sep 29, 2009)

pedal alley said:


> would help in giving suggestion to your painting
> question. i'd say yes , on the chrome idea.asfor
> the black.. it would depend on amount/locations
> of sratched,worn paint. pictures would help.




In response #5 on this thread I posted a link of what the bike looked like before I started refurbishing it. You can see the paint is pretty worn in areas, especially the under side of the fenders. The chain guard has the paint worn down to the red primer as do areas of the frame, with other areas down to the bare metal. The bare metal is near where pieces of the frame come together. What I am going to do is repaint the entire frame with the areas masked off I do not want to paint, the logo, name, strips, etc.


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## pedal alley (Sep 29, 2009)

i'd go gloss then .and the headbadge
removes with two small screws.use
petro-gel instead of tape.this gives no lines.


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## Freemason Cyclist (Sep 29, 2009)

pedal alley said:


> i'd go gloss then .and the headbadge
> removes with two small screws.use
> petro-gel instead of tape.this gives no lines.




Should I use primer?


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## pedal alley (Sep 29, 2009)

generaly, primer the areas of bare metal.


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## Freemason Cyclist (Sep 30, 2009)

There has been a change of plans with refurbishing this bike. I contacted the Sioux City Public Museum about donating this bike as a artifact for either a bicycle ro transportation exhibit. They will gladly accept it. I asked how good of or used condition do they need it in. They do not want it to look new, but well used. It needs to be in stable condition, but not refurbished.

As a result of this I am not going to paint any of the frame and am only going to pain the chromed areas to pretect from furture rusting. The curator also understands the bike needs new tires, chain, etc. and is fine with that.

Sioux City is finally getting a museum in a building designed for one. Currently it is in what is called the Pierce Mansion. google John Pierce, or Peirce to learn about him and what he did for Sioux City. The mansion never should have been used as a museum. Now that one is being built in the old JC Penney building downtown the mansion will be turned into a period home. the JC Penney building has sat pretty much empty since they moved out to the mall.


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