# 1961 Schwinn Black Hornet 20" Canti "Step by Step" Tear Down and Clean up!



## Crazy8 (Mar 21, 2014)

Picked this one up yesterday and already started soaking some parts (fenders and front wheel) in OA, front hub parts in vinegar.  Will keep everyone updated on the process.

Plans for this bike (if you have suggestions, please interfere, as I'm a rookie!)

Painted parts:
Keeping the painted parts patina'd.  Frame and fork will get a light soak in OA to remove any loose rust, then a thorough compound rub and a few coats of wax.  I'm guessing the OA soak will remove the grey spray paint that is on the frame?  Will remove the lose rust from the canti tank via mineral oil then compound and wax.  Fenders have already gone through the OA soak.  Lots of scratches, but looks cool with the red primer showing.  Will get the fenders rolled because they are badly damaged (anyone on cabe that does this, or anyone know anyone?).  Gonna need to find a 20" Hornet chainguard (oh fun)!

Chrome parts:
Will give everything a nice OA bath.  Anything with missing chrome will be updated with parts that do have all the chrome.  Good thing is, I think all of these chrome parts are the same parts they use on Stingrays, so they aren't hard to find.  Also need to find a new set of braces for the fenders because one is broken.  Pedals will need to be replaced.

Chain, Nuts, Screws, Sprocket guts, Head tube guts and Hub guts in vinegar.  Gut parts get cleaned and re-greased with Park Tool grease.  Chain gets some new lube!

Horn:  I'm gonna try and bring it back to life, but if I don't, I'll hope I can find one from you cabers.  It's a 1 battery horn.

Design.....
I know I should replace the ape hanger bars, but lets face it, it looks cool bobber style, and if a future buyer wants to replace it, that's up to them.  Will be temporarily putting my '51 Columbia 3 Star Brown Mesinger Spring Seat on it until I find a similar Brown Mesinger Spring Seat that is perfect for it.

Need an opinion on the tires (20x1.3/4 S7)...
The fenders have white pin stripes, so should I go with 20" white walls, or all black?

Another opinion needed....
Really like the red primer showing through the scratches on the fenders, so I was thinking painted red wheels if I can find a set (can put the old ones back on if I sell it)

The final piece.... My Delta Super Rocket Ray on the front fender!


----------



## Crazy8 (Mar 21, 2014)

*Front Fenders*

After soaking overnight, the front fenders came out nice.  Love the red primer that shows under the scratches.  Found a small crack in the metal next to the rivet in the last photo which will need to be fixed somehow.  Sprayed them with WD40 to prevent rerust until they are ready to be compounded and waxed.  Will send them out to be rerolled prior to compound and waxing.


----------



## Crazy8 (Mar 21, 2014)

*Rear Fenders*

Full of dents and dings, so they will go with the front fenders to get rerolled.


----------



## HIGGINSFOREVER (Mar 21, 2014)

Great start,take it one day at a time


----------



## Crazy8 (Mar 21, 2014)

HIGGINSFOREVER said:


> Great start,take it one day at a time




Right now I'm frozen.  Can't get the neck out.  Any suggestions?  Already banged the daylights out of the bolt with a hammer.


----------



## Euphman06 (Mar 21, 2014)

Crazy8 said:


> Right now I'm frozen.  Can't get the neck out.  Any suggestions?  Already banged the daylights out of the bolt with a hammer.




Soak it with PB Blaster for days...


----------



## RustyK (Mar 22, 2014)

Euphman06 said:


> Soak it with PB Blaster for days...




I'm on 2 weeks of PB soaking on a neck wedge, still won't budge. Mine may be an extreme case but remember the heat option if the PB doesn't do it.
Kris


----------



## Crazy8 (Mar 23, 2014)

Finally broke the rust to get the neck off.  Now have the frame and fork soaking in OA.  Paint on the frame is really bad, but I'm still gonna leave it the way it is.  

Tomorrow, cleaning the tank as best as I can without going near the decals.  Will also take the horn apart and see if I can bring it back to life.

Need:
Handlebars/Stem/Black Grips
Complete head set
Wheels 20" S7 with Bendix or ND Hub.
Westwind 20x1 3/4 tires
Fender braces
Chainguard

Will probably be sending out my fenders to get rerolled at some point this week.


----------



## fat tire trader (Mar 24, 2014)

I have a white S7 rear wheel that is straight, but the paint is not mint. I might have loose S7 rims. I do fender rolling.
Neat bike!


----------



## Crazy8 (Mar 26, 2014)

Good news!  Last night I found a bike in Tennessee and he's going to ship it!

It's a '64 Typhoon and pretty much an exact replica of my bike, without the tank and Hornet chainguard.  Just much better paint!

Probably going to rat rod out the '61 frame when I can come up with more money.

I photo shopped my tank on it.


----------



## pkleppert (Mar 26, 2014)

*20" parts*

This is Paul Kleppert from the A2 show. Got a lot of the stuff you need, Can you contact me at bikeshow@aol.com?


----------



## Crazy8 (Apr 3, 2014)

Got the '64 in and the tank is on!  Oh wait, I just ran the serial number!  It's actually born on July 22nd 1963!  

Not perfect, but so much better than the other options with what was left of the '61.  Yes, it has some scratches and someone etched a bunch of numberes under the seat, but, I'm loving it!  Will be putting it up on ebay because the wife is busting my behind about bikes and money, plus I need the funds for my Panther project.


----------

