# Early Xmas gift...a 1950s Schwinn



## Monarky (Dec 13, 2013)

Hello fellow Schwinners and Cabers,
Just wanted to share with you all my latest find and new addition to my collection...a 1950's Schwinn Straightbar.  Let me know what you guys think and if anyone knows how and what I can us to clean her please let me know, I'm always looking for some good restoration tips.  Here are some cool pictures of what she looks like.


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## Talewinds (Dec 13, 2013)

Beauty! There's plenty of color left in that paint. I use Flitz, it's primarily a metal polish but is marketed also as a paint restorer.


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## Monarky (Dec 13, 2013)

Talewinds said:


> Beauty! There's plenty of color left in that paint. I use Flitz, it's primarily a metal polish but is marketed also as a paint restorer.




I've seen that product before.. What did you use to apply it with and does it affect the pinstripping?


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## Talewinds (Dec 13, 2013)

It comes in a tube, like toothpaste, or in a small squeeze bottle with the consistency of ranch dressing. I use the stuff in the bottle, got it in the gun section of Cabelas (the only place I've noticed it on a store shelf).

I started using it with a scrap of folded up old t-shirt, but found it didn't do much. I soon realized the thickness of the fabric was soaking up the Flitz too much and not allowing it to do any work on the paint. I switched to using the cheap, hard paper towels, those don't soak up the Flitz. You definitely have to be careful when working, if you give it too much elbow grease it can wear right through the paint. On the bright side it does a great job of cutting quickly down to the good paint. Same applies to pin stripes, go lightly. It will leave a smooth shiny surface, I typically apply wax after that for protection.


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## jpromo (Dec 14, 2013)

Wow, that looks like it'll come back new! The chainguard appears to read Meteor, so that would be a tankless model.

My paint restorer of choice is Meguiars Color-X restorer. I apply with a buffing pad then buff it dry with a cloth diaper. It cuts very little so you don't have to be nervous about taking it too far. It does a beautiful job to bring back the richness of the color.. and I've never had this good of a starting point.


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## Dan the bike man (Dec 14, 2013)

Sweet bike! I love the lock and lock holder, I've never seen that before.


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## rollfaster (Dec 14, 2013)

*i love this one.*

im also looking for a straightbar hornet like this.very nice find.keep us up to date on its progress.


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## Monarky (Dec 14, 2013)

57 spitfire said:


> im also looking for a straightbar hornet like this.very nice find.keep us up to date on its progress.




Thanks for the comments and helpful restoration tips guys....Merry Xmas


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## greenephantom (Dec 14, 2013)

Meteor. Yeah, these things are neat. One year only. And they seem to show up in all sorts of different configurations as regards painted or chrome rims and the presence or absence of front light and truss rods. Great survivor.
Cheers, Geoff


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## Monarky (Dec 14, 2013)

Monarky said:


> Thanks for the comments and helpful restoration tips guys....Merry Xmas




Thanks greenephantom....we got to keep these babies flying.  After receiving several great paint restoration tips I'm on my way to buy some products and buff this bad boy out.  Merry Xmas. Monarky


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## bushb2004 (Dec 14, 2013)

Monarky said:


> Hello fellow Schwinners and Cabers,
> Just wanted to share with you all my latest find and new addition to my collection...a 1950's Schwinn Straightbar.  Let me know what you guys think and if anyone knows how and what I can us to clean her please let me know, I'm always looking for some good restoration tips.  Here are some cool pictures of what she looks like.  View attachment 127367 View attachment 127368 View attachment 127369 View attachment 127370 View attachment 127371 View attachment 127372




Super find, enjoy it


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## HIGGINSFOREVER (Dec 14, 2013)

Do not use a buffer on that bike. Just soap and water and a good auto WAX and not polish and a clean soft cloth.


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## Monarky (Dec 14, 2013)

HIGGINSFOREVER said:


> Do not use a buffer on that bike. Just soap and water and a good auto WAX and not polish and a clean soft cloth.




Hi Gene... I was leaning towards a simple Mcguiars color x paint restorer wax with a cloth diaper and simple  elbow grease as one member suggested.  I also don't want to ruin or make it worse.


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## HIGGINSFOREVER (Dec 14, 2013)

Monarky said:


> Hi Gene... I was leaning towards a simple Mcguiars color x paint restorer wax with a cloth diaper and simple  elbow grease as one member suggested.  I also don't want to ruin or make it worse.




Good thinking i never use a liquid polish that has abrasive in it on any bike that has older graphics and pinstrips that cant be replaced.


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## vincev (Dec 14, 2013)

Nice find! It will polish up very nicely.


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## Monarky (Dec 14, 2013)

vincev said:


> Nice find! It will polish up very nicely.




I think so too and thanks again for your comments.  She rides great!!!!


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## Talewinds (Dec 18, 2013)

Just a followup to this conversation, some before/after from this morning...


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## Monarky (Dec 18, 2013)

Talewinds said:


> Just a followup to this conversation, some before/after from this morning...




Thanks for the tip.... I found some Flitz at my local ACE hardware store and tried it on my bike and it did a good job of cleaning up with very little effort and without harming the pin stripping.  Thanks again for the restoration tip. Monarky


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