# Barn-Find 1952 Schwinn Hornet value?



## Bike from the Dead (Dec 27, 2021)

I got this 1952 Schwinn Hornet straight bar a couple months ago, and I'm trying to figure out how much it's worth, and what to do with it. It looks to be mostly intact, though it's missing the front wheel (the one pictured is just something I had,) the back third of the rear rack, the original grips and possibly a tank. I paid $40 for this bike, which is crazy cheap in my opinion, but as much as I wanted this bike, I've got a problem with it.

I've wanted to build a Schwinn straight bar for a while now, and while I've had a couple before this one, they were all pretty rough and incomplete. This one is nice and straight, and it even has the original paint, patina'd to perfection... which is kind of the problem. I really want to paint this bike up my own way, but that means removing the original paint that has survived untouched by anything more than time and the elements for almost 70 years. I love bikes with custom paint jobs, but at the same time, I'm kind of a purist, and I'd hate to remove the original rusty red paint. It really doesn't help that red is one of my least favorite colors, and I've already got 2 red bikes in my relatively small collection that I'm leaving the paint untouched. I really don't want another red bike, even though the paint and patina look nice on this one.

So with that being said, I'm contemplating either selling or hopefully trading this Schwinn straight bar for at least one other Schwinn straight bar that is either missing the original paint or has been repainted in a way that won't make me feel guilty about doing it up my way. I'd rather see this bike go to someone who'll appreciate the original surviving paint better than I do. So, realistically speaking, what's this Hornet worth? If I put it up for sale, how much could I expect to sell it for? If I could trade it, would it be possible to get more than one bike in equal or worse condition, at least as far as paint goes? Or, would it be best for me to just ignore the guilt and just paint and build this Schwinn the way I want?


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 27, 2021)




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## 49autocycledeluxe (Dec 27, 2021)

I say try something different and give this one an oxalic acid bath to bring the paint back. you may like it.


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 27, 2021)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> I say try something different and give this one an oxalic acid bath to bring the paint back. you may like it.



I do want to try an OA bath at some point, but doesn't oxalic acid usually mess up red paint due to some iron pigment in the paint?


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Dec 27, 2021)

Bike from the Dead said:


> I do want to try an OA bath at some point, but doesn't oxalic acid usually mess up red paint due to some iron pigment in the paint?



never heard of that. though I'm no expert. everything I know about it I have read here and plan on doing my B-6 when it warms up.


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 27, 2021)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> never heard of that. though I'm no expert. everything I know about it I have read here and plan on doing my B-6 when it warms up.



Yeah, I've heard that oxalic acid and even Evaporust isn't too friendly to red and brown paint. I've even heard similar stories about blue paint, but I don't know for sure on that one. Either way, I'd want to err on the side of caution doing an OA bath on original red or brown bikes. In fact, Evaporust warns about this exact scenario in they're online tutorial videos.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Dec 27, 2021)

I have only used Evaporust on chrome


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 27, 2021)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> I have only used Evaporust on chrome



Same. Evaporust works really well on chrome.


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## Freqman1 (Dec 27, 2021)

Personally I wouldn’t feel too bad about doing what you want to with this bike. V/r Shawn


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 27, 2021)

Freqman1 said:


> Personally I wouldn’t feel too bad about doing what you want to with this bike. V/r Shawn



Thanks for your input. If it turns out enough folks on here and ratrodbikes.com tell me not to worry about customizing this bike, I think I can live with stripping this bike down and doing what I want with it.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Dec 27, 2021)

I would hate to see that bike customized and repainted. many different ways to play with old bikes. my first bike after a long absence from bikes started as a DX frame and fork in pretty much the same shape as your bike. added more rusty parts until I decided it was done. if it was maroon I might have Oxy bathed it, but it was red, I like the rust better than red.


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 27, 2021)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> I would hate to see that bike customized and repainted. many different ways to play with old bikes. my first bike after a long absence from bikes started as a DX frame and fork in pretty much the same shape as your bike. added more rusty parts until I decided it was done. if it was maroon I might have Oxy bathed it, but it was red, I like the rust better than red.



Yeah, see that's why I'm so hesitant to customize it! It's too complete and intact for me to want to modify it! I'm personally not a fan of the color, but the patina and the near-completeness of the bike are on point! That's why I'm so torn! I want to build a custom Schwinn straight bar, but I don't want to modify a survivor if I can help it!


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## tacochris (Dec 27, 2021)

Me personally.....(once again, me personally) Ide never modify that bike in any way shape or form but then again, your name is on the title and not mine and its kinda up to you.  I do alot of hoop-jumpin to land bikes with that kinda patina.....

...but once again, its not mine so I can only tell you what I would do.  Guess Im boring to most people.


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 27, 2021)

tacochris said:


> Me personally.....(once again, me personally) Ide never modify that bike in any way shape or form but then again, your name is on the title and not mine and its kinda up to you.  I do alot of hoop-jumpin to land bikes with that kinda patina.....
> 
> ...but once again, its not mine so I can only tell you what I would do.  Guess Im boring to most people.



There's nothing wrong with preserving bikes like this. I think it's cool that people out there don't want to modify or restore certain things. Patina can tell a story the way fresh paint and new parts never could. I'd love to have a rideable bike with patina like this, but I'm super-picky about paint and patina. I wish I loved the paint on this bike more than I do, but red (even rusty red,) just really isn't my color. Plus, I've already got 2 red original bikes anyways, and with my collection being as small as it is, I want to have as much variety as I can. 

Hence why I'm also considering selling or trading this bike for one that I don't have to worry about the paint. I'd like to find someone who'll appreciate this bike the way it is, patina and all. I still want to build at least one custom Schwinn straight bar, I'm just not sure this is the one.


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## tacochris (Dec 27, 2021)

Bike from the Dead said:


> There's nothing wrong with preserving bikes like this. I think it's cool that people out there don't want to modify or restore certain things. Patina can tell a story the way fresh paint and new parts never could. I'd love to have a rideable bike with patina like this, but I'm super-picky about paint and patina. I wish I loved the paint on this bike more than I do, but red (even rusty red,) just really isn't my color. Plus, I've already got 2 red original bikes anyways, and with my collection being as small as it is, I want to have as much variety as I can.
> 
> Hence why I'm also considering selling or trading this bike for one that I don't have to worry about the paint. I'd like to find someone who'll appreciate this bike the way it is, patina and all. I still want to build at least one custom Schwinn straight bar, I'm just not sure this is the one.



I'll see if I have something that may be more your speed buddy....

Until then, I never try to discourage anyone from building something that makes them happy unless someone asks my opinion.  Lol


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 27, 2021)

tacochris said:


> I'll see if I have something that may be more your speed buddy....
> 
> Until then, I never try to discourage anyone from building something that makes them happy unless someone asks my opinion.  Lol



Thank you!

I appreciate that. I tend to do the same too. Thanks for sharing your opinion on this bike.


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## BFGforme (Dec 27, 2021)

Red seems to turn almost pink with the oa bath!


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 27, 2021)

BFGforme said:


> Red seems to turn almost pink with the oa bath!



Yeah, I've seen that happen before.


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## ogre (Dec 28, 2021)

My opinion(s)? You've got it, so build it as you wish. It's got lovely patina (which _I'd _retain), but if you've got other plans for it, where's the harm? More complete examples remain, and will dwindle in value. Also, you take lovely photographs.


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## Billythekid (Dec 28, 2021)

Where are you located


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## Hastings (Dec 28, 2021)

a piece of denim and turtle wax buffing compound goes a long way cleaning paint. stay off the pins/decals tho.


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 28, 2021)

ogre said:


> My opinion(s)? You've got it, so build it as you wish. It's got lovely patina (which _I'd _retain), but if you've got other plans for it, where's the harm? More complete examples remain, and will dwindle in value. Also, you take lovely photographs.



Thank you for your input. Yeah, there are are better examples of this bike out there, but that patina just feels too nice. I'm not in any rush to work on this bike just yet, so I have plenty of time to figure out what I want to do with it. Thank you!


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 28, 2021)

Billythekid said:


> Where are you located



Just outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma.


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 28, 2021)

Hastings said:


> a piece of denim and turtle wax buffing compound goes a long way cleaning paint. stay off the pins/decals tho.
> 
> View attachment 1535517



That's pretty impressive! I've used some rubbing compound on a bike before, and it really helped bring some color back to it.







I've also seen what happens when you don't avoid the graphics/pinstripes on a Schwinn. Schwinn knew how to make durable bikes, but not durable accent paint, apparently.


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## A.S.BOLTNUT (Dec 28, 2021)

A bicycle in any state can be customized to suit anyone's tastes over and over again.,but it will only be original once. 

Rafael


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 28, 2021)

A.S.BOLTNUT said:


> A bicycle in any state can be customized to suit anyone's tastes over and over again.,but it will only be original once.
> 
> Rafael



Very true.


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 28, 2021)

Okay, I've received a lot of valuable input about whether I should customize this bike or not, but something I'd appreciate your help on, as it's a key factor in whether I keep and customize this bike or not, is what my Schwinn is worth. I'm not ruling out the possibility of selling or trading this bike, especially if I can replace it with a guilt-free canvas, so based on what I have and what I don't have, how much would you say this bike is worth?


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## Boris (Dec 28, 2021)

Heed your feelings of pending guilt on this original paint bike. There's plenty of other straightbars out there that would welcome a new coat of paint. I'm sure simply by posting this, you'll be finding that out rather quickly.


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 28, 2021)

Boris said:


> Heed your feelings of pending guilt on this original paint bike. There's plenty of other straightbars out there that would welcome a new coat of paint. I'm sure simply by posting this, you'll be finding that out rather quickly.



I've already had a couple folks inquiring about this Schwinn and doing some trading. If I could get a realistic idea of what this bike is worth, that could help me determine what I could either sell it or trade it for. I really want another Schwinn straight bar to customize, but that doesn't mean I'm opposed to trading for other bikes. I've got quite a few bikes on my wishlist as it is.


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## BFGforme (Dec 28, 2021)

$300 maybe


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 28, 2021)

BFGforme said:


> $300 maybe



Thanks. I figured it would be worth about that much.


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## Bike from the Dead (Dec 31, 2021)

I've got another idea for this bike, one that would be a decent balance between maintaining the original paint, as well as customizing it in a way I like. I brought it home tonight so I could do some mockups later. If I like the idea enough, I might just keep the Schwinn and build it during the next Build Off or something. If I don't like how it looks, I might just sell or trade the bike for one I'd feel more comfortable building however I want.


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## nick tures (Dec 31, 2021)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> I say try something different and give this one an oxalic acid bath to bring the paint back. you may like it.



i agree


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## nick tures (Dec 31, 2021)

Bike from the Dead said:


> I do want to try an OA bath at some point, but doesn't oxalic acid usually mess up red paint due to some iron pigment in the paint?



you just want watch it dont leave it in over night a few hours i did a red bike this summer


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 1, 2022)

Okay, here are some ideas I have in mind to make it easier for me to love the original paint and patina on this Schwinn. First, I had initially thought about turning this bike into a "street bomber," but part of that look involves removing the chain guard, which is an element that's too cool to remove, at least in my opinion.





What I'm currently thinking of going for is an "as found barn-find" board track racer-vibe, like someone turned their Schwinn Hornet into a board track bike back in the '50s or '60s, then hung it up in a barn only for it to be discovered 50 years later. This bike is in fact a real barn-find, as the guy I bought it from pulled it out of some guy's barn. I think if I build it up using almost nothing but old rusty parts, that would make for a neat appearance. This bike here is a great example of the look I have in mind:




I'd also love to try stretching the wheelbase a few inches in the front and rear, using a rat trap springer and some extension plates bolted to the rear dropouts, kind of like this bike pictured below has. I think stretching the wheelbase would give it that much more of a motorcycle appearance than if I left the wheelbase stock.




Once I can get all the nuts and bolts to break free (or just _break,_) I've got a few parts I'll want to mock up to help me decide whether or not I'll want to build this bike this way, and more importantly, whether or not I'll want to keep this bike.

What do you think? Does that sound like a good idea for this bike, or should I go for something else entirely?


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## razinhellcustomz (Jan 1, 2022)

Bike from the Dead said:


> I got this 1952 Schwinn Hornet straight bar a couple months ago, and I'm trying to figure out how much it's worth, and what to do with it. It looks to be mostly intact, though it's missing the front wheel (the one pictured is just something I had,) the back third of the rear rack, the original grips and possibly a tank. I paid $40 for this bike, which is crazy cheap in my opinion, but as much as I wanted this bike, I've got a problem with it.
> 
> I've wanted to build a Schwinn straight bar for a while now, and while I've had a couple before this one, they were all pretty rough and incomplete. This one is nice and straight, and it even has the original paint, patina'd to perfection... which is kind of the problem. I really want to paint this bike up my own way, but that means removing the original paint that has survived untouched by anything more than time and the elements for almost 70 years. I love bikes with custom paint jobs, but at the same time, I'm kind of a purist, and I'd hate to remove the original rusty red paint. It really doesn't help that red is one of my least favorite colors, and I've already got 2 red bikes in my relatively small collection that I'm leaving the paint untouched. I really don't want another red bike, even though the paint and patina look nice on this one.
> 
> ...



Hey Austin, Nice score on the Hornet.. I would put a value of around a C note on this one.. Really COOOL old Schwinn.. RideOn.. Razin...


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## razinhellcustomz (Jan 1, 2022)

tacochris said:


> Me personally.....(once again, me personally) Ide never modify that bike in any way shape or form but then again, your name is on the title and not mine and its kinda up to you.  I do alot of hoop-jumpin to land bikes with that kinda patina.....
> 
> ...but once again, its not mine so I can only tell you what I would do.  Guess Im boring to most people.



Title? Really? Where?


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 1, 2022)

razinhellcustomz said:


> Hey Austin, Nice score on the Hornet.. I would put a value of around a C note on this one.. Really COOOL old Schwinn.. RideOn.. Razin...



Thanks! Had to look up what "C note" meant, but that's around the value another guy on Rat Rod Bikes suggested. If it's really worth only around $100-$150, I might just use that as an excuse to build this bike the way I really want. I doubt I'd be able to sell this bike and buy even half the same parts I want in worse condition. I might still be able to trade, but given how I'm already having a hard time attempting to unbolt everything, I could only sell or trade it locally. Right now, most of the nuts and bolts are either rounded or are about to be rounded, so unless I can loosen, cut or drill the original bolts, this bike's staying in one piece. I'm letting everything soak in PB Blaster over the next couple days, so hopefully every bolt will break free when I try to take it apart again.


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 1, 2022)

razinhellcustomz said:


> Title? Really? Where?



He just means I'm the guy who purchased and owns the bike.


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## razinhellcustomz (Jan 1, 2022)

Bike from the Dead said:


> Thanks! Had to look up what "C note" meant, but that's around the value another guy on Rat Rod Bikes suggested. If it's really worth only around $100-$150, I might just use that as an excuse to build this bike the way I really want. I doubt I'd be able to sell this bike and buy even half the same parts I want in worse condition. I might still be able to trade, but given how I'm already having a hard time attempting to unbolt everything, I could only sell or trade it locally. Right now, most of the nuts and bolts are either rounded or are about to be rounded, so unless I can loosen, cut or drill the original bolts, this bike's staying in one piece. I'm letting everything soak in PB Blaster over the next couple days, so hopefully every bolt will break free when I try to take it apart again.



C note? What's that? I keep forgetting your not from me and your dad's generation.. Maybe if i said a "HUNDO" or so, that might have helped.. I really think you should just build this bike, Rusty bolts and all.. She's a BEAUTY....


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## tacochris (Jan 1, 2022)

razinhellcustomz said:


> Title? Really? Where?



Lol its just a saying ive always said.  Just means, you own it and i dont”.


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## razinhellcustomz (Jan 1, 2022)

tacochris said:


> Lol its just a saying ive always said.  Just means, you own it and i dont”.



PINK SLIP, Right??


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 1, 2022)

razinhellcustomz said:


> C note? What's that? I keep forgetting your not from me and your dad's generation.. Maybe if i said a "HUNDO" or so, that might have helped.. I really think you should just build this bike, Rusty bolts and all.. She's a BEAUTY....



Yeah, I'm young enough to not even remember when stuffed crust pizza was first invented (to me, _it had always been here,_) but I'm old enough to remember when the only mobile game you could play on a cellphone was "Snake." Funnily enough, I asked Dad if he knew what "worth a C note" meant, and even he didn't know, and he uses tons of phrases that I never hear among my age group! "Hundo," yeah I've heard that one. Normally though, I don't use much slang outside of the occasional movie/cartoon one-liner and synonyms for "cool," like "sick," "wicked," or "awesome." 

If I can save any of the rusty bolts, I will, but I get the feeling not even PB Blaster and a torch will help that much here. This bike's got a good dose of rust in all the wrong places. That said, I'm starting to feel more and more like this bike's staying with me, and it's going to keep its paint and patina. I might clean up some of the surface rust with some rubbing compound and some WD-40, but other than that, it's going to retain most of its current appearance, just minus a few parts.


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## BFGforme (Jan 1, 2022)

It’s still worth $300 at least, not a c note or a hondo….


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## razinhellcustomz (Jan 1, 2022)

Bike from the Dead said:


> Yeah, I'm young enough to not even remember when stuffed crust pizza was first invented (to me, _it had always been here,_) but I'm old enough to remember when the only mobile game you could play on a cellphone was "Snake." Funnily enough, I asked Dad if he knew what "worth a C note" meant, and even he didn't know, and he uses tons of phrases that I never hear among my age group! "Hundo," yeah I've heard that one. Normally though, I don't use much slang outside of the occasional movie/cartoon one-liner and synonyms for "cool," like "sick," "wicked," or "awesome."
> 
> If I can save any of the rusty bolts, I will, but I get the feeling not even PB Blaster and a torch will help that much here. This bike's got a good dose of rust in all the wrong places. That said, I'm starting to feel more and more like this bike's staying with me, and it's going to keep its paint and patina. I might clean up some of the surface rust with some rubbing compound and some WD-40, but other than that, it's going to retain most of its current appearance, just minus a few parts.



I use a little bit of Marvels Mystery oil on a rag and it really makes the REDS pop on these old Schwinn's.. Good luck and RideOn.. Razin..


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 2, 2022)

BFGforme said:


> It’s still worth $300 at least, not a c note or a hondo….



Okay, consider me confused. One guy on RRB said it could be worth $80-$150 depending on how much he would have to do to make the bike rideable, another guy here said it's worth $100, and you (plus the five other people who liked your comment) said it's worth $300. I don't know if I'd want to even attempt disassembling this bike any further if it's worth $300, as most of the nuts and bolts are pretty far gone on this bike, and I have no idea how much of the total value those parts make up. 

I really want to do some mockups on this bike because I may have found a way to build this bike without removing the paint, but there's still that temptation to sell or trade this bike for one or more identical guilt-free canvases. Only problem is that if I choose to sell or trade this bike, there's currently no way I can ship it, as I can't disassemble it with most everything rusted stuck. I'd have to do everything locally, which isn't as easy for me, since I'm probably one of the few Cabers/Rat Rod Bikers out in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which is a long drive away from all the bicycle hot spots everyone else seems to be near. There aren't a ton of bicycle swap meets anywhere near where I live either, and most of those swap meets are in either Springfield or Kansas City, Missouri.

So, yeah. I'm not sure what to do, or what this bike's actually worth. So I'm basically back to square one.


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## Marc's Classic Chrome (Jan 2, 2022)

Bike from the Dead said:


> Thanks for your input. If it turns out enough folks on here and ratrodbikes.com tell me not to worry about customizing this bike, I think I can live with stripping this bike down and doing what I want with it.



Yup clean it and ride it or try the OA — I use Citric Acid on chrome.


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## BFGforme (Jan 2, 2022)

Some people hope you’ll offer it for sale super cheap so they can swoop it up! If bolts break, theres lots more to replace with! Hardware is cheap , don’t feel bad tearing it down!


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## BFGforme (Jan 2, 2022)

Most will agree easily $300 if not more, and that’s still a great deal!!!


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## vincev (Jan 2, 2022)

Redo or leave original.Spaghetti sauce or spaghetti gravy,etc.Some arguments will never be resolved.You're damned if you do and damned if you dont


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 2, 2022)

BFGforme said:


> Some people hope you’ll offer it for sale super cheap so they can swoop it up! If bolts break, theres lots more to replace with! Hardware is cheap , don’t feel bad tearing it down!



Hey, don't we all wish we could get old bikes like this for cheap? I mean heck, that's exactly how I got this bike! Yeah, I figured if I could live with any broken parts, it'd be nuts and bolts. I can just replace those with a quick trip to Lowe's or Home Depot. Thanks!


BFGforme said:


> Most will agree easily $300 if not more, and that’s still a great deal!!!



Well, if I end up selling it, I'd be pretty stoked to get $300! Problem is that I really want to build this bike for myself, and I just might've come up with some ideas that'll make it even easier for me to fall in love with it. Once I can mock up some parts and get a good look at everything, I think I'll know for sure whether I want to keep this Schwinn or sell/trade it. Thanks!


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 2, 2022)

Marc's Classic Chrome said:


> Yup clean it and ride it or try the OA — I use Citric Acid on chrome.



Thanks! I've already tested some rubbing compound on it, and it really helps to breathe some life back into the original paint without ruining the natural patina. I've had enough folks on both here and Rat Rod Bikes tell me to just build this bike how I want, so I'm going to mock up a few ideas and see what I like best.


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 2, 2022)

vincev said:


> Redo or leave original.Spaghetti sauce or spaghetti gravy,etc.Some arguments will never be resolved.You're damned if you do and damned if you dont



Yeah. Like a lot of folks here basically said, "they can tell me to do 'X' or 'Y,' but in the end, it's _my_ bike, and I should do what makes _me _happy." Selling/trading bikes makes me happy, but building and customizing bikes makes me_ even happier_. So with that being said, I'm going to mock up some parts, test some ideas, and see what makes me happy to own this bike.


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## razinhellcustomz (Jan 3, 2022)

Bike from the Dead said:


> Okay, I've received a lot of valuable input about whether I should customize this bike or not, but something I'd appreciate your help on, as it's a key factor in whether I keep and customize this bike or not, is what my Schwinn is worth. I'm not ruling out the possibility of selling or trading this bike, especially if I can replace it with a guilt-free canvas, so based on what I have and what I don't have, how much would you say this bike is worth?



Hey Austin, as a parts bike being how it is not complete, I would say $150-$175 range.. As a complete bike i would say $250-$300.00 range.. It;s your call. P.S. don't listen to GFormy... Good luck.. Razin..


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 21, 2022)

Okay, I've got a little progress to report on the Hornet. I tried using some rubbing compound on the front fender, and it really helps clean up the gunk and even a bit of the rust as well. So odds are if I want this bike to look a little nicer without ruining the patina, this'll be the way I go.














Here's the reason why I tested the rubbing compound on the front fender: it's pretty mangled. I'd like to try and save the front fender if I can, but it's pretty banged up.




I actually started taking this bike apart a few weeks ago, back when the weather was still relatively warm. Here's how it looked when I started. I had already removed the rear rack at this point, but I need to let some other parts soak in PB Blaster for a bit before I really began taking this bike apart.




Turns out that rack preserved some of the original luster of the paint on the rear fender. I guess this was originally a darker red, like a crimson red. Pretty cool!




This is as far as I've been able to get. I haven't attempted to remove the rear fender just yet, but that's the least of my concerns right now. I cannot for the life of me get the handlebar stem to break free of the fork, even though the bolt that holds the lock nut in place is already out. No matter how much I try to turn the handlebars in the opposite direction of the fork, no matter how much I've hit it with PB Blaster, a heat gun, and a propane torch, it just won't budge. I can't even get the front fender to come off, as the bolt that holds it in place has also become malleable, and I don't know how to remove it without the head snapping off. I really want to save the fork if I can, and I don't want to have to drill and tap that bolt out if I can help it. I did receive a tip earlier on how to use ATF and acetone to free up parts, but I've never tried it before, and I don't know if I might've already messed up by using a torch on the handlebar stem.







Here are some parts I want to mockup on the Hornet. Since this is supposed to be a "barn find board tracker," I figured I could get away with using parts that are a little too far gone to shine back up. I have this rat trap springer fork and these handlebars I pulled off another bike, and I think I could make them work on this bike.




I also have these rusty chrome wheels that I wasn't sure what to do with, as the chrome plating has flaked off substantially, especially on the rear wheel. I think they could work just fine on this bike.







Here's my rough idea of what I want to do with this bike. Everything's liable to change, but I think this would be enough to help me fall in love with this bike without making too many changes. I also came up with a project name for this bike: _The Ratical Rustin' Hornet!_







So, that's where I'm at on this Hornet. At this point, I think I'm going to keep it, but I'd really like to figure out how to disassemble the rest of the bike without damaging anything. Also, does anyone know how to remove those reflective stickers without removing the paint underneath? I tried removing one of the stickers on the rear fender with the heat gun, but that didn't go so well. I basically just melted the sticker, and what bits I could remove took some of the paint with it. Any advice on how to remove the stickers and disassemble the bike would be much appreciated!


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## razinhellcustomz (Jan 21, 2022)

Bike from the Dead said:


> Okay, I've got a little progress to report on the Hornet. I tried using some rubbing compound on the front fender, and it really helps clean up the gunk and even a bit of the rust as well. So odds are if I want this bike to look a little nicer without ruining the patina, this'll be the way I go.
> View attachment 1553186
> View attachment 1553187
> View attachment 1553188
> ...



Hey Austin, Theirs some stuff called Krud Kutter graffiti remover that might work for the old decals.. Saw some on fee bay and was going to get some for a Flightliner project i'm working on... On the fork stem, thread the stem bolt back into the wedge and give it a couple taps with a hammer and it should come loose.. Lemme know if this worked.. Looking good so far.. Good luck.. Razin..


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 22, 2022)

razinhellcustomz said:


> Hey Austin, Theirs some stuff called Krud Kutter graffiti remover that might work for the old decals.. Saw some on fee bay and was going to get some for a Flightliner project i'm working on... On the fork stem, thread the stem bolt back into the wedge and give it a couple taps with a hammer and it should come loose.. Lemme know if this worked.. Looking good so far.. Good luck.. Razin..



I think I've seen that stuff at Home Depot before. I'll have to pick up some next time I'm there. 

As for the stem, already tried that. All that happened was that I possibly wedged the cone nut or whatever you call it down into the fork further than it was before. I also tried wacking it from underneath with a rubber mallet. No dice.


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## KevinBrick (Jan 29, 2022)

BFGforme said:


> It’s still worth $300 at least, not a c note or a hondo….



Or a honeybee 😜


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## falconer (Jan 29, 2022)

Here's an idea, sell it to me!!


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 29, 2022)

Been going back-and-forth on this Hornet for a while now. On one hand, I think this bike would make a good barn-find board track bike, but on the other hand, that's not really how I want to build this straight bar. It doesn't help that I recently bought another cheaper, rustier Schwinn straight bar that would look even better as a rat rod board track bike. Problem with _that _Schwinn is that the frame has been damaged and poorly repaired at some point, and I don't know if it's able to be saved in its current form.






Here's how I was thinking of putting this Schwinn together. I'd want to add some dropout extensions to push the rear wheel out about as far as the front wheel, but this is the general vibe I'm going for. I like how this looks, as it'd allow me to use some parts that are a little too far gone for a clean, "proper" build. The only issue is that the frame is not as straight as I'd like.













Here's where the issue really shows. The rear tire fits evenly between the chain stays, but it's off to one side on the seat stays. You can also see from this angle just how crooked the wheel is compared to the frame. I don't know if just the dropouts are bent, or if it's the whole rear triangle that's out of shape. Either way, it doesn't look good.













There's also a lot more brazing/welding on the seat stays than normal, which leads me to believe the frame was hastily repaired after getting damaged. I could be wrong though.





















I'd really like to build this rusty blue Schwinn up the way I had initially planned for the rusty red Hornet, but I don't know if it can be repaired without altering the patina too much. It's worth noting that I had also bought this even rustier Schwinn (as in _completely rusted stuck_) at the same time and place as the blue one pictured above. It's pretty rough, but the frame at least looks straight. I figure if I can bust everything loose and power wash the crud that's covering the frame, this would make another great rat bike, especially with what's left of the original paint. It looks like it used to be a Black Phantom or one of Schwinn's other high-end models at one point, which is pretty cool.







Why did I bring up these other 2 rustier Schwinns? Well, if I'm able to salvage the blue straight bar and Black Phantom and build them up as a pair of rat rod bikes, it doesn't make sense to me to build the nicer, straighter Schwinn Hornet as a third rat rod bike, at least not in my opinion. I have neither enough space nor enough bikes in my collection for identical or identically-built bikes. So here's what I'm thinking: I'll hold onto the red Hornet until the next bicycle swap meet in Springfield, Missouri, which hopefully should be happening again this May. That's the one bicycle swap meet that's closest to my home, even though it's still a 3-hour drive away. I'll bring the Hornet with me, along with whatever else I have to sell/trade. If I don't see another Schwinn straight bar, or if no one is willing to trade another bike I'd want in exchange for the Hornet, then I'm just going to build the Hornet the way I really want. That means the paint's getting stripped and repainted however I see fit. So that's the plan for the Hornet right now.


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## razinhellcustomz (Jan 31, 2022)

Bike from the Dead said:


> Been going back-and-forth on this Hornet for a while now. On one hand, I think this bike would make a good barn-find board track bike, but on the other hand, that's not really how I want to build this straight bar. It doesn't help that I recently bought another cheaper, rustier Schwinn straight bar that would look even better as a rat rod board track bike. Problem with _that _Schwinn is that the frame has been damaged and poorly repaired at some point, and I don't know if it's able to be saved in its current form.View attachment 1559895
> View attachment 1559896
> 
> Here's how I was thinking of putting this Schwinn together. I'd want to add some dropout extensions to push the rear wheel out about as far as the front wheel, but this is the general vibe I'm going for. I like how this looks, as it'd allow me to use some parts that are a little too far gone for a clean, "proper" build. The only issue is that the frame is not as straight as I'd like.
> ...



Hey Austin, You have lots of great idea's going on here.. I really dig how you flipped the rockers on your Rat Trap Springer to get the front wheel out in the breeze more.. I might try this on my Flightliner project.. Looking good so far.. Keep it UP... Razin..


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## Bike from the Dead (Jan 31, 2022)

razinhellcustomz said:


> Hey Austin, You have lots of great idea's going on here.. I really dig how you flipped the rockers on your Rat Trap Springer to get the front wheel out in the breeze more.. I might try this on my Flightliner project.. Looking good so far.. Keep it UP... Razin..



Thanks Mark! I've seen quite a few folks flip the rockers on these Rat Trap springers to stretch out the wheelbase, but I've been dying to try it myself. I don't remember if you've shown me the Flightliner... got pics? Thanks, will do. -Deadman.


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## razinhellcustomz (Feb 1, 2022)

Bike from the Dead said:


> Thanks Mark! I've seen quite a few folks flip the rockers on these Rat Trap springers to stretch out the wheelbase, but I've been dying to try it myself. I don't remember if you've shown me the Flightliner... got pics? Thanks, will do. -Deadman.



I'll pull it out of my shed and send you a few.. I can't believe i never thought of this, but iv'e only owned a hand full of these forks so i will give this a try.. Thanks and RideOn.. Mark..


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