# 1959 Black Phantom



## tuscankid (Mar 25, 2012)

This is my 1959 Black Phantom,my wife and I restored in 1995 and is a rider when weather is good.
Does have a few scratches,been shown a few times here in Sonoma County,CA, and has been in a couple local parades and car shows.
This photo was taken in February 2009 at the California Bicycle Tour,(Amgen Tour/bike race).
The newspaper saddlebags and yellow money bag are correct era/vintage for this bike.
The newspaper is our local newspaper, The Press View attachment 46813Democrat.


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## Ozark Flyer (Mar 26, 2012)

Very nice work.  Looks good!  I've been looking for a paper bag for my 53


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## island schwinn (Mar 26, 2012)

nice resto.there's a phantom for sale up near you.saw it on cl yesterday.
if i'm not mistaken,and i am alot,shouldn't the chainguard decal be block letters on a 59?


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## tuscankid (Mar 26, 2012)

*Decals*

I am not sure, as these were the only decals available at the time, for the Phantom


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## island schwinn (Mar 27, 2012)

i would guess the original 1 year only decal is all but non existent.here's a link to a pic.this is the one i was referring to.
not to detract from your bike though,it's absolutely beautiful and i hope to get mine looking like that some day before i die,brian.

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1951_1960/1959_12.html


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## cyberpaull (Mar 29, 2012)

*not right*

I have seen many 59 phantoms.  It's not correct. Not even close. Sorry.


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## Freqman1 (Mar 30, 2012)

This is a beautiful bike but not correctly restored if it is a '59. As Island Schwinn said the chainguard decal is different. In fact all the decals on a '59 are different including tank and seat post decals. I don't believe any of these are reproduced. Also I have never seen an original '59 with the 52T chain ring. The seat and pedals on a '59 are also different from the earlier bikes. I can't really tell from the pic but if this has a tail light with four hole rack I've never seen an original with anything but the six hole rack. These are just my observations but this bike appears to be restored like the ealier Phantoms and not the '59 model year. v/r Shawn


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## mruiz (Mar 30, 2012)

tuscankid said:


> This is my 1959 Black Phantom,my wife and I restored in 1995 and is a rider when weather is good.
> Does have a few scratches,been shown a few times here in Sonoma County,CA, and has been in a couple local parades and car shows.
> This photo was taken in February 2009 at the California Bicycle Tour,(Amgen Tour/bike race).
> The newspaper saddlebags and yellow money bag are correct era/vintage for this bike.
> The newspaper is our local newspaper, The Press View attachment 46813Democrat.




 My 54 green Phantom has a 1959 seat, yours looks like it has the seat that goes on mine? I think we should trade seats.


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## snickle (Mar 30, 2012)

I think you guys are being.. well.. whats a nice word for "not very nice". He's just showing his bike and yeah we all noticed a few things aren't "period correct" but still, its a beautiful bike. He's not asking "whats not right on my bike" he's showing you his bike with the award. Lighten up.


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## cyberpaull (Mar 30, 2012)

snickle said:


> I think you guys are being.. well.. whats a nice word for "not very nice". He's just showing his bike and yeah we all noticed a few things aren't "period correct" but still, its a beautiful bike. He's not asking "whats not right on my bike" he's showing you his bike with the award. Lighten up.




You may be right. If it was a Rat Rod, I would not say anything. I just like to see bikes made to look like the year they were made for. Just my opinion.


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## snickle (Mar 30, 2012)

I agree, but if I had a 59, I'd make it look like a pre-55 too  They were more stylish and had killer standard options.


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## 66sprint (Mar 30, 2012)

*1959 phantom*

I agree with one of the others I don't think he put is phantom on here for a contest or to be judged just to show what him and his wife were able to do with a bike and make it the beauty it is.Great job snickle!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## island schwinn (Mar 30, 2012)

i think the job they did on the bike is fantastic as i stated.wasn't trying to beat the bike up,just a note on the decal.they did a great job using what was available.


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## antque (Mar 30, 2012)

*59 Phantom*

The restoration is fantastic, as to the response concerning the rear tail light, this is my 59 red Phantom, this was purchased from the original owner and as you can see there is a tail light. this bike is as it was when bought new,  also they are correct about the decals, and the seat is plastic instead of leather. The pedals are the bowed and not the deluxe ones. Schwinn cut alot of cornors with  the bike in its final year, but still they were a work of art.


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## tuscankid (Mar 30, 2012)

*1959 Phantom*

Thought,I would show what my wife and I did for our first classic bike, restoration.
I did not know I would be ripped a new A**.
I learned my lesson for posting on this sight, won't do that again.


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## Freqman1 (Mar 30, 2012)

snickle said:


> I think you guys are being.. well.. whats a nice word for "not very nice". He's just showing his bike and yeah we all noticed a few things aren't "period correct" but still, its a beautiful bike. He's not asking "whats not right on my bike" he's showing you his bike with the award. Lighten up.




That was most certainly not my intent. I started my post by saying how beautiful the bike is. My point was that the '59 models were significantly different. I'm sure there are a few reading that were not aware of these differences and the post was meant to be informational and not bashing. Lastly I said that my observation was that I had never seen a '59 with a tail light. By '59 the Phantom was no where near where the model started off in '49. v/r Shawn


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## Springer Tom (Mar 31, 2012)

tuscankid said:


> Thought,I would show what my wife and I did for our first classic bike, restoration.
> I did not know I would be ripped a new A**.
> I learned my lesson for posting on this sight, won't do that again.




I wouldn't take it personal, pal,I used to feel the same way,,,,a lot of guys throw in their observations and yeah, you feel kind of crappy about it,,,,but now I'd rather hear what's correct or not correct, one more way to learn.....


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## MR D (Mar 31, 2012)

Well, first off I'll sat that your bike is very very nice. I would love a chance to ride along side of you or your wife on your project. It turned out great!

The problem is that you posted a picture on a site that has a lot of knowledge about such things. My view point is that you take what fits and make a beautiful thing...that you can ride. Others may discount your work because of what you may not know. Who really cares? They do, and will point the rights and wrongs out. No bashing is meant...I'm quite sure of that. In fact it's the reason many people DO post pictures here, so they can learn the correct or not so correct things that others would do to their bikes. If you really wanted a lesson on the how to, this would be the correct place in my opinion. 

If you really felt they ripped you a new ass then this is also the place, because they would tell you exactly how to do THAT as well...from experience! It's a bike forum full of knowledge. Take no offense.

Mr D


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## Larmo63 (Mar 31, 2012)

*Love That Bike*

In my estimation, the later Phantoms are way more rare than the earlier '49-'55 models. You 

don't see them as often as the early bikes. Maybe they had run their course popularity-wise by 

1959 and kids wanted geared bikes like the Jaguar and Corvettes. If this '59 was restored to pinpoint 

accuracy, and, if he could have found the right decals, it would be rarer than most of them we see 

here by the hundreds. Part of the problem with Phantoms overall is that Schwinn repopped the Phantom 

and I think any bicycle (or anything for that matter) that was reproduced made the originals lose some 

of their luster and value. I think Tuscan kid did an amazing job, given that the one year only decals are

 unobtainable. I hope he takes it as a learning experience and doesn't stay away or have hard feelings!


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