# 1976 Silver Mist Continental



## schwinnbikebobb (Jan 15, 2017)

Picked this up yesterday.  It is a JL serial number or 75 but no Silver Mist in 75 so surely sold as a 76. Still has the old style downtube decals so Schwinn must have switched sometime later during that years production.   Is it me or does the front fork look funny?


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## Metacortex (Jan 15, 2017)

schwinnbikebobb said:


> Picked this up yesterday.  It is a JL serial number or 75 but no Silver Mist in 75 so surely sold as a 76. Still has the old style downtube decals so Schwinn must have switched sometime later during that years production.




Schwinn introduced Silver Mist on the Continental and Sprint in mid-'75 according to a News Flash bulletin I have from that time. That means your Sept. '75 frame bike is most certainly a 1975 model. 


> Is it me or does the front fork look funny?




It is most definitely bent! Fortunately since it is made of steel it can most likely be straightened. Also it appears that the pedals are not original.


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## GTs58 (Jan 15, 2017)

I like the look, that fork makes it look Hot Roddy.


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## schwinnbikebobb (Jan 16, 2017)

Hey Scott, great info as always.  Gary I agree the lightweight chopper look is cool.  (I knew I shouldn't have grabbed that much air on my last jump!!!!)   But seriously I think that fork is toast. It's bent in multiple ways. Same for the back rim. I bought it for the parts and I think I will stick with that plan.


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## Schwinn499 (Jan 16, 2017)

Do you happen to see any yellow paint under the silver mist?


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## schwinnbikebobb (Jan 16, 2017)

Lots of scratches and no yellow present on this one.  My 72 ST does have the yellow under the silver.


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## Schwinn499 (Jan 16, 2017)

schwinnbikebobb said:


> Lots of scratches and no yellow present on this one.  My 72 ST does have the yellow under the silver.



Cool, thanks for the info.


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## Metacortex (Jan 16, 2017)

Very interesting... So where does that leave us with regard to Silver Mist and yellow undercoat?


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## Schwinn499 (Jan 17, 2017)

Metacortex said:


> Very interesting... So where does that leave us with regard to Silver Mist and yellow undercoat?



Im not exactly sure. Ive only had experience with two silver mist bikes personally, one 72 Paramount without any yellow base, and one 71 ST with yellow base. Bobs Conti does not appear to have any, but his 72 ST does. Sounds like something specific to just the ST to me for what ever reason.


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## schwinnbikebobb (Jan 17, 2017)

This should buff out!!!  Would like to know the story on how they did this.


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## Schwinn499 (Jan 17, 2017)

schwinnbikebobb said:


> This should buff out!!!  Would like to know the story on how they did this.
> 
> View attachment 411226



Yikes!


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## GTs58 (Jan 17, 2017)

schwinnbikebobb said:


> This should buff out!!!  Would like to know the story on how they did this.




Maybe wet sand it with some 500 grt. before buffing it.

 My Varsity had the blade fork and it took a beating from countless hard landings while doing wheelies. Never bent the fork doing that but it did get bent the other direction when I rear end a parked Red 1965 Impala SS with my friend on the handlebars. Since your bars are in the correct position and not flipped up, I doubt that damage was done by doing wheelies.


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## GTs58 (Jan 17, 2017)

Schwinn499 said:


> Im not exactly sure. Ive only had experience with two silver mist bikes personally, one 72 Paramount without any yellow base, and one 71 ST with yellow base. Bobs Conti does not appear to have any, but his 72 ST does. Sounds like something specific to just the ST to me for what ever reason.




I'd start the search as to why Schwinn repainted those Cool Lemon frames.


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## Schwinn499 (Jan 17, 2017)

GTs58 said:


> I'd start the search as to why Schwinn repainted those Cool Lemon frames.



My only rebuttal to that idea so far is that they are different year models.


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## momo608 (Jan 17, 2017)

schwinnbikebobb said:


> This should buff out!!!  Would like to know the story on how they did this.
> 
> View attachment 411226



I've straightened several Schwinn forks like these, very fragile and easy to bend. I had to put wood braces between the dropouts so platers wouldn't send them back bent, which happened three times with two different platers. This is the reason why in another thread I said the Varsity was the most durable 10 speed road bike ever made. The tubing is too thin walled. Your fork looks like an ape tried to straighten it.


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## Eric Amlie (Jan 18, 2017)

I'm having a hard time imagining an accident that would bend the fork like that.
I'm thinking someone did it on purpose because he liked the look.


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