55 Spitfire

[mrg]

Posting her but could be a patina story, I hate typing so will try to make this short, I can honestly say I did 99% of the patina on this 55 Spitfire, ( I've told some of these stores here before ), my cousin bought it new ( he put the bars/neck and front fender pin striping ) my dad ended up with it around 60, we beat it up ghost riding/jumping etc. in the mid 60's then robbed the bars/neck & seat to turn my StingRay to a dirt bike, it sat in the yard in the rain for a few yrs then resurrected in the 70's for beach cruise'n, jumping and a few daredevil feats ( like most bikes this bike has had a many lives but neat think is I know most owning it 67 yrs., could fill a few threads with its stories! ) the dents, scratches, rust is all me, this thread today started today because I want to it og as I can ( I replaced the stuff I robbed with the same so looks just like it did when my dad got it except the patina! ) but the spokes are pretty rusty & weak so bought some other rims but thought I'd still have to keep the og ones hanging in the garage, 1st picture is og rims, so decided to run new ones temporarily ( they look to nice! ) while I respoke my rims with OG used spokes.

 

[Cyclelogical]

Wow that bike has lived a full life. Looks like there are many more miles to be had. Honestly the paint looks awesome for how well used it is. Seems like being used kept it better than if if sat. I recently inherited the ladies version of this (54), same color and everything and it sat for years and the paint is just flaking off of it or turning to powder. I wish mine had paint in similar condition as yours. Keep on rollin

 

[mrg]

As said I can fill many more threads on this bikes exploits, just remembered looking a that last pic that I replaced that badge about 25 yrs ago, og one turned powdery with aluminum rot but is sitting in my case, I guess I didn't deal with the 5-10 yrs out in the rain!, no seat or neck so got some water!, the broken fork is a great story but that's for another day or think I told it here before but finding it is another story!, somewhere I have some pics of me on the 55 jumping like this of me on a 79 Spitfire!, jumped over a chain & 5 surfboards under HB pier, caught the rear fender on the chain but still made the jump

 

[Junkman Bob]

As said I can fill many more threads on this bikes exploits, just remembered looking a that last pic that I replaced that badge about 25 yrs ago, og one turned powdery with aluminum rot but is sitting in my case, I guess I didn't deal with the 5-10 yrs out in the rain!, no seat or neck so got some water!, the broken fork is a great story but that's for another day or think I told it here before but finding it is another story!, somewhere I have some pics of me on the 55 jumping like this of me on a 79 Spitfire!, jumped over a chain & 5 surfboards under HB pier, caught the rear fender on the chain but still made the jump View attachment 1614812View attachment 1614813

The shadow on road looks cool as well …

 

[mrg]

The shadow on road looks cool as well …

The shadow of the rear tire in on my nephews head

 

[mrg]

Finished after dark but don't know if the after pics look much different, this bike is pretty og ( my familys owned sense new ) except replacing the parts I robbed to turn my StingRay to a dirt bike ( seat, CT neck & butterfly bars ) back in the late 60's. My friends and I put every dent & scratch in this bike ( and it sat out on the rain with no bars or seat for a few yrs. ) spokes were pretty weak/rusty so bought some other rims but knew I'd have to keep the og ones hanging in the garage like the og broken fork but that's another story involving a keg party and a friend riding it down a flight of stairs!, so I just relaced the og wheels with good used og Schwinn spokes 2 at a time ( took 2 out and put 2 in all the way around ) and both wheels came out perfect/true ( well the back is as true as can be after its ruff life! ) and no extra parts hanging around!

 

[mrg]

Took off the non OG rims ( only on for a couple of weeks ) and put back to the relaced ( with og used spokes ) original rims, rides pretty good with a little hop in the rear but not bad considering the many hard years in its 67 yr life!