lets see those americans

[unregistered]

Hi all, recent member of the Cabe but been on the OG Schwinn forum since 2003.

I just wanted to share my '64 American King Size with you. I should have taken before pics but I guess I must've deleted them. It was complete but dirty, rusty fenders, bent fork and the chainring was literally stripped out from the crank attachment point - never saw that before!

So I got this bike in October 2016, one Sunday morning I wake up to a text from a friend sharing a craigslist link. He has known for some time that I've been looking for a King Size but I never would've suspected one would surface semi-locally again (a truly needy friend of mine (6'5'') scored a red one in Des Moines back in '08). I was really excited about grabbing this bike!

Anyway, I texted the seller and he still had it despite the ad being a few weeks old. It was out in Iowa City and I'm in Ames - about a 3 1/2 hour drive round trip. My girlfriend's (now wife) family was visiting that day but fortunately, she let me duck out a little early to snag it that afternoon/evening.

It's been a fun project and I think I'm finally done with it, though it could benefit from some new tires. I don't ride it all too often, just enjoy looking at it all cleaned up indoors! My buddy traded me a '64 Fleet frameset so I pulled the rack off and installed it here, I like the look! Enjoy!

 

[KingSized HD]

Hi all, recent member of the Cabe but been on the OG Schwinn forum since 2003.

I just wanted to share my '64 American King Size with you.

You may want to post your cool bike on the King Size registry thread here: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/schwinn-king-size-registry-research-project.126932/ some more KS folks may see it there. Love the black and white color scheme and the chrome rack matches the fenders well.

PS Oh, and I believe your sprocket is installed inside out unless it's from a Corvette 5 speed.....but I don't wanna be one of those "it's gotta be correct" guys. Just letting you know, in case the chain is rubbing.

 

[unregistered]

PS Oh, and I believe your sprocket is installed inside out unless it's from a Corvette 5 speed.....but I don't wanna be one of those "it's gotta be correct" guys. Just letting you know, in case the chain is rubbing.

Thank you for the heads up! Yeah, I do believe it may be an incorrect crank/chainring but I have not re-pulled it to investigate. I believe at the time I was building it up I specified a 64 dated crank in the want ad but the generic parts provider was rather unscrupulous and just gave me whatever he had.

 

[Rivnut]

I got this finished before my foot surgery but the tires had not arrived yet. I now also have the fork dart stencil and seat post decal.

 

[unregistered]

You may want to post your cool bike on the King Size registry thread here: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/schwinn-king-size-registry-research-project.126932/ some more KS folks may see it there. Love the black and white color scheme and the chrome rack matches the fenders well.

PS Oh, and I believe your sprocket is installed inside out unless it's from a Corvette 5 speed.....but I don't wanna be one of those "it's gotta be correct" guys. Just letting you know, in case the chain is rubbing.

Sure enough, I pulled the crank this past week and sourced a correct 46t cloverleaf sprocket from the 60s. Based on the crank SN, I bet this setup had come from a 90’s cruiser. Added bonus, no more chain slap or interference with the correct ring so it’s much less annoying to ride now!

 

[Sven]

My diamond in the rough '63. Two projects ahead of this one.

 

[GTs58]

Sure enough, I pulled the crank this past week and sourced a correct 46t cloverleaf sprocket from the 60s. Based on the crank SN, I bet this setup had come from a 90’s cruiser. Added bonus, no more chain slap or interference with the correct ring so it’s much less annoying to ride now!

View attachment 903666

B n B! I'll buy that chain ring from you, it's the wrong ring for a coaster bike. It belongs on a 5 speed Corvette or lightweight from 1964 thru 1968 and it's thinner to take a 3/32" chain.

 

[Pantmaker]

B n B! I'll buy that chain ring from you, it's the wrong ring for a coaster bike. It belongs on a 5 speed Corvette or lightweight from 1964 thru 1968 and it's thinner to take a 3/32" chain.

Good eye buddy.

 

[KingSized HD]

B n B! I'll buy that chain ring from you, it's the wrong ring for a coaster bike. It belongs on a 5 speed Corvette or lightweight from 1964 thru 1968 and it's thinner to take a 3/32" chain.

...and I thought someone had just installed the sprocket backwards!

 

[Pantmaker]

...and I thought someone had just installed the sprocket backwards!

Gary has 5-speed on the brain...it's why we love him.