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Just finished adding the giant wald basket to my ‘61 Wasp newsboy bicycle. It worked out ok even with the springer fork due to my Wasp having the tall razor Cycle Truck stem. I had repainted the bike in a hurry, just two days (black first day, white the second) before I moved overseas, so I’ll...

My bad on the gooseneck nomenclature, thought that was a typical descriptor for the Northroad, but GTs58 is was more knowledgeable in these areas, I’m still a newbie learning:).

I believe the style handlebars on my 1958 Jaguar Mark II are the Northroad, sometimes called gooseneck, picture below. For the Cycletruck, these are 22in wide handlebars, I believe made by Torrington. The ones used on the Schwinn balloon Wasps as the Newsboy Specials were wider, 24in wide...

Good questions. Will probably need pictures to advance the discussion, to distinguish different handlebars and what is/is not swept back or steer horn handlebars. Other distinct types are gooseneck (early Jaguar) and box type (tandem and Cycletruck...though the latter two are different widths).

No, my stem bolt is about 11 inches long.

Here is stem bolt on ebay now, but it’s 18 inches long. Check length of steer tube plus height of stem above the steer tube once installed, then see how much length you have. The steer tube on the cycle truck is longer than most other Schwinns, so may be right length. My Cycle Truck stem is...

You can find originals on eBay much easier than trying to find an original stem, or a non original that works that you can’t tell a difference once installed, having an original stem is the hard part. I’ve seen stem bolts for sell here in classifieds, so try posting a WTB there too.

Yes, meant cleaning up and adding back missing parts like the front basket. Patina is cool.

That’s a good find! The handlebar stem is original and a great piece to find intact on the bike, definitely worth restoring.

The Sherwin Williams automotive paint in the spray can is good quality and it goes on well. The cans come with a red button that you use to depress a stem in the base of the can to release the hardener. This hardener makes the paint dry fast (2K paint, epoxy plus paint), dry to the touch in...

Finished assembly of the Wasp. The only outstanding issues are the missing white lines on the chain guard and incorrect waffle pedals (correct ones are the earlier free spinning version). The bike is from Pueblo Colorado, original yellow bike shop tag is Masters Bicycle, Pueblo Colorado. I...

That worked. I took the wheel off to better maneuver the rear fender and get to the attachment points. Had to pull it a good bit, think this was due to the fenders having been rolled, may have adjusted the shape some.

For the fender braces, which set goes on the rear and front, there are two different lengths, one longer and one shorter. A set approximately 11 3/4 inches long and other set 13 inches long. I have the shorter set on the rear fender now and it does not come up to meet the top attachment point or...

Thanks guys, I will try the wax paper. Now on to assembly.

Finished the painting and removed the stencils about 1.5 hours after painting, enough time for the paint to harden some but not too long that the stencils covered in paint stuck to the frame. The fenders and frame turned out fine, mostly crisp lines around the stencils, some edges that are not...

For the black paint over the white, you use a nylon scuff pad (600 abrasion) to scuff the shine off the paint, then tack cloth, then paint over the white. If you were recoating for any reason, it would be the same process, use scuff pad to dull the existing layer then recoat. I’m not planning...

I applied the stencils over the white paint today for the front and rear fenders and the frame. Some surprises that made the job much harder. First, the fender stencils don’t run all the way to the end. You start the stencil about 13 inches back for the front fender and about 15 inches back for...

I started painting my 1961 Wasp today. Past couple of days was sanding, then cleaning with wax and grease remover. Then I primed with a 2K primer (can) from Sherwin Williams auto paint. I took in my original fender and matched the black and white paint off of it, the color codes are shown on...

What is the correct level of gloss for the black and white paint for the 61 Wasp? I'm about to color match the paint using the fork tube (first picture at the top of this post) that has the original black and white colors. Not sure how glossy the paint should be. I will be using a red oxide...

I will go to Sherwin Williams auto and see what they have before I go the can-ready route. I have an old 64 1/2 Mustang, so I know you can get Ford Wimbledon White paint in a can from mustang suppliers like National Parts Depot.

The white seems to be kind of cream color to me. Besides a generic black, looking to see if someone has matched the black to existing can paint.

Looking to see if anyone has already found a good match for the black and white paint used on the Wasps, specifically the 1961 balloon model. Would rather avoid having to match the two colors at Sherwin Williams auto paint shop and mix for spraying, would rather use a good can-ready paint if...

Here is a previous post I found helpful for catching most springer fork install issues, hope it helps if other questions come up. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/locking-springer-fork-assembly-right-way-wrong-way.51371/

Good to know, thanks. Looks like the white fork darts were painted on, so makes sense.

Taking apart my 61 Wasp heavy duty today and noticed a strange “X” marking on the fork tube. The “X” is in the white/ivory color used on the bike with the tube the black body color. Is this what Schwinn did for bikes that were more than one color? It’s a very deliberate marking, the white only...

Made in 1995 to commentate the 100th anniversary. previous post here: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/wanted-1995-schwinn-black-phantom-barstool.20218/

Take the fork with original paint to Sherwin Williams Auto paint and have them match it. Put paint in the glass gar sprayers they have and touch up that way.

Looking for a set of the Schwinn blackwall Knobby tires, 26 x 2.125 balloon tires.

Need the stem used on Cycle Trucks, long stem, picture attached.

Think I saw a Bendix k hub for sale in the classifieds. The only two style hubs I’m familiar with for the Wasp are the Bendix k (which I think is the standard rd hub) and the Heavy duty high wall flange hub.

This is the front hub on my ‘61 News Boy Wasp I just got, the heavy duty high wall front hub, with .120 gage spokes.

You looking for the Bendix K front hub? Any of the Wasp parts are hard to find in my experience, outside of what can be borrowed from other balloon bikes, like fenders w/o the holes for the front fender light. Best to list the front hub you need here and in the classifieds, may find someone who...

Thanks. I’m looking for the stem style that was smooth all the way to the top. The one you show I’ve not seen on cycle trucks, just the smooth version (see additional pictures).

Thanks @GTs58, appreciate the very in-depth overview of the pedals. My ‘59 Panther II actually came with the waffle pedals on it (the ones I pictured above), but I was trying to make sure there was not some other early option. Waffle pedals it is. Thanks!

The 1960 dealer catalog shows waffle pedals but lists 6507 part number pedals. The 1959 showed bow pedals and lists 6507 pedals. Did the ‘59 Panther II get bow pedals but ‘60 Panther II get waffle pedals? Interesting looking at the differences in the pictures between the two catalogs.

I have a nice waffle pedal set, just need to get consensus on if they are right, why the ‘59 catalog shows bow pedals and list 6507 part number pedals...which I was taking from the earlier posts to be bow pedals.

The catalog specifies the bow pedal, part number 6507, just trying to confirm which bow pedal the part number relates to, from the catalog picture, looks like large cap bow pedal with the screws. Here are the pedals on my ‘62 Corvette 5 speed, bow pedals no screws, and pedals on my ‘58 Jaguar...

Bringing this back up as I’m working on my ‘59 Panther II. The picture in the catalog shows bow pedals, looks like the large cap type with screws on either side of the bows, like what I have on my ‘58 Jaguar. Is this the right type for the part number listed, Pedal part number 6507?

Don’t feel bad, until I bought my 61 Wasp recently I didn’t know the nuance of the Wasp being the only balloon model in 61, that it was not a middleweight. The frames are the balloon frames and then the options like fenders and so on all are balloon versions. I read a very good overview of the...

Here’s one like you described that is a 59 Wasp, very nice original bike with nice extra options. My wide box handlebars are a bit banged up so I may get them rechromed, they are extremely hard to come by, same thing for the cycletruck stem.

The Wasp badging on the chain guard did not change when heavy duty options were ordered for the 61 and earlier year Wasps (see mine 61 pictured in the earlier post). The chain guard badging was simply Schwinn Wasp, the same whether or not additional heavy duty features were ordered from the base...

Nice find. I just got this 61 Wasp from Pueblo Colorado, about 40 miles South of Aurora. It also had license plate tags but from Colorado Springs.

Looking to see what front fenders were used when a balloon bike was configured with a springer fork versus fork with truss rods versus standard flat fork. This is for a 61 Wasp application. The front fender callout for the 61 Wasp was fender part number 5000. No other fender is mentioned but...

@Goldenrod, Looks like your post/reply changed, you originally posted “what about a good fender roll”? I reached out to Smoopys who rolls fenders, but they said they outsource the work to Bicycle Bones. I sent him a message about doing mine but never heard back. I’ll have to circle back at some...

Assembly complete! Here are a few pictures, the last couple are with the “new to 62” deluxe rear rack installed. I’ll have to get replacement fenders at some point, the stainless steel ones for 62 with chrome braces are hard to find, and the width changed after 62...not helpful. Thanks everyone...

No, it’s October 30, 1958

Just got this, my 1961 Wasp heavy duti. Spent its whole life in Pueblo Colorado, was found in basement of bike store in 1968...bought it from collector in Pueblo who has had in since. The newspaper bags are local to Pueblo.

Fixed the derailleur, chain no longer touching inner sections of the jockey cage. The chain was still coming off however, so I hauled the bike into the local bike shop, and they fixed it. Old chain had stiff links that was causing the chain to come off. After some adjustments and a new chain...

So the 1980s version (picture below, part number 54 790) looks to be the same as the “new style” used after 1955, except the forks and center crown assembly are not painted and “S” yoke bolts are used instead of “AS” bolts. One change that I see that I don’t understand, the base of the center...

I changed out the lower jockey wheel and positioned the derailleur under the smallest gear with the adjustment screw. Turning the crank forward, the chain goes around and through the derailleur fine (although it’s close to the inside of the jockey cages). When the crank is turned...