‘48 Schwinn: mechanically refurbishing a crusty D37XE Ladies…

[Eddie_Boy]

I was thinking of replacing the entire saddle altogether. But then again, This project is keeping as much original as I can. Addressing the seat.

Before: not so good. Was tempted to replace.

Good golly, isn't this pretty? This took about an hour to break down. Had to cut the spring bolts from between the spring.

Straightened up one of the upper springs. I got this seat from our friend Mr. Gary Quail. This seat is in such great condition, didn't seem right to put something so pretty on this bike. But then again, this lady will be ridden by Mi Amor, so justified. New M7 metric bolts and washers.

NOS or restored?

Fits perfectly. Anyone have any extra? Missing the two tabs. I'll be on a look out for them.

Found some appropriate Schwinn chubby grips for this '48

Grips removed. The chrome under the old grips is incredible.

She's almost done. Just need to address the front torpedo light and an issue with the springer.

 

[Eddie_Boy]

Nice day yesterday to do a little more work on this rusty lady. Though the light was missing just the top, to me that small part alone made or break the overall look of the bike. Without it, just seemed incomplete. I had to find one. Sent a message Ken, and fortunately for us, he found one, a Delta top. Perfect, and still had the tab too.

Got this Delta Torpedo light top from Hastings

Looks like someone was already in the process of removing the rust

In my case, I needed to do the opposite

Did some massaging to straighten out the horizontal dent.

After a day and half process, she now has a more weathered look to match

Before...

...after

 

[Eddie_Boy]

Next was the bad and super hard springer bumper. After days of soaking with PO, I was able to loosen up the springer fork nut. Found a used bumper (eBay) replaced and installed.

 

[Tim the Skid]

@Eddie_Boy These are the kind of threads that drew me to the CABE in the first place and make this a great resource for reference and how to do it. Thanks Eddie for the photographs, tips, and detailed explanation of a great save.

 

[Eddie_Boy]

@Eddie_Boy These are the kind of threads that drew me to the CABE in the first place and make this a great resource for reference and how to do it. Thanks Eddie for the photographs, tips, and detailed explanation of a great save.

Much appreciated. Thanks Tim @Tim the Skid

 

[Eddie_Boy]

When I first saw this bike, my first impression was how the rust throughout the bike was so consistent. That’s a cool look I said to myself. I knew right away what my intentions would be, as I told the previous owner…that I would keep her as found and just mechanically go through the bike and replace any bad parts. That’s it. I wouldn’t try to remove the rust or even clean her, keeping the “as found” look.

A couple of years ago, we went to the spring Alameda, CA swap meet, and I saw Chris @slick. He was selling a few bikes there. One of them was a prewar Shelby lady’s bike, similar condition to this project. Chris being Chris, he pointed a few things educating us on the differences of Shelby made bikes. “Take her for a ride,” Chris said to my wife. “Try it love,” I told her. So, Mi Amor took the Shelby for a ride. She comes back with a look of disbelief stating how nice the bike rides. “I get to try it now,” I told Chris, so off I went. Oooh, this Shelby rides smooth and how nicely she rode. Because of how she looks all rusty showing barely any color, one would think otherwise. But it was just the opposite.

With this ’48 Schwinn, I had a similar goal in mind. May not look like much, crusty with heavy rust throughout, leave the look of the bike alone, but to make her ride as smooth and as nicely as I can. I honestly don’t know how my wife will feel. To tell you the truth, I probably wanted this project more for me than for her. I knew while going through her mechanically that she would ride nice. Maybe because she wasn’t ridden much at all, the races and cones all throughout were still in incredible shape as is most of the bearings, having only replaced a few bad ones. With wheels trued and gone through, a Schwinn springer fork, new Messinger seat top, new rubber and new used grips, hoping my wife will be impressed by not how she looks, but more on how nice a rider this project turned out to be.

Before...

...and after. Not much difference. The overall look pretty much stayed the same.

 

[ian]

When I first saw this bike, my first impression was how the rust throughout the bike was so consistent. That’s a cool look I said to myself. I knew right away what my intentions would be, as I told the previous owner…that I would keep her as found and just mechanically go through the bike and replace any bad parts. That’s it. I wouldn’t try to remove the rust or even clean her, keeping the “as found” look.

A couple of years ago, we went to the spring Alameda, CA swap meet, and I saw Chris @slick. He was selling a few bikes there. One of them was a prewar Shelby lady’s bike, similar condition to this project. Chris being Chris, he pointed a few things educating us on the differences of Shelby made bikes. “Take her for a ride,” Chris said to my wife. “Try it love,” I told her. So, Mi Amor took the Shelby for a ride. She comes back with a look of disbelief stating how nice the bike rides. “I get to try it now,” I told Chris, so off I went. Oooh, this Shelby rides smooth and how nicely she rode. Because of how she looks all rusty showing barely any color, one would think otherwise. But it was just the opposite.

With this ’48 Schwinn, I had a similar goal in mind. May not look like much, crusty with heavy rust throughout, leave the look of the bike alone, but to make her ride as smooth and as nicely as I can. I honestly don’t know how my wife will feel. To tell you the truth, I probably wanted this project more for me than for her. I knew while going through her mechanically that she would ride nice. Maybe because she wasn’t ridden much at all, the races and cones all throughout were still in incredible shape as is most of the bearings, having only replaced a few bad ones. With wheels trued and gone through, a Schwinn springer fork, new Messinger seat top, new rubber and new used grips, hoping my wife will be impressed by not how she looks, but more on how nice a rider this project turned out to be.

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Before...

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...and after. Not much difference. The overall look pretty much stayed the same, which is what I wanted.

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Th

Definitely not much difference. Thanks for sharing her story. Next chapter??

 

[srfndoc]

You saved it from the scrap heap and made it a rider.... well done. I wish more ladies bikes were saved but as you know most end up getting parted out.

 

[Eddie_Boy]

You saved it from the scrap heap and made it a rider.... well done. I wish more ladies bikes were saved but as you know most end up getting parted out.

Thanks Todd. After decades of just sitting in one place, I'm thrilled to see this lady Schwinn riding again.

 

[Eddie_Boy]

A few more pics...

Delta torpedo top loader

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New chain...

The DX chain guard was missing the front faster, so they used metal wire to hold in place.

And since this was how I found her, decided to leave the wire in addition to securing the guard with appropriate fastener.