1968 Ram's Horn

[bikemonkey]

I took a little drive and brought this back to the shop yesterday.

It appears to be OG to a catalog '68 (Ser. No. HDxxxxx Aug 1968 frame build )with the exception of the seat brace bolts at the dropouts - I can live with that...

I think it would clean well enough to come back to life but I will have to check deep rust on a few things to see what the plating looks like underneath.

My options are to leave it alone and sell it regionally as a "project bike", or deep clean it and recover the seat, etc., or part it out so other folks can complete their bikes and maximize the shop's profit (bu also my labor).

I do not need to flip it right away so there is no financial time pressure on a decision. I had just promised myself earlier in the morning I would not take on any more deep cleans at the shop - and then I rolled this in a few hours later.

I would love to clean it and let it hang out with a couple of buddies in our display window but am torn over the decision. The apparently cleanable condition and the fact that it all there influences my thoughts it should not be parted out or repainted. I deep cleaned a green one last year for a customer and really fell in love with that bike.

Would appreciate what drives your thoughts in similar situations.

 

[schwinnbikebobb]

Handlebars are Wald not the originals. I feel your dilemma as I too have said I'm not going to do any more bikes in this condition that end up just ok. But like you I probably would have bought it to.

 

[DonChristie]

She is crusty and full of character! Personally, i could not part it out and would have to deep clean her. But thats just me. Tough decision for sure! They are only original once!

 

[GenuineRides]

Bars look original to the bike, easy to check, look under the stem section. The Wald uprights flare out while the Schwinn ones rise fairly parallel. Odds are with the ramshorn decal on the chain guard and those correct pedals too this is an all original bike. A new seat and you would be ready to go, that is with some elbow grease, or just let the new owner do that.

 

[Mr. Monkeyarms]

Wald bars have a bend in the upright part before curling over the top. These look Schwinn to me but I'm not a Schwinn guy. This would make a nice bike with a little spit & polish!

 

[unregistered]

They should also be stamped as either Schwinn or Wald.

Bikes like this are tough cause they’ll never be minty, I hate repaints but I want nice, clean originals. But ya still can’t pass them up...

 

[kasper]

Dont listen to me. I deep clean every stingray I get. Even when there not really crusty just love the way that old schwinn paint shines. Best of luck on your decision.

 

[schwinnbikebobb]

Those bars curve the whole way over the top. Schwinn bars have a flat section on the top. Pretty easy to spot.

 

[bikemonkey]

Thanks for the comments!...pretty sure those are OG bars. I will verify correctness when I spot check the plating in a few days.

Here is the green '68 Ram's Horn I cleaned last year. Both bikes have HD11xxx serial numbers. I know the green one was sold new at Economy Auto in our small NC town. I do not have original owner history on the blue one but I suspect it came from there as well. The re-purposed bike shop is actually at the end of our block - they closed in the 1980s so a number of these bikes are coming back close to home.

 

[schwinnbikebobb]

I'm a little surprised none of the Fastback guys have checked in on this but let's see if we can nail it down. I believe there is only 1 version of the Rams Horn bars and this pic is of an original pair. Both of your bikes look to be rounded over the whole top where the originals have a flat section. Or maybe it's the angle because those guys are right the Wald bars do have an extra bend on the vertical part.