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54 Phantom, anyone have a bike they’ve struggled to love?

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Might help ya, depending on your point of view. About 25 year ago I picked up a complete Campus green/cream girl with two tone deluxe guard. It ad been sitting in a field rusting for who knows how long. Equally used as your was, I'd say. After an good acid bath, I took the guard to auto paint store and color matched a pint of the green, yet Hardly used the paint. I just used a small brush and carefully placed a thin, so thin, almost transparent coat into the chips. dried and if any built up, lightly, as to not scratch any original paint used a piece of steel wool to blend in. My chain guard looked about like yours with heal and cuff scratches, as well bottoms of step-through. Not exactly chipped but worn and a little regular wear on top of rear fender too. . I didn't use any red lead over any of exposed metal areas, I mean, had I then might as well redo the whole thing and I wasn't what I was going for, nor pristine or 'Restore'. anyway, replenish, might be a better word B/C, then, I thinned out the paint and rubbed a thin coat into it. The color wasn't an exact match but the thin rub-in helped the orig and new blend in, you'd, pretty much, have to know what I did before You'd realize it.

Not exactly a trick for every collector but, my daughter loved the heck out of it fer xmas when she was 18, and all her 'cool' friends too. And still all these years later, rust han't returned and, except I used rattle can on cream fender tips so, a little chipping on edges. , the little rubbed into fender , guard and step through there's no new or returned, rust, chips or scratches. I looks used but no longer abused and not 'patina-ed' (fake).

Moreover the auto paint is thin enough, simi- translucent from thinner, that adds body to old warn paint, it sticks very well over original , and dries hard.
 
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That sounds awesome, @Jeff54 something to strive for! Maybe given enough time I can get there...

Still on the fence about the tires. Waiting to install the front once I find out if I’m missing locknuts on the front hub. When I pulled the wheel today the hub bearings were binding hard it was so tight. I’ve ridden it that way for awhile now, yikes.

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Thats a beautiful phantom I would love yo have it in my collection , but i know what you mean about mot warming up to some bikes , i had a panther that i just never did like , it was just too nice for me i guess i like bikes with lots of patina , cool phantom i hope it grows on you !
 
Some mink oil on that seat will darken it up and give it more of an aged look. I like the bike. Seems like folks are either a Phantom lover or their not. They definitely have their own vibe unlike other Schwinn models. I owned one for a while. Best riding bike I ever owned. Hope you find your groove with this one.
 
I’m kind of a particular guy. I don’t like bikes too rough or too perfect and they have to be original paint. On paper, I should love this highly original bike but it’s just missing something... I’m hoping I can fix that, the likelyhood of finding another bike like this locally is rare.

This bike came from Lincoln, NE via an Ottumwa, Iowa auction this past spring. I have already gone though the bike completely but have some new tires coming and would maybe like to get the horn and headlight working again.

Maybe with those changes I can find a spark.

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NOTE
"a bike they’ve struggled to love"
AFTER OWNING A SCHWINN STREAM LINER "B6" THAT I LOVED OVER 70 YEARS AGO AND HAVING
IT STOLEN, A GENEROUS PERSON GAVE ME A PLAIN JANE J C HIGGINS BIKE. I WAS THANKFUL
FOR IT, BUT NEVER ABLE TO LOVE, MUCH LESS LIKE IT.

I WAS INSPIRED TO WORK AT 25 CENTS AN HOUR TO SAVE ENOUGH TO BUY ANOTHER
SCHWINN, A 1950 RED PHANTOM. NOW THAT WAS ANOTHER BIKE I LOVED.
 
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