56 Phantom Exploded in our garage

[Tristahn]

I am starting a new thread for the father son project now that we have properly identified the bike. The dropout ID reads - V01684 which translates to a 2/13/56 manufacture date. There are a slew of 1969's stamped on various parts and I'm not sure why and E496 is hand stamped on the lower BB. I will attach some photos and welcome the groups feedback to a few questions.
It looks like someone did a very poor job of repainting this bike which means I probably need to strip it and repaint the thing, correct? Sandbalst or stripper? Decals?
Crome pieces are pretty bad, especially the wheels and fenders, re-chrome them or just buy new pieces off eBay?
Rear coaster brake has a lot of slop, I'm not sure it's functioning correctly, probably why there were two other ones in the box. Do I send the original out to be rebuilt or buy another one on eBay? The two in the box are not period correct.
In the box there is a bunch of Schwinn light kit stuff, I just have no idea if I have all the parts to make it work.
By the way is that cork in my bar ends?

 

[Tristahn]

More pics

 

[Freqman1]

Some of those parts are not for that bike e.g. pie guards. Rebuild the hub yourself--they are simple. It doesn't look like you have the correct fenders, seat, or stem. It depends on how accurate you want to be but you can get these parts repo or spend big money to have original stuff restored. I'd dig that crap out of the bars, blast the frame, and get ready for about a $1000 chrome bill. Hopefully you are capable of doing an accurate, quality paint job or that could be another $1k. Do not use that chrome fork. Looks like a good project for a father/son just keep in mind there is no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow other than the time spent with your son and the satisfaction of returning this bike to the road. Good luck. V/r Shawn

 

[Oilit]

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Rechroming gets expensive, and you need solid parts to start with. To get a polished finish, the metal has to be polished smooth before plating, and if it has rust pits, they're either going to have to leave them or grind the surface down to clean them up. If it's just surface rust, you're o.k., but if it's worse than that, you probably want to look for better parts.

 

[Jeff54]

I Can see you're in a pickle trying to figure what's what in this puzzle pile. Basically @[U]Freqman1[/U] is correct. U do have most of the parts though. IDK what fenders ya got, but, the brackets appear to be Schwinn, maybe same bike the 69 sprocket and seat post clamp came off of and a middle weight set verses heavy.. For your year most had the same smaller size as it and some have what is usually called but is on other models, 'The Phantom sprocket' which is larger, 52 tooth. And from about 1955 your springer changed, it's called "New style'. That makes things a bit tougher, getting the right fenders of it. The 'Old Style' which was reopped in 1995 is the pre-1955 and will not mount on Post 55 springer forks. I Hear that they were also reppoed in 95 but never seen any. Except another version with plastic light cover but no bucket for for light, rather, the plastic is flat can be mounted to any fender. Those fenders with plastic light cover can be wide enough, mount on your springer, and they built a little narrower sets too. So, that's tricky. It's not too hard to find a used rear fender as they're the same, but 'New Style post 55 too 59 front, used, is not easy.

Rear rim is correct. Not as simple break apart and clean as a Bendix but, there's plenty instructions on net, for new departure, it's not too difficult. Your front rim looks like the spokes are wider than rear. If so, Maybe, just maybe those fenders, and sprocket are off of a 69 Schwinn 'Heavy duty', otherwise it's a late 70's too 81 rim from a Schwinn Cruiser. 'If, they're fatter than your original rear rim, "If". both will have a stamp near the valve hole and say S2. If front says S7 and spokes are fatter then it's from a Heavy-duty.

If money is an issue you don't dare repainting it B/C very few 'experts' can even get it right and not a chance in H are ya gonna come close. your 'collectible value' will hardly go up, if at all rather, be about the same if you didn't B/C most collectors can spot it a 1/4 mile away. I mean, it's easy to get the red and black close but only a very, very few ever get them right and the pin stripes are much harder even fpr a pro custom auto stripper to nail em correct. Not to leave out, of the reasons original paint is better is; it's baked and hardly any paints you can buy will be as hard, consequently, chips easy.

Try some goof-off carefully and see how much original paint and pin strips you can get to come back and go from there.

That receipt by Dan, is probably bicyclebones at ebay IDK if he's got the fenders ya need but do know the complete sets he sells are not post 1955 so, front will not mount correctly without modifications. , yet, he should know the difference.

You got plenty money in parts old and repop and most of what's not correct is mainly extra junk from a different bike U gonna have packed in storage forever. Your Chain guard decal is B F Good rich and if original then the badge should say it too. I Think there's a ghost hint under the Schwinn letters. However your tank should be black and so to the badge. You might be able to get that rattle can ((spray paint) off with goof and reveal the chain guard's Black Phantom decal under it, 'maybe'.

 

[vincev]

I would first get rid of the parts that dont belong to the bike. Now see if you hve complete bike.If not then get the correct missing parts.Before ya buy the correct parts decide how the finished bike is going to look.Buying a nice new shiny part looks out of place on a crusty bike and you can get the crusty piece cheaper than the shiny new one. Have a plan before you just dive in.

 

[Tristahn]

I would first get rid of the parts that dont belong to the bike. Now see if you hve complete bike.If not then get the correcy missing parts.Before ya buy the correct parts decide how the finished bike is going to look.Buying a nice new shiny part looks out of place on a crusty bike and you can get the crusty piece cheaper than the shiny new one. Have a plan before you just dive in.

Amen

 

[Tristahn]

I Can see you're in a pickle trying to figure what's what in this puzzle pile. Basically @[U]Freqman1[/U] is correct. U do have most of the parts though. IDK what fenders ya got, but, the brackets appear to be Schwinn, maybe same bike the 69 sprocket and seat post clamp came off of and a middle weight set verses heavy.. For your year most had the same smaller size as it and some have what is usually called but is on other models, 'The Phantom sprocket' which is larger, 52 tooth. And from about 1955 your springer changed, it's called "New style'. That makes things a bit tougher, getting the right fenders of it. The 'Old Style' which was reopped in 1995 is the pre-1955 and will not mount on Post 55 springer forks. I Hear that they were also reppoed in 95 but never seen any. Except another version with plastic light cover but no bucket for for light, rather, the plastic is flat can be mounted to any fender. Those fenders with plastic light cover can be wide enough, mount on your springer, and they built a little narrower sets too. So, that's tricky. It's not too hard to find a used rear fender as they're the same, but 'New Style post 55 too 59 front, used, is not easy.

Rear rim is correct. Not as simple break apart and clean as a Bendix but, there's plenty instructions on net, for new departure, it's not too difficult. Your front rim looks like the spokes are wider than rear. If so, Maybe, just maybe those fenders, and sprocket are off of a 69 Schwinn 'Heavy duty', otherwise it's a late 70's too 81 rim from a Schwinn Cruiser. 'If, they're fatter than your original rear rim, "If". both will have a stamp near the valve hole and say S2. If front says S7 and spokes are fatter then it's from a Heavy-duty.

If money is an issue you don't dare repainting it B/C very few 'experts' can even get it right and not a chance in H are ya gonna come close. your 'collectible value' will hardly go up, if at all rather, be about the same if you didn't B/C most collectors can spot it a 1/4 mile away. I mean, it's easy to get the red and black close but only a very, very few ever get them right and the pin stripes are much harder even fpr a pro custom auto stripper to nail em correct. Not to leave out, of the reasons original paint is better is; it's baked and hardly any paints you can buy will be as hard, consequently, chips easy.

Try some goof-off carefully and see how much original paint and pin strips you can get to come back and go from there.

That receipt by Dan, is probably bicyclebones at ebay IDK if he's got the fenders ya need but do know the complete sets he sells are not post 1955 so, front will not mount correctly without modifications. , yet, he should know the difference.

You got plenty money in parts old and repop and most of what's not correct is mainly extra junk from a different bike U gonna have packed in storage forever. Your Chain guard decal is B F Good rich and if original then the badge should say it too. I Think there's a ghost hint under the Schwinn letters. However your tank should be black and so to the badge. You might be able to get that rattle can ((spray paint) off with goof and reveal the chain guard's Black Phantom decal under it, 'maybe'.

Thank you for the feedback and this box of parts was certainly a mess to go through. I love the idea of using some goof off to archaeologically remove the layers of poor restoration.

 

[Tristahn]

Rechroming gets expensive, and you need solid parts to start with. To get a polished finish, the metal has to be polished smooth before plating, and if it has rust pits, they're either going to have to leave them or grind the surface down to clean them up. If it's just surface rust, you're o.k., but if it's worse than that, you probably want to look for better parts.

What are your feelings on stripping and smoothing to bare metal (Muriatic Acid HCl) and using chrome paint on things like the spring which are prone to flex?

 

[bricycle]

If you so desire, I believe I still have a pretty nice 1959? springer fork (from a BP) I never used, and a more suitable saddle. reasonable... or say $165 shipped for both, domestic only