62 Corvette Assembly

[GTs58]

Excellent job Chris. The guard is perfect and so is that paint! Were you sweating bullets getting the guard decals to line up?

I wonder if those longer top tube decals were copied from a later middleweight. Even my 61 Fair Lady decal is about 6 3/4 long from center to center of the stars, and it's arched twice as much. I don't have any later middleweights or even a Sting Ray to check out those dimensions. Maybe give Lisa from the old Memory Lane shop a jingle. @island schwinn just picked up a set from her so maybe he can check the length.

 

[Chris]

Here is a picture of the decal. I sent an email to Lisa, so we’ll see what she may have. I bought my decals from BicycleBones about 3 years ago when I started the restoration. He says for 26-inch men’s bike, top tube decals are about 9 1/2 inches long.

And yes, lining up the decals on the chain guard was tough, had to do both at the same time to get it right!

 

[Tom Hand]

.
Chris,
Do you need another #2 in your front wheel axle photo? I have one you are welcome too.
Tom Hand

 

[Chris]

Tom, thanks, I’ll let you know.

Looking to install the kickstand, crank, pedels, fork/handlebars today and then maybe the wheels. Using engine assembly lube for the lube for crank and kickstand, used to working on old cars, not old bikes.

 

[Tom Hand]

I know what you mean . I have the K stand tool if you are close to Missouri and need to borrow it. I have a 69 Barracuda that is about like working on an old Schwinn but more expensive. Here are the punks posing in front of it last year.
I'll send you the washer part if you PM me

your address.

 

[Chris]

Anyone have a tip on installing the crank cups/crank bearing cups? The Schwinn manual says to tap them on with a soft head mallet. I’m using a regular rubber mallet and they do not want to go in, placed board underneath to have hard surface, still no luck. Thinking I need a harder head rubber mallet.

 

[GTs58]

Anyone have a tip on installing the crank cups/crank bearing cups? The Schwinn manual says to tap them on with a soft head mallet. I’m using a regular rubber mallet and they do not want to go in, placed board underneath to have hard surface, still no luck. Thinking I need a harder head rubber mallet.

Having the frame on a bench protected and supported so the paint won't get damaged, I just set the cup in the hole, place a short 2x4 on top of the cup keeping everything even and then I smack the 2x4 with a 20 oz hammer.

 

[Chris]

Having the frame on a bench protected and supported so the paint won't get damaged, I just set the cup in the hole, place a short 2x4 on top of the cup keeping everything even and then I smack the 2x4 with a 20 oz hammer.

That worked!

 

[Chris]

I was able to get the correct size top tube Schwinn decal from Lisa, so should have it in a few days.

 

[GTs58]

I was able to get the correct size top tube Schwinn decal from Lisa, so should have it in a few days.

Good deal! I've been looking at bike pictures with a good top tube decal shot but it's still somewhat hard to tell the length. I have a 1963 Corvette that was purchased as a parts donor but it's in my storage condo. Looks like the 63 models had the decal change to the longer version from what I can see in some pictures. Does this 63 Tiger look like it has the longer decal to you? Looks huge compared to my 61-62 Corvettes.

Here's another 63 Tiger.. I'm pretty sure now that the 63 models had a new top tube decal.that was longer.