A
andrea2525
Guest
So I decided this weekend I wanted to buy a cruiser bike. I looked at the crappy ones at Target, Walmart, and all the bike shops in my town and decided I didn't like the new cruiser styles. I wanted an old cruiser. There were a few I liked on craigslist.
I went to look at one of them tonight and bought it right away (for only $30, which I hope wasn't too bad of a price). It needs a bit of work. I didn't know much about the model or style when I went to buy it. Now that I've looked it up online I've noticed that the bike I bought is missing a few parts. I think what I bought is a 1955 green Schwinn Hornet (Ladies 26''). Here's the ad for the bike I bought:
http://rmn.craigslist.org/bik/2449959700.html
On one side of the tank there is a hole. I looked at ebay listings for this bike and it looks like there is supposed to be a button there. Is that for the horn? My bike is also missing the horn. When I bought the bike I thought the screw holes on top of the front fender were probably just where a basket or something used to be. I didn't know those were actually for a horn, and neither did the previous owner. The bike is also missing the front headlight and any other headlights for that matter if there are supposed to be other lights on the bike.
The seat is what appears to be the original light brown/tan leather seat. It's very rusty though and ripped up. Any idea where I can get another one or a good replica? Will it be easy to just pull off the old seat and put a new one on the post?
The whole bike is pretty dusty and has some rust. How should I clean it? Is there somewhere I can buy the exact green paint to touch up the bike?
Is it going to be pretty difficult for me to find the missing parts for this bike? I'm not sure yet that I want to completely restore it. It would be nice to do that, but I just want it to be in good riding condition right now. The parts (for instance, the rear rack) that I saw on ebay seem pretty pricey and I'm not sure I can afford that kind of investment right now! Will all parts be that expensive ($50 - $100+)?
I went to look at one of them tonight and bought it right away (for only $30, which I hope wasn't too bad of a price). It needs a bit of work. I didn't know much about the model or style when I went to buy it. Now that I've looked it up online I've noticed that the bike I bought is missing a few parts. I think what I bought is a 1955 green Schwinn Hornet (Ladies 26''). Here's the ad for the bike I bought:
http://rmn.craigslist.org/bik/2449959700.html
On one side of the tank there is a hole. I looked at ebay listings for this bike and it looks like there is supposed to be a button there. Is that for the horn? My bike is also missing the horn. When I bought the bike I thought the screw holes on top of the front fender were probably just where a basket or something used to be. I didn't know those were actually for a horn, and neither did the previous owner. The bike is also missing the front headlight and any other headlights for that matter if there are supposed to be other lights on the bike.
The seat is what appears to be the original light brown/tan leather seat. It's very rusty though and ripped up. Any idea where I can get another one or a good replica? Will it be easy to just pull off the old seat and put a new one on the post?
The whole bike is pretty dusty and has some rust. How should I clean it? Is there somewhere I can buy the exact green paint to touch up the bike?
Is it going to be pretty difficult for me to find the missing parts for this bike? I'm not sure yet that I want to completely restore it. It would be nice to do that, but I just want it to be in good riding condition right now. The parts (for instance, the rear rack) that I saw on ebay seem pretty pricey and I'm not sure I can afford that kind of investment right now! Will all parts be that expensive ($50 - $100+)?