Finally! A perfect replacement fork for my childhood '69 Panther after a 1973 wreck...

[Schwinndemonium]

Finally found a close to mint exact replacement front fork for my childhood 1969 Schwinn Panther to replace the swayed one from a bad accident in June of 1973 that I laid the bike down hard at speed and broke my wrist as well. I was able to bang my original fork straight right after I had the wreck but only to a degree, as it was also swayed to the left, making the bike wanting to turn right all the time. Only took me 49 years to find one in nice enough shape to replace it. I will install it this weekend.

I was told by the seller on eBay before I told him what I was going to use it for that he removed it from a very nice 1969 Panther. Imagine that!!

...And yes, when I got this it really was this clean. I just did some spot touch up paint work to it. that is all!

Jim.

 

[drglinski]

Looking forward to your progress!

 

[Schwinndemonium]

Swapped out the old original front fork on my childhood 1969 Schwinn Panther, on Saturday.

It went very well except for a bit of a scare that the upper bearing fork retainer ring bearing race was seized onto the threaded steer tube of the fork and would not unthread until I used some Aero Kroil penetrating oil on it and did a couple of whacks with a hammer and a block of wood. Then I tried my channelock pliers on it and it finally broke loose. Then I was able to clean and repack the new bearings and bearing race cups, installed the new fork and reassembled the bike. It is now totally back together again and the front and rear wheels are in alignment with each other again with this new fork. No more dog tracking on this bike after 49 years!

 

[Schwinndemonium]

As I approach my 65th birthday in a few months, I'm finding out that simple jobs like this require a lot of planning and take more effort on my behalf. Moving things around to get to the bike. Manually flipping the bike around multiple times to do the job and lifting the bike. It's not as physically easy as it was years ago. I have some bad aches and pains from working on the thing that never would have occurred if I done this job 10 years ago. But this particular job was important that I do it, as it was one of my bucket list projects to correct my screwup of the bike from my stupidity in 1973. Time is no respecter of persons.

 

[GTs58]

As I approach my 65th birthday in a few months, I'm finding out that simple jobs like this require a lot of planning and take more effort on my behalf. Moving things around to get to the bike. Manually flipping the bike around multiple times to do the job and lifting the bike. It's not as physically easy as it was years ago. I have some bad aches and pains from working on the thing that never would have occurred if I done this job 10 years ago. But this particular job was important that I do it, as it was one of my bucket list projects to correct my screwup of the bike from my stupidity in 1973. Time is no respecter of persons.

Oh do I hear that! And every day is a whole new experience finding another new physical limitation.

 

[drglinski]

Looks great, Jim! Also nice new profile pic.

 

[eeapo]

That is one sharp looking bike.

 

[razinhellcustomz]

Finally found a close to mint exact replacement front fork for my childhood 1969 Schwinn Panther to replace the swayed one from a bad accident in June of 1973 that I laid the bike down hard at speed and broke my wrist as well. I was able to bang my original fork straight right after I had the wreck but only to a degree, as it was also swayed to the left, making the bike wanting to turn right all the time. Only took me 49 years to find one in nice enough shape to replace it. I will install it this weekend.

I was told by the seller on eBay before I told him what I was going to use it for that he removed it from a very nice 1969 Panther. Imagine that!!

...And yes, when I got this it really was this clean. I just did some spot touch up paint work to it. that is all!

Jim.View attachment 1667194

Lucky find.. Good for you and your Panther too....

 

[razinhellcustomz]

As I approach my 65th birthday in a few months, I'm finding out that simple jobs like this require a lot of planning and take more effort on my behalf. Moving things around to get to the bike. Manually flipping the bike around multiple times to do the job and lifting the bike. It's not as physically easy as it was years ago. I have some bad aches and pains from working on the thing that never would have occurred if I done this job 10 years ago. But this particular job was important that I do it, as it was one of my bucket list projects to correct my screwup of the bike from my stupidity in 1973. Time is no respecter of persons.

What are your plans for the old fork? Thanks and RideOn... Mark..

 

[phantom]

Very nice. I have not seen crocheted doilies in a long time.