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New Find on Craigslist

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JimmyTheDog

Look Ma, No Hands!
I ran across this 1959 Schwinn on Craigslist here in Colorado for $20. It's a 09/09/59 production, but I have no clue on the model. Looking at the 1959 Schwinn catalog it seems like a Tiger or Speedster. Unfortunately there are no screens on the bike or guard. The front rack gives me a slight clue, and the Speedster looks similar but has no front rack. Both were offered in black- but it looks like whoever had it did some rogue spray painting. I won't know the real color until I take the forks off to clean and grease the head tube. However, the paint around the serial number is good and the numbers are clear and not gobbed up like a re-paint. The kickstand has a small blast of black paint.

I don't know, seems like a pretty good project- lots of rust. The Bendix coaster needs to be disassembled and cleaned for sure- I've only done one before.
If anyone has the model pegged, I'd love to know. I might get some water decals to finish her off. Thanks for your knowledge in advance. JTD

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With painted fenders and little else, it’s either a Tiger that’s missing a light or a Speedster with an added front rack. Google ’Schwinn catalog scans’ and look for the link to Waterford. Choose the range that includes 1959 and you can view original deal catalog pages that tell about each model. Both models that I mentioned had chrome rims, black wall tires, painted fenders, and chrome fork crowns. Both models were available with the three red stripe kick-back two-speed hub like yours. Renewing that kick-back is totally different than a regular coaster. See the “automatic” on your brake arm? Two spee kick-back. The one thing I cannot figure out is the front fork/fender. The fork is setup for a caliper brake - a hole through it for the caliper bolt and a front fender that bolts on with a bolt through the fork rather than being screwed to the bottom of the fork. Replaced at some time?

Some previous owner has repainted your bike and replaced the seat and handlebars - no pinstripes on the fenders nor are there any identifying decals. These middleweights are easy to find parts for and easy to work on. You just need to be aware that they require a unique 26 x 1-3/4” tire. Read the thread in this middleweight forum that explains why 26 X 1-3/4 is NOT equal to 26 X 1.75. Model choice is yours. Except for tank bikes and bikes with caliper brakes, 1959 frames are the same. Soaking your chrome in a warm Oxalic Bath will take care of a lot of that rust. A pad of aluminum foil and some water, and a small brass brush will work wonders too.
 
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HaHa, that's what I was thinking after Rivnut pointed the fender out. He got me looking at it closely. The front of the fender is totally wider- like it needs to be reversed to be nearest the ground. The crown with a nut is a mystery in the history. A Bendix Red Stripe 2-speed huh? Man, I'm gonna have to look up how to get that to work. If you've got any pointers or suggestions I'm all ears. I'm not going to start the project anytime soon so I'll have to search for vids/documents/pics/diagrams of that Bendix 2-speed Kick-Back hub before I crack it open. You guys rock- thank you for helping me align it to a couple models, and letting me know what type hub that is.
 
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