Newby - Surprise Birthday Present...

[Nickinator]

I have quite a few Corvettes, and 3 girl's Corvettes, and lots of Corvette parts. I notice your seat and post are incorrect, unfortunately I do not have a blue seat, only black and red ones. Someone else here may...unless you don't care, and that's fine too (those years' seats were NOT very comfortable anyway!). Everything else looks correct in your pics, and luckily you have the correct pedals, those can be very hard to find and spendy to replace. Do you have the rack clip or is it missing? Chainguard?

Darcie

 

[CaddisNcane]

Darcie,

I believe I have the rack clip (springie thingie) on the front rack, just did not show up in pic....

I do have the chainguard, forgot to put in pic, decent shape.

The pedals are a little tweaked but very usable....

I don't see how any of those seats are confortable! lol Maybe she will swap it out for comfort after she has it back - thanks for the info on the wrong seat.

Thanks
Jerry

 

[Nickinator]

Actually, I may be wrong about the seat, I forgot that either '55 or '56 has a unique tan seat...Yeah pretty sure it's the 55 that has the tan seat...here is a pic of Doris Day on her Corvette, it's published and listed as a 56, but think that's a '55 bike. And not sure that the girl's seat had a crash bar either...maybe Gts58 or someone else will know more about that.

What is your S/N? wondering if it is an early 56.

Darcie

 

[CaddisNcane]

The serial is W21162 and according to http://schwinncruisers.com it is a 1956 built between 5/10 and 5/21. Yea I saw that picture of Doris Day too - oh the good ole days..... I may have to print it out and give to my sister-in-law as a hint for her B Day present.......

Looks like it came with a headlight too - don't have that - but if I could find one reasonable..... were the middleweight bike lights for mens/womens pretty much the same around that time frame? I saw one on ebay at a decent price...... but for a 58 Jaguar......

VR
Jerry

 

[Nickinator]

Yes I believe the lights would be the same- it's so rare to get a correct one still on a bike.... and I've seen a number of styles that are factory, but have yet to find the one pictured!

Most parts are the same and interchangeable between the girls' and boys' of same years- forks, fenders, etc. Seats are different, pedals can be different on some models but Corvettes are the same. Chainring and chain length can vary...

Darcie

 

[spoker]

u can get a template from memory lane to dye the seat,but liquid mask works better,just make sure to use SEM vynil paint and clear,but thats a lot of work for a seat to uncomfortable to ride,better just for show,the 55 and 56 had a brown seat that was the same as the 50s black seat only brown,57 seat was 2 tone one year only,58started the rivit seat,your handle bars are correct for your bike but the early vettes had handle bars that came straight back on the outside,prolly left over traveler parts as well,schwinn used alot of parts from previous models when makin a new model,i think the very early chain guards were travelers,i dont think the VERY early brake levers were red dot eye stabbers,but gts will proy know 4 sure,thanks for listening

 

[CaddisNcane]

Thanks for the info Darci and spoker! Not sure yet if I will do anything to the seat.....

I pulled the trigger on the headlight and a shifter cable. That should be about everything. This weekend I hope to clean up the paint and polish it, then start re-assembly!

I will post pics as I go long... thanks all again for the info and help.

 

[spoker]

soungs like your havin fun,thats whart its all about!

 

[CaddisNcane]

updates....

Received 1st box of ebay parts.... swapped out chain on hub cleaned up the brake levers.

Based on method I read on this forum, I used wd40 and 0000 steel wool to clean frame, waxed it afterwards. I think I am done cleaning stuff, time for reassembly. Got front tire on frame, trying to put rear on but doh! Not sure how the washers go - inside or outside of frame, between hub and frame...etc.... An experienced refurbisher would have taken pictures before tearing down.... but that would not be me lol...

Can anyone please tell me which washers and stuff go where for mounting the rear wheel assembly on the 1956 girls corvette? thanks!

 

[CaddisNcane]

well thanks to one of Nickinator threads - I think I have it - providing the picture shows correct installment......

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...-out-like-this-56-Corvette&highlight=corvette