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Paint it or leave it: '56 Corvette

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On a side note, does anyone know where I can pickup a gooseneck light post? I asked Bicycle Bones but they don't have any for this model.
 
This is the hardest decision for me as well. My wife likes "shabby sheik"; to me, it looks like it needs paint. That said, I understand the patina of time and use as a statement. I've purchased two bicycles of late; one a '53 Rudge, the other a '56 Hercules. I've come to restore one and clean the other.
 
Leave it. Btw i found the decals on ebay. Your fork tube decals already look great but i wonder if the color would match if they weren't changed and the others were. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Schwinn-Ap...929744&hash=item4d8aab3a1d:g:TvYAAMXQH-pRDOpN. Where do my fellow cabers buy your decals? H Lloyd cycles had some cool expensive ones but i could not find any schwinn.


That does look like some good paint on it as is. That red: 'Opalescent' is two applications after red lead. an aluminum and then transparent red. You'll have a bunch of that transparent red to polish up pretty nicely. And trying to duplicate that ain't easy at all. Especially getting the right tint and the Opel effect, or 1950's Candy over aluminum that's lightly, very slightly crinkled. . You paint that and you'll chip it, sorry later, B/C Schwinn baked it on good and hard. Even their own touch-up or spray cans were crap. And as far as replacement decals, I strongly advise, especially if you're anal about it, you measure your originals before buying from anybody. Can say first hand that "Approved" does not mean it's correctly sized.
 
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If you decide to repaint it, stay away from lacquer. The auto industry did away with it for health reasons some time ago. For brilliance, use a base coat clear coat paint. You'll still want to wear a respirator. Try taking a clay bar to it and see what contaminates you can remove. Have you ever considered powder coating it?
 
I'm pretty picky about the paint on my bikes, but I'd have to be forced to repaint that Corvette. I would clean it up and maybe redecal it if it was mine, the paint still looks very nice from what I can see.
As far as a how to video painting a Schwinn Opal, Radiant or any other translucent color, I've never seen one. It's more involved and takes more talent then shooting a frame with Black paint out of a spray can. Momo goes for show quality and uses high dollar materials that in most cases probably cost more than the bike itself. His choice of paint would not be considered an equal or close to what was used originally but it does look very nice and it is a professional job. If you are shooting for a show quality finish and plan on doing it yourself, I would suggest getting some practice on a few clunkers or beaters first. Expecting to get a show quality type paint job the first time around isn't going to happen, no matter how many videos you watch or how many articles you read. You could have that frame blasted and powder coated in a candy red for 200 or so. Having it painted to match the factory paint would cost you twice that easy, unless you know someone that owes you a big favor. I've seen where some people have used a color matched metallic paint bi-passing the aluminum base coat (momo and others ;)) and that works but it's not what was on these bikes originally, and the finish does look very different even though the color is dead on.
Read up on painting, watch vids, ask questions and paint a bunch of beaters for experience.


Crazy prices. The only pricing I could find for PPG products was $660 for a set that includes clear, hardener and a reducer. Not exactly practical.
 
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