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Schwinn Paint Process

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Metacortex

Wore out three sets of tires already!
There was a very interesting article in the July 1959 Schwinn Reporter titled "The Schwinn Bicycle Finish". This is the most detailed and in-depth article covering how Schwinn painted bikes I've ever seen. There were some discussions in other topics about whether Schwinn used a primer on bikes with Radiant/Flamboyant (aka Candy/Translucent) finishes. This article indicates that regardless of color Schwinn frames were dipped in "red synthetic primer" (coating the frames inside and out) and then baked for 13 minutes at 360 degrees before receiving one (standard colors) or two (translucent colors) electrostatically applied top coats, both of which were also baked on. Any comments?
Schwinn Paint Process July 1959 Reporter (Custom).jpg
 
Very cool article. But I'm definitely one that says BS on some of Schwinn's propaganda. I have a 1961 Corvette 5 speed frame, completely stripped down, on my work table right now. There is not one speck of red primer inside the head tube or the bottom bracket. The frame is painted black if that makes any difference.
 
I'm sure there were mistakes made or oversights committed, but I don't believe that was the normal practice. I was impressed by how much they did to the frame even before the primer dip. Now I know why Schwinn frames seem to be more rust resistant than those I see from other makes at the time.
 
I'm sure the painting practices changed many many times over the years and I believe the 60's ushered in more R&D and changes in the painting department. The issue of no red primer and an aluminum primer/base coat was discussed quite a few years ago on the SBF.

F Red no primer.PNG
 
These Schwinn Reporter articles are a gold mine of great information. I really do not understand how anyone can dispute these findings anymore.
 
"reciprocating spinning disc", Huh Wha?


20 seconds in a #2 Zahn cup?


 
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Data point:
I just started in on my next project, a Radiant Blue '63 Traveler. Plenty of chips, scratches, scrapes, & rubs in the paint.
No sign of any red oxide primer anywhere. Just the silver basecoat under the Radiant Blue color coat.
 
Data point:
I just started in on my next project, a Radiant Blue '63 Traveler. Plenty of chips, scratches, scrapes, & rubs in the paint.
No sign of any red oxide primer anywhere. Just the silver basecoat under the Radiant Blue color coat.

Take a piece of wet dry 600 grit sandpaper and gently wet sand the painted surface. As you go through the layers of paint I'm pretty certain the primer coat would emerge. Post photos of your results. Without photos, it never happened.

I should add that this 59 jaguar frame has plenty of scratches, gouges and surface rust areas. The primer was not evident until I did the sanding procedure described above on a good area of the paint. The primer coat is very very thin.

frames stretch and paint 006.JPG
 
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This is a 1955 Corvette, Lady's 24". 1st off, I did not do the harsh sanding, that's Schwinn's finish on bare metal, and I approve. Because, that rough grinded, sanded metal finish helps bond the paints. Undoubtedly red/brown primer, then, the aluminum enamel is easily seen above the primer, it 'fleckels and crinkles' but, it is not exactly a metal flake, Albeit it's clearly comprised of a metal powder. And after I lightly sanded the top, to revel the differences, I polished it smooth with 0000 and then with a fine compound polish, so,, although the Alum looks grainy, rough, it's very finely polished and seems obvious that, it's designed to crinkle too, which you can see occurring in the right side top coat. Then the finish, candy effect of translucent red. Metal powder, crinkle and flecks, help to create the Opalescent effect. This is the color from under the head post badge where, after all these years, is where the most original un-faded colors are discovered.

On the right side, It looks like an additional brighter color is above the Alum, but it's just flash from bright lighting.

1955-corvette-opal-red-laye.jpg
 
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Take a piece of wet dry 600 grit sandpaper and gently wet sand the painted surface. As you go through the layers of paint I'm pretty certain the primer coat would emerge. Post photos of your results. Without photos, it never happened.

I should add that this 59 jaguar frame has plenty of scratches, gouges and surface rust areas. The primer was not evident until I did the sanding procedure described above on a good area of the paint. The primer coat is very very thin.

Well, by God, I think you're right!
There is no evidence of the primer around the edges of the chips, but I thought I would see it at the cable rubs...nothing there either, but I did your sanding proceedure first on the edges of a bare area on the inside of a chain stay, and then next to it on good paint and here are the results.

P1000524 (Large).JPG


P1000523 (Large).JPG
 
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