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StingRay oddities I have seen

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I wasn't chucking blame man, I just get way out of hand during conflicts and I don't want to end up with a boot up my @$$!
I was being gang flogged on VW Vortex (there because I wanted a part for my built from piles of parts 1.6 VW diesel powered Samurai). Apparently I said something back after I had enough that got me banned for life. All I could find was when I called them a swamp full of scrotum toads, so I took that out of my dictionary on Auto Correct so I have to select it before it is approved. Hopefully that cuts back on the problem.
I have been building bikes since I was 14, I took a break here and there but never gave up. About 10 years ago I was going to open a bicycle museum where anyone could come free of charge (donations accepted, but nobody would be turned away. That is how we can keep this passion alive for future generations) and view the displays, complete with period toys and mannequins dressed in clothing of the day. I had over 2000 bikes, and was hoping to start as soon as I saved enough money to be able to run it for awhile until it could keep itself afloat. The owner of the property I leased filed bankruptcy, and I was told he was signing back on the contract for the building as soon as it was finalized. He didn't, and I found out when the noteholder on the contract came to evict me.
I held him off for a week, since my agreement with the other person was paid up for 3 more months. I had to sell most of the bikes to a guy near here for pennies on the dollar to save them from the scrap yard, and still lost a lot of stuff when the POS that held the note came in and started throwing stuff in rolloffs for scrap and to take to the dump (where he worked, and his family owned for 3 generations before selling it to the Landfill Mafia. I had to sell a couple bikes to help my brother pay for his dad's funeral, (my December 1968 Pea Picker 1,000,000th Schwinn Tribute and my December 1971 Disc Brake Orange Krate I built to reach the one stolen when I was in high school. I lost on both but my family had to come first, although I cannot replace the rear wheel assembly for what the bike brought. The buyer could tell I was selling out of need and used that.
Enough whining, just wanted to say thanks for welcoming me. VW Vortex never sent me a hi, bye or p¡$$ up a rope except to tell me I had to wait 10 days and send 10 posts AFTER I joined. I would've understood if they would've said it up front but a moderator there was approving exceptions for people if they bought the Premium membership, even though the site rules did not allow that. I said something about that, probably the real reason I was banned.
Looking forward to a long and happy time here. Thanks, Rob
 
I wasn't chucking blame man, I just get way out of hand during conflicts and I don't want to end up with a boot up my @$$!
I was being gang flogged on VW Vortex (there because I wanted a part for my built from piles of parts 1.6 VW diesel powered Samurai). Apparently I said something back after I had enough that got me banned for life. All I could find was when I called them a swamp full of scrotum toads, so I took that out of my dictionary on Auto Correct so I have to select it before it is approved. Hopefully that cuts back on the problem.
I have been building bikes since I was 14, I took a break here and there but never gave up. About 10 years ago I was going to open a bicycle museum where anyone could come free of charge (donations accepted, but nobody would be turned away. That is how we can keep this passion alive for future generations) and view the displays, complete with period toys and mannequins dressed in clothing of the day. I had over 2000 bikes, and was hoping to start as soon as I saved enough money to be able to run it for awhile until it could keep itself afloat. The owner of the property I leased filed bankruptcy, and I was told he was signing back on the contract for the building as soon as it was finalized. He didn't, and I found out when the noteholder on the contract came to evict me.
I held him off for a week, since my agreement with the other person was paid up for 3 more months. I had to sell most of the bikes to a guy near here for pennies on the dollar to save them from the scrap yard, and still lost a lot of stuff when the POS that held the note came in and started throwing stuff in roll for scrap and to take to the dump (where he worked, and his family owned for 3 generations before selling it to the Landfill Mafia. I had to sell a couple bikes to help my brother pay for his dad's funeral, (my December 1968 Pea Picker 1,000,000th Schwinn Tribute and my December 1971 Disc Brake Orange Krate I built to reach the one stolen when I was in high school. I lost on both but my family had to come first, although I cannot replace the rear wheel assembly for what the bike brought. The buyer could tell I was selling out of need and used that.
Enough whining, just wanted to say thanks for welcoming me. VW Vortex never sent me a hi, bye or p¡$$ up a rope except to tell me I had to wait 10 days and send 10 posts AFTER I joined. I would've understood if they would've said it up front but a moderator there was approving exceptions for people if they bought the Premium membership, even though the site rules did not allow that. I said something about that, probably the real reason I was banned.
Looking forward to a long and happy time here. Thanks, Rob
 
Lots of rare one-of-a-kind items out there that shouldn't be. Harder in bikes to see that than in autos. In autos you could order something weird/different from a dealer that would come from the factory that way. I don't think you had those kinda options from a bike dealer, although a bike dealer could put about anything optional on a bike to sell it.

I guess there's the rub except for painting. I can't see bike dealers of lore repainting new bikes to make something unusual or one-of-a-kind unless it was a display only model.

Kevin
 
Sometimes the bear needs poked… especially when the bear calls himself an expert and gets proven wrong, but won’t admit to it. 🤣
I sometimes call myself an expert, sometimes I get proven wrong in which case my best move is to say "Sorry, I was wwwwwwwwwnggg.
I learned that from the great late 20th century philosopher Arthur J Fonzarelli.
I was told this by a friend once;
"I am never wrong. Once I thought I was wrong, but fortunately I found I was only mistaken".
 
Lots of rare one-of-a-kind items out there that shouldn't be. Harder in bikes to see that than in autos. In autos you could order something weird/different from a dealer that would come from the factory that way. I don't think you had those kinda options from a bike dealer, although a bike dealer could put about anything optional on a bike to sell it.

I guess there's the rub except for painting. I can't see bike dealers of lore repainting new bikes to make something unusual or one-of-a-kind unless it was a display only model.

Kevin
No, but I suppose they could've purchased a shipment of black 20" frames and screened black stingray chainguards and built them from stock bikes, especially if most of the ones found seem to come from a couple areas and not around the whole country.
I could see Schwinn having less trouble doing this than building whole bikes, and a couple dealers could have basically a signature line of StingRay bikes and a lot of NOS frames and chainguards they could sell or use for warranty work if needed.
 
No, but I suppose they could've purchased a shipment of black 20" frames and screened black stingray chainguards and built them from stock bikes, especially if most of the ones found seem to come from a couple areas and not around the whole country.
I could see Schwinn having less trouble doing this than building whole bikes, and a couple dealers could have basically a signature line of StingRay bikes and a lot of NOS frames and chainguards they could sell or use for warranty work if needed.
Absolutely, good point! A big dealer could have had enough clout and foresight to do something like this. And if the bikes keep turning up in the same general vicinity...that would be even more evidence.

Kevin
 
This is classic!
Direct from the official Schwinnbikes.com website regarding the Grape Krate:
The Grape Krate has been rumored to have originally been made back in the 1970s, but the jury is still out as to whether it ever happened. The story goes that back in 1969, Schwinn came out with two Grape Krates as samples, but those bikes never made it to showroom floors. Internet sleuths say that in 1976, Schwinn built 15 Grape Krates as Christmas gifts for certain employees. Is it true? Only 15 people know for sure. In 1999, Schwinn finally brought the Grape Krate to production with a limited amount of units.
"Rumored to"?
Come on, man!
I guess the company's historical documentation didn't get transferred over to China.
 
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