Winter Project-1968 Racer

[Wildwest]

john, you blazed through that racer and it looks great. That breeze will look just as good. You probably have time for two or three more this winter at the rate you are going. When you get the bug there is no cure except the next bike that comes along.

[JohnFromMi.]

Thanks so much, Paul. You're probably right, but I gotta cool it a little or I'll be divorced! lol! 

[Fetch]

John, your Racer turned out great, another one saved. What maintenance did you do on the 3 speed?
I quit telling my wife when I am looking at another bike to buy and she doesn't ask where the current bike in my stand came from.
At this rate, you should be able to rebuild a couple more bikes by the time spring comes around.

[JohnFromMi.]

Thanks Fetch! I lucked out I suppose. All I needed to do was replace the cable on the shifter. When I had the bike upside down (many times...lol) I would pedal the bike so the wheel would spin, stop pedaling, pull the chain, start pedaling again and it would shift into a different gear. I realized wow this works!....GOOD! I'm sure others would have most definitely taken the whole thing apart to grease this or that, but as I've said-I'm still a total newbie and was happy the thing worked properly. When I took it for the test ride, it shifted great. I have a 1965 Racer also and the gears worked beautifully on that one as well. Just lucky so far, I guess. As for my wife......lol well....she hasn't been out to the garage in a couple months because of the weather. I've done 4 bikes since October. And now I've recently just got a Breeze that I will be starting on soon. SO....I'm sure I'll catch hell in the Spring. 

[4130Steel]

OK, John... Now I've got to get my '69 Racer off the hooks and out of the shed for that long put off re-hab. I had it together once, but my son absconded the S7's I had on it for his Typhoon. He promised me a "correct" parts bike... Well, the parts bike he found leaves a lot to be desired. However, as with yours, once the dirt and rust is taken care of, the Racer should look presentable again.
uh-oh! Now I'm committed. If I get up the gumsion, I'll post pics later today of my Racer and parts bike : )

[JohnFromMi.]

OK, John... Now I've got to get my '69 Racer off the hooks and out of the shed for that long put off re-hab. I had it together once, but my son absconded the S7's I had on it for his Typhoon. He promised me a "correct" parts bike... Well, the parts bike he found leaves a lot to be desired. However, as with yours, once the dirt and rust is taken care of, the Racer should look presentable again.
uh-oh! Now I'm committed. If I get up the gumsion, I'll post pics later today of my Racer and parts bike : )

You should have seen the look on my son's face when I first took this bike off my truck. As I was slowly walking it to the garage, it was squeaking real bad. Both tires flat. Grease, rust, cob webs, leaves, and inch-thick dust/dirt from head to toe.....(not me-The BIKE! lol) Total disaster! He said..."What the hell is THAT?" lol! When my friend said he had a bike for me, he sent me the pic (the first one I had posted on this thread), He was super excited to see if I could restore it. When I picked it up and saw it for the first time, I was like....Holy Crap....what am I gonna do with THIS?! But now I was committed at this point. After I put it in my garage, I left it there til after the holidays. Periodically going out there to talk to it...."What am I going to do with you, How am I going to fix you, Where do I even begin?"...(Yes-I'm that much of a weirdo! lol!) I'm glad I've semi-inspired you to do yours! Cant wait to see your thread on it later today-----Yes, you ARE committed now!! lol!! 

[4130Steel]

John, here it is in all it's glory. My Racer. Pretty good shape, actually. With all my other projects I had forgotten that I had already stripped down the parts bike. What I really needed were the wheels and fenders, see pics. Apart from my son stealing my wheels, what's stopping me now are spokes. Zinc spokes were shot and I just need some prodding to get new stainless steel ones. I have a new Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub lying somewhere around the house, too. OK, prod now!
P.S. I did clean up my bike room today!

[JohnFromMi.]

WOW! Is that in original condition? Absolutely beautiful!! Not sure if these are the right ones, but......check em out! 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BICYCLE-SPOKES-FOR-SCHWINN-BREEZE-SPEEDSTER-3-SPEED-REAR-11-1-8-36-NEW-/152265469969?hash=item2373bab011:g:4cwAAOxy4dNSshJ4
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BICYCLE-SPOKES-FOR-SCHWINN-BREEZE-SPEEDSTER-3-SPEED-FRONT-11-1-8-36-NEW-/151192093429?hash=item2333c042f5:g:4cwAAOxy4dNSshJ4

[4130Steel]

Thanks for the links, John. I believe, however, that I can get more for a lot less. Those ones on eBay appear to be zinc coated, too.
Yes, my Racer is in really good shape and original. Sometimes, as with my recent Paramount Series 70 acquisition, they fall right into your lap!

[JohnFromMi.]

Nice!! Yeah, I thought they were a bit pricey....