Bikeguy Joe
Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
I have a very special project I would like to share.
Mrs Joe and I are doing a rehab/restoration of a mid 70's Schwinn Suburban, and a Bike Bug Auto- I think it's an auto, it has some kind of free wheel set up my other one did not have.
Why Mrs. Joe? No, it's not going to be for her. She suggested and insisted on being in on this one because the pile of parts being spoken of here belong to our son in law. Deeper than that, the Schwinn belonged to our son in law's father, whom passed away when he was a child.
Our son in law got the Bike Bug as-is (really bad) at a yard sale, but in the present condition, only clamped it to the "bike in the shed", presumably, as a place to store it until the motivation set in to do something with it. (I remember those days....3 year old kids....working 12 hours a day....all the resposibilities of young married life...)
The bike has been sitting rotting away for a few decades in a storage shed, (at his mothers house in another town not too far away, but far enough to forget about the bike or the engine) but now it will see a "rehabilitation". I say that instead of "restoration" because to restore it, would entail making it factory fresh, or "better". What we are aiming for is making the bike and engine ride-able, usable and reliable. Some nice paint, and maybe even some new frame stickers would be a bonus.
The aluminum is pretty bad, as is the chrome, and the point is to make the bike as ridden, not as new.....but who knows where this may lead.
The only limiting factor I suppose, is that I have to have it done by Christmas this year. Thanks Mrs. Joe, for the "sudden application of forced motivation" other wise known as "a deadline".
I will post pictures as we go, then of course just like "reality tv" the Big Reveal will be posted later on.
Mrs Joe and I are doing a rehab/restoration of a mid 70's Schwinn Suburban, and a Bike Bug Auto- I think it's an auto, it has some kind of free wheel set up my other one did not have.
Why Mrs. Joe? No, it's not going to be for her. She suggested and insisted on being in on this one because the pile of parts being spoken of here belong to our son in law. Deeper than that, the Schwinn belonged to our son in law's father, whom passed away when he was a child.
Our son in law got the Bike Bug as-is (really bad) at a yard sale, but in the present condition, only clamped it to the "bike in the shed", presumably, as a place to store it until the motivation set in to do something with it. (I remember those days....3 year old kids....working 12 hours a day....all the resposibilities of young married life...)
The bike has been sitting rotting away for a few decades in a storage shed, (at his mothers house in another town not too far away, but far enough to forget about the bike or the engine) but now it will see a "rehabilitation". I say that instead of "restoration" because to restore it, would entail making it factory fresh, or "better". What we are aiming for is making the bike and engine ride-able, usable and reliable. Some nice paint, and maybe even some new frame stickers would be a bonus.
The aluminum is pretty bad, as is the chrome, and the point is to make the bike as ridden, not as new.....but who knows where this may lead.
The only limiting factor I suppose, is that I have to have it done by Christmas this year. Thanks Mrs. Joe, for the "sudden application of forced motivation" other wise known as "a deadline".
I will post pictures as we go, then of course just like "reality tv" the Big Reveal will be posted later on.
