[CR] Pics of 1962 Schwinn Superior with Restored B17

(Example: Production Builders:Peugeot:PY-10)

Date: Mon, 1 Jun 2009 18:11:20 -0700
From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR] Pics of 1962 Schwinn Superior with Restored B17


Attached are pics of the 1962 all-chrome Schwinn Superior I bought from Tom Sanders two years ago. My main purpose was to show the restored original Brook B17

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19353998@N06/sets/72157619115294922/

Don't have "before" pics, but Tom will remember it was badly dried and cracked and somewhat sagged. I made matters worse with massive Proofide application that left it like a limp dishrag. After a couple of days in a bucket of water, much of the Proofide on the underside lifted out, and the badly cracked top layer peeled away. I used black shoe dye to restore the black color that peeled away on top, and treated several times with Proofide, but on topside only this time. There are several shots of the saddle. There were three resason to try to restore it:

1) It is almost certainly original.

2) It has the '62 stamp on the cantle plate.

3) It has the cool older brass badge as shown in the photos.

The color is not as uniform as in the pics, but still unexpectedly good. The sides are still spread out a bit more than I'd like. I could soak it again to try to pull the sides in a bit more, but not just now. The nose bolt is has only a few more turns left, but the tension now seems pretty good. Considering I had almost left this saddle for dead, the outcome is pretty good.

The rest of the bike was nearly NOS. As I recall, the Weinmann levers had oddly been replaced with Diacompe, but I've substituted hopefully correct Weinmann levers, with newer logo gum hoods. The Hunt-Wilde bar tape is new but hopefully correct, if not original. The Bluemels mudguards are added but hopefully correct. The Wald rear rack is new, but these racks have been around and on Schwinns for many decades, so it could easily be correct. The wheels are from a CID tourer as I didn't want to ride the original Goodyear tires on the original "Schwinn Approved" Normandy Competition wheels.

Not a very light bike, especially with the Ashtabula crankarms, probably close to 30 lbs. But still very cool IMHO. This is a somewhat unique piece of American cycling history.

Regards,

Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA