Torque and Chrome

1961 Schwinn Corvette 5 Speed Bicycle Rare Original Parts

Summary: buy it now price $2200 This is a 1961 Schwinn Corvette 5 Speed The Covette 5 Speed was only made for 18 months in 1961 and 1962 They are considered to be one of the most desirable and collectable post war Schwinn bicycles I have tried to restore this keeping most of the original parts Almost everything is original except the new Schwinn approved Westwind tires the NOS medium grey Schwinn cable housings the stainless steel cables the stainless steel double butted spokes and the NOS Weinmann brake pads I found some NOS Weinmann annodized red brake lever dots They really dress up the brake levers with the rechromed 22 brake straps The NOS red dots are almost impossible to find I have a chemical process to clean the aluminum on the Weinmann brakes My restored levers and calipers look almost new I make sure all of the correct cap nuts brass washers etc are in place I replaced the original Mayweg front rack with an identical one The replacement is correct and really nice It is a 9 1 2 Nice front racks are almost impossible to find and are expensive The correct Schwinn pumpkin light was purchased for the restoration The lights lights really add to the value of the project The light is not perfect but is pretty nice There is a little bit of peppering in the chrome The inside is clean The reflector under the lens was painted silver These lights are expensive and scarce because they were used on some early Stingrays and Krates I have Schwinn catalogs and parts lists I am certain this is the correct light for the 5 Speed Corvette The frame was painted by Tom Frye of Timeless Frames in Mansfield OH He has painted quite a few Corvette frames for me and does a really nice job He has been painting bicycles for 30 years He also got the rechroming done for me at a rechromer he uses in Cleveland OH My friend Mike who is an old time authorized Schwinn mechanic and bicycle shop owner relaced the wheels with double butted DT stainless steel spokes and long nipples He knows how to do it in the original Schwinn factory style They look just like the original steel spokes I used nice original stamped Schwinn S7 rims The rims are not rechromed because the knurling is diminished by rechroming The rims are double walled and sometimes acid gets between the walls causing rust Mike does not like to get Schwinn rims rechromed Mike has been collecting and restoring Schwinns for a long time He has almost 300 bicycles in his personal collection Mike set up and overhauled the original Huret Allvit derailleur Huret shift lever and the Atom free wheel on the bicycle It shifts smoothly through all 5 gears The free wheel is 47 years old and has play and noise problems It works I did not change it in the interest of keeping things original The free wheel can be changed if you are going to ride the bicycle much You don t have to relace the wheel to change it I have seen NOS Atom free wheels sold on eBay The original is 14 25 A modern freewheel like Shimano could be used if you want to do it We kept the original chain on the bicycle I used the original S reflector It is not cracked and has a nice lens The chrome on the plastic is stating to flake off but is nicer than most NOS Schwinn repop reflectors are available for $40 I prefer the originals There are people who can rechrome plastic parts if you want to get it done The lens can be removed The seat pan was sand blasted and painted and the crash rail and springs were rechromed New rivets were used This is the original seat You might want to have the seat skin replaced New skins can be purchased Stencils and paint are available to paint them Nice black deluxe S seats are available from time to time on eBay If you found a nice seat You could replace the springs and crash rail with the rechromed ones from this seat The 1961 5 Speed Corvette seat has 3 rivets in the sides The 1962 seat has 2 rivets This takes the 3 rivet seat The 3 rivet seat was used for several years and is easier to find than the 2 rivet seats The fenders are the originals There are some scratches and small dents I rolled out a few larger dents and then buffed the stainless steel buffing compounds Some of the scratches were too deep to come out entirely The fenders are not perfect but they look nice These same fenders were used on Corvettes for 4 or 5 years The ends of the fenders are rolled under They are fairly easy to find in good condition since they are stainless steel The fender braces and kickstand were blasted and then refinished with a 3 step cad painting process The finish is very hard and looks like cad plating I have restored a number of Schwinn Corvettes for Corvette car owners who like to display the bicycles with the cars at shows This would be great for a 61 black Vette owner I was given a blue 59 Schwinn Corvette for Christmas in 1959 They have been my favorite bicycle ever since I have restored several of every year they were made from 1955 to 1965 This is the fourth 5 speed Corvette I have done There are changes to the bicycles every year I pay particular attention to the details I can assure you you will be buying a correct bicycle from me buy it now price $2200 This is a 1961 Schwinn Corvette 5 Speed The Covette 5 Speed was only made for 18 months in 1961 and 1962 They are considered to be one of the most desirable and collectable post war Schwinn bicycles I have tried to restore this keeping most of the original parts Almost everything is original except the new Schwinn approved Westwind tires the NOS medium grey Schwinn cable housings the stainless steel cables the stainless steel double butted spokes and the NOS Weinmann brake pads I found some NOS Weinmann annodized red brake lever dots They really dress up the brake levers with the rechromed 22 brake straps The NOS red dots are almost impossible to find I have a chemical process to clean the aluminum on the Weinmann brakes My restored levers and calipers look almost new I make sure all of the correct cap nuts brass washers etc are in place I replaced the original Mayweg front rack with an identical one The replacement is correct and really nice It is a 9 1 2 Nice front racks are almost impossible to find and are expensive The correct Schwinn pumpkin light was purchased for the restoration The lights lights really add to the value of the project The light is not perfect but is pretty nice There is a little bit of peppering in the chrome The inside is clean The reflector under the lens was painted silver These lights are expensive and scarce because they were used on some early Stingrays and Krates I have Schwinn catalogs and parts lists I am certain this is the correct light for the 5 Speed Corvette The frame was painted by Tom Frye of Timeless Frames in Mansfield OH He has painted quite a few Corvette frames for me and does a really nice job He has been painting bicycles for 30 years He also got the rechroming done for me at a rechromer he uses in Cleveland OH My friend Mike who is an old time authorized Schwinn mechanic and bicycle shop owner relaced the wheels with double butted DT stainless steel spokes and long nipples He knows how to do it in the original Schwinn factory style They look just like the original steel spokes I used nice original stamped Schwinn S7 rims The rims are not rechromed because the knurling is diminished by rechroming The rims are double walled and sometimes acid gets between the walls causing rust Mike does not like to get Schwinn rims rechromed Mike has been collecting and restoring Schwinns for a long time He has almost 300 bicycles in his personal collection Mike set up and overhauled the original Huret Allvit derailleur Huret shift lever and the Atom free wheel on the bicycle It shifts smoothly through all 5 gears The free wheel is 47 years old and has play and noise problems It works I did not change it in the interest of keeping things original The free wheel can be changed if you are going to ride the bicycle much You don t have to relace the wheel to change it I have seen NOS Atom free wheels sold on eBay The original is 14 25 A modern freewheel like Shimano could be used if you want to do it We kept the original chain on the bicycle I used the original S reflector It is not cracked and has a nice lens The chrome on the plastic is stating to flake off but is nicer than most NOS Schwinn repop reflectors are available for $40 I prefer the originals There are people who can rechrome plastic parts if you want to get it done The lens can be removed The seat pan was sand blasted and painted and the crash rail and springs were rechromed New rivets were used This is the original seat You might want to have the seat skin replaced New skins can be purchased Stencils and paint are available to paint them Nice black deluxe S seats are available from time to time on eBay If you found a nice seat You could replace the springs and crash rail with the rechromed ones from this seat The 1961 5 Speed Corvette seat has 3 rivets in the sides The 1962 seat has 2 rivets This takes the 3 rivet seat The 3 rivet seat was used for several years and is easier to find than the 2 rivet seats The fenders are the originals There are some scratches and small dents I rolled out a few larger dents and then buffed the stainless steel buffing compounds Some of the scratches were too deep to come out entirely The fenders are not perfect but they look nice These same fenders were used on Corvettes for 4 or 5 years The ends of the fenders are rolled under They are fairly easy to find in good condition since they are stainless steel The fender braces and kickstand were blasted and then refinished with a 3 step cad painting process The finish is very hard and looks like cad plating I have restored a number of Schwinn Corvettes for Corvette car owners who like to display the bicycles with the cars at shows This would be great for a 61 black Vette owner I was given a blue 59 Schwinn Corvette for Christmas in 1959 They have been my favorite bicycle ever since I have restored several of every year they were made from 1955 to 1965 This is the fourth 5 speed Corvette I have done There are changes to the bicycles every year I pay particular attention to the details I can assure you you will be buying a correct bicycle from me

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