Bicycle Mechanics - Big Parts or Small Frame?

I need to apologize if this is such a dumb question that it just isn't discussed but I can't find an answer anywhere.

I got the crazy idea in my head that I needed a road bike. I've got no cash so I picked up a Mikado Lancer 10 speed that had been in an accident for $10 at a garage sale and then I picked up some unknown schwinn 10 speed for free at the goodwill (he wouldn't sell it to me because it was "junk").

It turns out that all I needed to do was put air in the tires on the "junk" schwinn and I could ride it. It didn't shift well and all of the parts just felt cheap. All of the parts on the Mikado were really nice and in good shape so I decided to make it my project to swap the parts from the Mikado over to the Schwinn.

The brakes seemed to move from Mikado to Schwinn without a glitch. The rear derailleur also seemed to fit without a problem (still haven't cabled any of these).

Then I came to the front derailleur. The seat tube on the Schwinn is way smaller. Then I tried to transfer the neck and handlebars and the headtube is also much smaller on the schwinn. I ended up putting the old rusted schwinn neck on the Mikado bars to get around that problem but I would really like to use the front derailleur from the Mikado. Is there any way to do this?

I know I am creating a franken-bike but I figure for the total investment of $10 it shouldn't offend anyone. I was unaware that head tubes and seat tubes had sizing issues. Is there some way that I can find the size needed for the schwinn or a converter for the parts from the Mikado?

Any help that someone could provide would be very appreciated. The parts from the schwinn were all labeled just schwinn. Most of the parts from the Mikado were labeled Suntour GT-7.

Thanks in advance,
Chris S.

Then I came to the front derailleur. The seat tube on the Schwinn is way smaller. Is there any way to do this?

You need to make a shim to bridge the gap between your front derailleur clamp and the Schwinn seat tube. I've done it but it was so many years ago that I forget what I used. A piece of plastic tubeing maybe?

Good luck.

The Mikado came with a rear bike rack that was clamped on the seat post (the only rusty thing on the Mikado) The clamp had a plastic collar to make it fit right. I bet that would be roughly the right size. I just didn't know what kind of torque the front derailleur has on it. Am I going to be constantly having to straighten and or tighten it?

I like the idea. I'll give it a shot this weekend and let you know how it works.

Thanks,
Chris S.

Ive shimmed a front derailleur with a piece of inner tube wrapped around the seat tube. Worked just fine.

Lets see what's absolute cheapest way to build a bike? :)