Classic & Vintage - A couple questions about a Schwinn LeTour I purchased

http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~barnold/lepanasonic/LePanasonic.html

I picked this up at a garage sale today for $30 as a potential campus bike. A couple of questions:

Where can I find the serial number, and how can I read it to date it? I checked the bottom of the frame but didn't see anything.

What should I do about the rust? Most of the detail pics I've included are of rust spots. Should I clearcoat them with some nailpolish and leave them be? Would you worry about any of them?

Finally, I noticed that some of the outer rubber of the tire has come off (note the wheel shot). I assume it's living dangerously to continue riding on these, n'est pas?

Thanks for all your help! :beer:

For the serial number, check the headbadge. I don't see one in the picture, though. If it's there, the first three digits are the day of the year and the last digit is the last of the year. EX. 3216 would mean your LeTour was made on the 321st day of 1976. You have to know what decade on your own. If there is no number there try the left back dropout and then turn the bike over and look at the bottom of the bottom bracket. On the chrome I would use fine steel wool. On the painted tubes, you might try a dremel with a wire brush attachment and then touch up with paint. Now this will not give you showroom results, just stops the bleeding. Tires should be replaced.

I assume the bike paint from these days is leaded, right?

Hey, I got one too! It's sitting on the balcony now ... awaiting a new paint job and wheels for a singlespeed conversion.

I assume the bike paint from these days is leaded, right?

Lick it to find out :D

http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~barnold/lepanasonic/LePanasonic.html

I picked this up at a garage sale today for $30 as a potential campus bike. A couple of questions:

Where can I find the serial number, and how can I read it to date it? I checked the bottom of the frame but didn't see anything.

What should I do about the rust? Most of the detail pics I've included are of rust spots. Should I clearcoat them with some nailpolish and leave them be? Would you worry about any of them?

Finally, I noticed that some of the outer rubber of the tire has come off (note the wheel shot). I assume it's living dangerously to continue riding on these, n'est pas?

Thanks for all your help! :beer:Why would you care about dating that trash? Fingernail polish the rust and get new tires and tubes.

Why would you care about dating that trash?

ouch.

if those are SR cranks, which they look to be, there is probably a date stamped on the back of the RH crank. there is also probably a date code stamped on the inside of the brake levers and/or safety lever.

If it's going to be used as a campus bike, you might want to keep it crappy looking. Covering up the rust spots with primer might be a good idea, and then leave 'em with just the primer. Get rid of the suicide levers and the gutripper shifters-- see if you can get some suntour barcons for it. And new tires; it'll be an apt beater.

How viable do you think it'd be to flip and cut the bars for pseudo-bullhorns?

Hmm, serial number is 4E06271. Under the standard Schwinn dating system adapted to the last 5 digits, this would put the the bike at March 3, 1971, but somehow I think making that assumption is a fallacy.

I don't think that will work. What type of derailleurs are on the bike? Those will sometimes give away the age.