64 Lime Stingray Pics
 

This bike was purchased at a garage sale about 3 years ago for $5. It was in pieces in a box but otherwise as is. The only thing I added was a pair of NOS grips.

:)

Memories. :)

That is definitely a classic, and alot more durable than alot of today's junky bikes for kids.

Cool. Just like the one I had when I was nine. It didn't last long though; all my pals had 26" 3-speeds and I got fed up having to work so hard to keep up.

SCORE!

Is that truly lime? If so, that's a deal. Tooo bad it's not a "stik-shift" bike though.

Regardless, it's a great investment as an original...probably worth $500 or so. Maybe more, but coasters don't seem to bring the BIG money.

PJ

Yeah, some of the stick shifts bikes bring a good buck. This bike is definitely rare. 1964 was the first stingray, I don't believe there was a stickshift bike yet. I could be wrong but I think the first geared stingrays didn't appear until a year later.

I posted a picture of this bike on a collector forum as soon as I cleaned it up and assembled it. A guy offered me $1300 for it just from the picture...

Wow -- $1300 for that '64 is pretty impressive. I'd have a hard time turning it down. BTW, shouldn't it have chrome fenders? I remember mine did.

I'm pretty sure the 5-speed Sting Rays debuted in 1967, maybe '66 at the earliest. I bought a black Schwinn RamHorn Fastback in June 1967, and if it'd been available sooner I'd have had it sooner. :)

I don't believe there were fenders on the 64 models. I know Schwinn continued into at least the late 60's making fenderless versions of the Stingray.

I have a friend with a Coppertone Ramshorn for sale if you're looking to bring back childhood memories, mswantak.

PJ

My main memory of that bike is that my erstwhile friends were fond of hanging it from trees by its ramshorn handlebars. I'll have to pass on your friend's bike -- I look silly enough riding my Motobecane. ;)

I believe that there was a delux model that had fenders but the standard Stingray did not have them.

Silly riding a vintage Schwinn? Come on, check out www.nemusclebikes.com and look at the rides link. These guys (I have yet to make it to a ride) cruise around on their vintage machines. Of course, when I finally do make it I will be on a Ross Apollo...maybe not as cool but WAY cheaper and more distinct if you ask me. I'm a fan of the "oddball" (not Schwinn) bikes out there. Of course, if I found a Stingray for the right money I'd be all over it. Just seems you can't touch any Stingray in decent shape for less than 3 bills.

PJ

I know it makes me sound like a snob, but I just can't figure the prices Stingrays are commanding; it's got to be pure nostalgia. They've got a suspect pedigree, aren't very rideable, and while they're head and shoulders above the Raleigh Chopper, they aren't the most graceful-looking thing to come down the pike. I mean, I understand the desire to possess a piece of your youth -- I bought an old 1940 Smith-Corona typewriter just because it was the same as the one my mom used when I was little, but I sure didn't pay $3,000 for it.

What do the people who shell out thousands for these things do with them?

Put them in their den, office, living room, camp etc and talk about them...

What do people do with postage stamps, baseball cards, coins??? Everything is worth something if you find a buyer.

Heheh; the many people who've relieved me of my money over the years will attest to that. ;)

I bought the first Stingray in my town in 1964. It was a beautiful blue and had knobby tires instead of the slicks that came out in later models. It had the same flatter and wider banana seat as shown above. Next year's models had the sleeker more upswept seat. I paid $52, 50+4% sales tax. I sold the bike a few years later for $25. I had more darn fun on that bike. :)