pastorbobnlnh 

No fork decals on Paramounts. I don't know why they left them off, but they did. @Metacortex or @Scooper might know.

My March '71 (C7142) before I built it up as my mountain climber racer.

Scooper

Bob, I've never seen 531 fork blade decals on early seventies Paramounts. Neither my '71 P13 nor my '72 P15 had them.

Fahrenheit531 

Man that's beautiful.

pastorbobnlnh 

Thanks! It has lots of patina but I cherish every scratch, nick, and blemish.

It is a great riding bike. I always enjoy the ride. Currently it is set up for the BUMPS Hill Climb Races that are held here in New England. I did one last September and even though I was 83rd of 86, it was a blast. Besides, I did it on a 44 year old bike and almost everyone else used a new CF or Ti bike! I've signed up for another race the end of May, hopefully the end of June after that, and then a repeat of last Fall's race the end of August.

I'm certain you will enjoy your Paramount as well. When you have a chance, add it to the Paramount Registry maintained by @cudak888.

repechage

Note the world championship colors are not, the order should be from top to bottom: blue,red,black,yellow, green.

Fahrenheit531 

Man, you guys are scary.
Both sets of caged bearings were reversed. I am 99% sure you were 100% right. Big thanks!

I believe you.
Ironically, now that I no longer can claim Paramount envy, I looked at that picture and immediately moved to fork crown envy.
Does the madness never end?!

pastorbobnlnh 

No, the madness doesn't end--- it's just a matter of whether you can control it or not!

I find myself constantly reminding myself not to take on a new project, not to review CL, and to not go searching on Ebay. Will power, will power, will power!

But it doesn't always work.

72Paramount

You are most certainly welcome. Enjoy the paramount!

Fahrenheit531 

"Enjoy" doesn't quite capture it, I think.

zazenzach

Great score Oxley! Respray or not, that paintjob looks great.

Wowsa! Stellar lugwork here.

pastorbobnlnh 

Thanks! The reflections of the trees in the chrome really improved the picture.

Fahrenheit531 

Naw, it looks great at a distance. Up close you notice the masking was pretty much a disaster, particularly around the lugs. Trying to figure out how to clean that up with minimal carnage.

Oh, and in answer to an earlier post, it isn't the Opaque Blue that only became available in '72 (my Super Sport is this color). It's Sky Blue, a shade darker than the Opaque, very much an option in '71. (Yaaaaay research! I'm learnin' stuff!)

Just noticed this from way earlier. What do you mean?

Metacortex

Note that Schwinn Sky Blue was a candy metallic color, sprayed over an aluminum basecoat: Schwinn Sting Ray Sky Blue Fastback Krate Spray Urethane re Paint Set | eBay

For example here are a couple of pics of a 1977 Sprint in Sky Blue.

Fahrenheit531 

Really? (Booooo, shoddy research! Yaaaay BF setting me straight!) Looking at the catalog it looked the same shade as mine. Guess they couldn't really get that metallic look on paper way-back-when. It sure ain't opaque blue though. What should we call it? Extra-super-opaque Blue? Krylon Azul?

I'm gonna go to the co-op this weekend and see if they have any kind of ongoing relationship with the donor, or at least find out if maybe they could slip 'em my contact info. I'd really like to know whatever they might be able to offer in terms of history, for curiosity's sake as much as anything.

72Paramount

Anyone else ever notice that the schwinn paint colors in the 1970's are nearly identical to the colors available on GM vehicles, more specifically the corvettes???

rootboy 

Very cool find. And yes, odd mix of parts. I see the rear skewer looks like a Nuovo Tipo. But who cares?

I would hesitate to have that fine frame re-painted. It deserves it.

rootboy 

Wow. Someone really knew how to do pin striping. Beautiful.

Fahrenheit531 

FIFY.
Gonna have to google Nuovo Tipo now. Still don't know Italian.

Fahrenheit531 

A couple of frame questions this evening, one minor, one that I think is less minor but not serious.


What, if anything, can be done about this? The chrome is all good except for this one spot. (As an aside, what would wear here, on the right underside of the top lug? Incorrectly routed cable?)






Does this need addressing, or are we good until my someday repaint? Arizona means moisture is pretty much a nonissue.

Thanks!!

pastorbobnlnh 

On the chrome lug: A previous owner might have used barend shifters (as I do) at one time. Depending on the cable stop used, some have rather a "low" drop and are below the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. Since I run my cable under the bar tape to the stem, they cross the lug near the top. I imagine a more traditional routing would have the cable cross at the lower end. Polish and wax.

As far as the top of the seat stay: The cap is not structural. I'd rub some body filler in there, sand smooth, and touch up with paint.

shoota 

What size do you want?

flash2070

Hi Shoota, how about a 54-58cm? :-) Thanks!


Flash

Fahrenheit531 

Thought I'd post an update, because Ol' Blue and I have become fast friends. (And no, I don't name my bikes, I dunno where that just came from.)

Aside from the reversed headset bearings, I haven't had to do much. The handlebars were stripped and wouldn't grab securely, so I hit them with a single wrap of masking tape. Added clips and straps, retaped because tape technology has come a long way, and ran new brake cables after adjusting things for fit and comfort over the last week. Cleaned and waxed the frame (paint ain't so bad after all) and added a couple of decals courtesy of Waterford. I'm in no position for a full restore any time soon, but at the moment I couldn't be happier.

Scooper

That looks great! Good job with the cleanup and getting the proper decals from Waterford.

repechage

Looks nice. The graphics do help. I did not completely note the water bottle braze on mounts on both Dow and seat tube. While the down tube set is higher than I would do, it is easier to access wher it is. The mounts do take care of the Schwinn paramount graphic problem when a clamp on bottle cage is used.

Note that when a torch was taken to the frame, I think an alternate brake bridge was brazed in.
Curious hole in the back of the head tube.
The headlug chrome... I would be tempted to machine polish it and see what that gets.
The broken seat stay cap.... Not a typical Schwinn problem, more Raleigh, is there a vent hole in the seat stay? Eventually it will need addressing, eventually.