ARZJoe

1968 Schwinn Varsity Sport Coppertone, shows very light signs of use.
I purchased this bike last year at a local auction house. I have no clue of her history.

Here are some of the exceptional features of this particular Varsity:
1) Her tires are in amazing condition and look nearly new, with very little cracking.
The rear tire holds air for days, while the front one only for a few hours.
2) Her seat looks brand new, a Brooks B66. They make the same model today,
over 4 decades later. This is one sexy 46 yr old saddle.
3) Generator Light System option is installed off the rear wheel and it looks new.
What makes this special is that the wire used to connect the front light was never
hooked up. In fact, that wire was never even fiddled with, as it is still tied up in a bow,
hanging off of the generator, just like from the factory.
4) She has a beautiful drive train, with a very shiny chrome crank set and a mint
condition chain, freewheel, pedals, and derailleurs. An interesting detail of the rear
derailleur is the end of the shifting cable. It is rather long and curled up, reminding
me of a curly Q. I'd like to know the story behind this. The drive train parts all show
little if any signs of actual use. There is light rust on some of the chrome areas.
5) Her Coppertone paint job is in excellent condition for a bike this age, and it
still has a wonderful glow to it.

She has a few undesirable things going on.
Her blemishess:
1) Fenders: The rear fender has a dent about 4" from the bottom. The front fender
is off center, but does not hit the tire. I tried pushing it back into place, but decided
not to force it and take a chance of damaging it. Both fenders have some light pitting,
as well as rust on the undersides.
2) Rims: the rear rim is true, while the front one has a couple of slight wobbles.
They both have some light rust and pitting. In certain places on the rim sides, a few
tiny bits of chrome have chipped off and rusted underneath. Under certain lighting,
one can see some light cracking of the chrome in a few spots on the sides of the rims.
3) The frame has some paint chips and scratches.
4) The front tire does not hold air for more than a few hours.
5) The front light has significant pitting, and the lens has scratches on it.
6) The kickstand has stains, as do the fender brackets.

These are the highlights and the lowlights.

Even though the tires hold air, I have never ridden her.
The original condition of these tires is just too nice for me to justify taking a ride.
I have never restored a bicycle, including this one.
I wiped it down with diluted soap and water.
I then used the combination of aluminum foil and water to rub off some of the rust.
That is as far as I go.
I am hoping that the new owner will go for a full restoration,
or will simply put her on display as is.

I have had her for a year, hanging out with me in my dining room area.
My original plan was to resell right away. I just didn't want to part with ways.
12 months later, it is finally time.

I wonder how many millions of this color and model were sold over the years.
With so many out there, how rare is one in this condition, and what is her value range?

Thanks,
Joe