15+ years ago, I picked up a “way less than pristine” looking Schwinn LeTour 10 spd at a local thrift store. No real plans for it at the time. It was super cheap IIRC <$10 and I thought it would be fun to fix up. Well, didn’t really do anything with it. Stripped a bunch of parts from it for other potential build-ups (those projects sat idle too!). Once had an idea that my S-I-L might like a retro bike but learned that wasn’t going to interest him. Anyway, the frame languished in a corner of my workshop, wheels tucked under a workbench and most (I’m hoping all) of the stripped off components had been sorted into parts boxes. I know (to some at least) it might be blasphemy but my latest plan for this bike is “refurb & release”! Spring is just around the corner and I’m thinking that once the students in my nearby university town +OEM out of Winter hibernation, a bike might be in their future!
Not too revealing but here’s a couple of pics:
It’s definitely a 1980 model year version. Head badge stamp (0430) puts the mfgr date in mid-Feb 1980 and components mostly appear to be made in ‘79. The frame serial # of SL 99xxxx looks to be made in Dec of ‘79. Pretty easy detective work but kinda cool when there’s no real mystery. It’s not going to be a real issue but I’m pretty sure that I won’t have too much of an issue rounding up the OEM parts. I may have to make a few substitutions but they’ll be period correct (I hope).