1973 Schwinn Super Sport in Opaque Blue Restoration - The Year of the Super Sport!

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle After Restoration

This week I started work on a 1973 Schwinn Super Sport in blue.  It has been the year of the Schwinn Super Sport, I think this is the fourth or fifth Super Sport restoration this year.  But that is cool because I have really come to love the Super Sport, I think it is a very underrated bicycle.  The Super Spot has great geometry and rides like a Cadillac.  The Super Sport has descent components but also can be used as a blank canvas for some amazing builds.   Another cool ting is the frame was hand built in the Schwinn hand built shop, not a bad thing.

This Super sport is one of the rougher bicycles I have started with in sometime but that is also cool because it should come back beautifully and be a beautiful great riding bike!  The Super Sport will receive a total restoration along with new cables, cable housings, new brake pads, new tires and tire tubes, new handlebar tape and a replacement used but in good condition Brooks saddle.

I really love the look of Super Sports when they are complete, I can't wait to give this one a good test ride and see the results!

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Handlebars

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Stem

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Front Brake Caliper

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Front Wheel Hub

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Front Wheel Rim

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Stem

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Head Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Front Brake

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Down Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Seat Lug

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Chicago Decal

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Bottom Bracket

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Crank

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Front Derailleur

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Cable Hanger

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Rear Brake Caliper

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Generator

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Rear Derailleur

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Rear Wheel Hub

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Bicycle Before - Rear Wheel Rim

I stripped the Super Sport of the components, a few of the components took a little work to break free.  I am actually not completely sure how the paint will turn out at this point.  I see a lot of greasy dirt which can be a good thing because grease can actually protect the paint.  I only see a few rough spots at this point.

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Head Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Head Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Head Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Down Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Seat Area

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Chicago Decal

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Bottom Bracket

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Bottom Bracket

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Bottom Bracket

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Seat Stays

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Chain Stays

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Drop Outs

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Fork

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Fork Crown

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Fork Crown

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Fork Blade

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Before - Fork Drop Outs

I gave the frame a deep cleaning.  The black electrical tape that was on the chain stay was nightmare to remove but it was a very good thing it was there, not a single chip on the chain stay where it is normally quit beat up.  With the frame cleaned I found the frame to be in pretty good shape, I was very very pleased with what was under all that grease and dirt.  With the frame cleaned I worked through the polishing grits.  The Super Sports had no clear coat layer so polishing is directly to the paint and a small amount of paint is actually removed.  The paint polished beautifully!!  I am amazed a so happy with the the results!  The blue paint almost glows!!  The decals almost look new!  I love this stuff!!

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Head Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Head Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Head Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Down Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Seat Area

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Chicago Decal

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Bottom Bracket

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Bottom Bracket

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Bottom Bracket

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Chain Stays

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Drop Outs

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Fork

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Fork Crown

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Fork Crown

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Fork Blade

1973 Schwinn Super Sport restoration
Frame Polished - Fork Drop Out

I have worked on the Super Sport in an order I don't normally follow, I started with the wheels after the frame polishing.  I did this mainly because I had a wheel day last week where I did nothing but restore wheels.

The tires on the Super Sport where really bad and rotted to the rims.  I had to cut the old tires off.  You can see in the photo of the front tire rim before how the tire was bubbled and rotted.  Once I got the tires cut off and the rims cleaned of the old tire bits I started work on the polishing after a good deal of cleaning.

The wheel hubs polished really nice and the wheel rims polished beautifully.  I am very happy with the results of the wheel polishing.  With the wheels polished I packed the bearings in new grease and installed the cleaned and prepared axle pieces.  The wheels spin great.  Last I installed the new tire tubes and the new gum wall tires.  I am very happy with the wheels.  Schwinn put very nice wheels on the Super Sport and I have always loved the higher flange wheel hubs.

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel Hub - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel Rim - Before - Bubbly Tire

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel Hub - Old Grease

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel Hub - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel Rim - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel Bearings - Packed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
New Gum Wall Tires

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel Hub - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel Hub - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel Rim - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel Hub - Old Grease

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel Hub - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel Bearings - Packed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel - Complete

I always like the headsets on Schwinns.  The always restore so nice and function very well.  The headset and shift elvers where a little rough.  I put the headset pieces in the crock pot cleaning and then cleaned and lubricated the shift levers and polished the levers out.  The headset polished very nice on the polishing wheels.  Bearings packed in new grease and the headset spins very smooth.  I love this stuff!

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Headset & Shift Levers - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Cable Hanger - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Shift Levers - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Shift Levers - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Headset & Shift Levers - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Shift Levers - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Shift Levers - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Pressing Headset Bearings Cups

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Headset Cups - Pressed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bearings - Packed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Headset & Shift Levers - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Headset & Shift Levers - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Headset & Shift Levers - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Headset & Shift Levers - Complete

The handlebars stem and brake elvers are a little rough but they should restore very nice.  I am very happy the original Schwinn After Market brake lever grips are here.  I cleaned everything and then started working through the polishing wheels.  The handlebars polished pretty good with a few deep gouges from the stem.  The stem polished beautifully.  I really like the Schwinn "S" logo stem.

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Handlebars - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Stem & Handlebars - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Handlebars - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Stem - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Stem - Exploded

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Handlebars - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Handlebars - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Stem - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Stem - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Stem & Handlebars - Installed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Stem & Handlebars - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Stem & Handlebars - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Stem & Handlebars - Complete

I had to drill out one of the old brake cable barrels.  It was frozen in place and would not budge with all the tricks.  I cleaned the brake elvers and worked through the polishing.  The brake levers turned out great.  I will install the brake lever covers later.

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Brake Levers - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Brake Levers - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Brake Levers - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Brake Levers - Installed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Brake Levers - Installed

The seat binder collar and cable hanger are in rough shape.  I could not brake the cable housing free or get the adjustment barrel to break free.  Luckily the owner has a spare cable hanger.  The seat binder collar came back a long way and looks good.  The seat post looks great!

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Seat Binder Collar & Cable Hanger - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Seat Post - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Seat Binder Collar & Seat Post - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Seat Post and Binder Collar - Installed

I had the wheels in the shop complete for a couple days so I had to install them now.  They look great installed!

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Wheel - Rim

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Wheel Rim 

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Wheels - Complete

The derailleurs where rough, very rough.  They where very dirty and gritty and one jockey wheel did not want to spin at all.  I broke down the derailleurs and started the cleaning and soaking.  With all the pieces cleaned I started work on the polishing wheels.  With all the polishing done, all the pivot points flushed many times and all the areas lubricated the derailleurs work great.  Better yet they look fantastic against the polished blue paint.  I am proud of the work on the derailleurs and I love this stuff!

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Derailleur - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Derailleur - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Derailleur - Exploded

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Derailleur - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Derailleur - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Derailleur - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Derailleur - Installed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Derailleur - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Derailleur - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Derailleur - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Derailleur - Exploded

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Derailleur - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Derailleur - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Derailleur - Installed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Derailleurs - Complete

The brake calipers where in okay starting shape.  Mainly a little dirty, dull and gritty.  I broke the calipers down and started the cleaning.  With the pieces clean I worked through the polishing wheels.  The pieces polished great.  With the pieces polished I greased all the appropriate areas and installed the calipers to the frame.  I really like the center pull brakes from this era, they work well and they look great after restoring. 

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Brake Calipers - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Brake Calipers - Exploded

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Brake Calipers - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Brake Calipers - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Front Brake Caliper - Installed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Rear Brake Caliper - Installed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Brake Calipers - Complete

I mentioned above the Super Sport would get a new used Brooks saddle.  I miss spoke, it is a used Wright saddle that was eventually owned by Brooks.  The original saddle on the left in the photo below is very rough.  The Wright is on the right.  I have been apply treatment to the saddle for a while, it has come back a long ways but will need a few more treatments and some body heat from riding.  So far though I think the Wright saddle is come along great!

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Replacement Saddle on Right - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Replacement Saddle - Treated

Kind of out of order but I had a little time before I had to head out of the shop so I installed the handlebar tape.  I can install it now because the brake elvers are not arrow levers so the cables to not run along the handlebars.  I think the black cork handlebar tape will look great with the blue and the gray cable housing that will be coming.  It is also a good look like the original black handlebar tape.

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
New Handlebar Tape

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Handlebar Tape - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Handlebar Tape - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle So Far

Not much to go on the Super Sport.  The crank and bottom bracket are soaking to remove all the very heavy grease and dirt.  After that its just wiring the Super Sport and installing the freewheel and chain.  Can't wait to ride it!


The crank was rough.  In the center part of the crank in the third photo below you can see globs of grease, in those globs are little beetle like bugs.  When I opened the bottom bracket there was near 100 dead beetles in the inside.

I broke the crank down and started the cleaning.  It took a lot of soaking a scrubbing tho get the crank clean.  With the pieces cleaned I started the hand polishing with a cream polishing compound and brass wool.  Only brass wool works for this, anything else like steel wool or anything harder then the chrome damages the chrome.  You can order brass wool on line, not many hardware stores carry it anymore.

The crank polished very nice considering where it started.  I am very proud of the results.  The non-driv side crank arm has a little rust damage but overall not to bad.

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Crank - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Crank - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Crank Before - Dead Beetles in that Grease

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Crank - Exploded

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Crank - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Crank - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Crank Complete - Some Rust Damage

Like I said above there was a ton of dead beetles in the bottom bracket.  The bottom bracket was very dirty and had a ton of old gritty and dried grease on it.  Whats nice is that much grease does protect the pieces under the dirt.  I cleaned all the pieces in the crock pot and then worked through the polishing wheels.  The pieces polished great.  Packed with new grease the cranks spins fantastic!

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bottom Bracket - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bottom Bracket - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Pressing Bottom Bracket - Cups

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bottom Bracket Cups - Pressed

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Crank - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Crank - Complete

I really like the Schwinn Pie Plates on the rear wheels.  No matter how rough they look with some time and work they always come back so nice.

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Pie Plate - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Pie Plate - Polished

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Pie Plate - Installed

The pedals are rough, very rough.  I flushed them many times and then lubricated them.  They actually spin very nice and spin tight also.  I am very happy with the function now.  I worked through cleaning and polishing the pedals by hand and they came back a long way.  I am very happy with how nice they look now.

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Pedals - Before

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Pedals - Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Pedals - Installed

I went back and fourth on what cable housing color to use for the blue Super Sport.  I thought white, I like white a lot against this blue but I also wanted to see if I could come up with something better or at least different.  I then thought the dark Ice Gray housings but I didn't think that was exactly right.  I even thought black and later gold.  In the end I pick the gray that is right in between the dark gray and the white.  I think it was a great choice for the blue Schwinn Super Sport.

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
New Cables & Housings & a Very Poor Photo

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle - Wired

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Wired

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Wired

That completes the Super Sport.  I am very very happy and proud of the Schwinn Super Sport.  Especially considering where it started.  I ran out of light today to take final photos outdoors and to test ride so tomorrow in the nice weather we are suppose to have I will test ride it and take the photos.

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete

This afternoon I was able to test ride the blue Schwinn Super Sport.  It rode exactly how I thought it would, like a Cadillac.  I am always so impressed with how a Super Sport rides.  So smooth, tracks dead straight and so comfortable.  Schwinn used a fairly slack geometry that makes the ride so comfortable.

The Super Sport looks fantastic.  When I was testing riding it someone came out of their garage and stopped me so they could get a good look at the super sport.  I love the opaque blue, the bright work just pops and the cable and accents colors are perfect.  I love it!!

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Hanldebars

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Handlebars

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Head Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Front Brake Caliper

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Front Wheel Hub

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Front Wheel Rim

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Stem

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Handlebars

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Head Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Front Half

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Down Tube

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Saddle

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Chicago Decal

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Drive Train

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Bottom Bracket

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Front Derailleur

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Saddle

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Rear Brake Caliper

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Rear Derailleur

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete - Rear Wheel

1973 Schwinn Super Sport Restoration
Bicycle Complete

Thank you for looking!
John Z.