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1972 Schwinn Stingray
#1 2010-03-02 3:32am
- phillyc71
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- From: San Jose, CA
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1972 Schwinn Stingray
1972 Schwinn Stingray
In 1975 my dad's friend gave me his daughter's bike which she had grown out of. It was a early 70's Western Flyer 16" girls bike. My dad made that bike into a really cool MX style bike. He painted it flat black and bought an MX kit with bars, grips, number plate, fenders and also put a loaf-style MX seat on it. If I recall correctly it had a "gas tank" on it as well but I can't tell from the pics I have.
Anyway, I wanted to do a build loosely based on that first bike. Instead of using a 16" I thought I'd use the bike that help start BMX: the Schwinn Stingray. I found a fairly complete example here for a good price. The bike had 3 colors applied over the last 37 years so there was no worry about ruining an original finish. When I got the bike it was semi-gloss black, under that it was yellow and finally the original red. I stripped the frame and applied 4 coats of rattle can flat black.
For components I didn't want to go too high-end but rather find no-name parts like you would've found in the MX kits like my dad put on my old bike. I did splurge a little on the wheels but the bike didn't have original wheels so I used what would've been used in 1975. I tried using an MX loaf seat but the sqaure shape just didn't look right with all the curves of the Stingray frame. A very cool guy, Brian (a fellow OS member) was kind enough to fabricate some custom seat braces for me and they came out so nice. Thanks again SB. I have the correct number plate but am still searching for the correct numbers for it so it will stay off for now.
Parts Line-up
Frame: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
Fork: NOS Ashtabula stamped
Bars: No-name MX style bars 6" rise 29" width
Grips: No-name waffle grips
Stem: No-name double clamp stem
Headset: Original Schwinn
Front Wheel: Femco steel 20x2.125 rim, ACS 36-hole high flange hub
Front Tire: Schwinn "Studded" knobby reissue 20x2.125
Rear Wheel: Femco steel 20x2.125 rim, Shimano B-type 36-hole coaster hub, 16-tooth cog
Rear Tire: Cheng Shin MX 20x1.75
Crank: Schwinn 6.5" dated 1973
Chainwheel: Original Schwinn 46-tooth
Pedals: NOS Union rattrap
Bottom Bracket: Original Schwinn
Seat: Original Schwinn banana seat
Seat Braces: Custom prototype 13.5" steel seat braces from Sodbuster Labs
Chain: D.I.D.
Extras: Black vinyl 12" bar pad, 4" double clamp stem pad, NOS O.G.K. rear fender, white oval number plate (not installed yet)
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#2 2010-03-02 3:47am
- freedo
- White Boy With An Afro
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
sick man, got pics of you riding it bitd?
out with the new in with the old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mongoose decade guru, hit me up with any questions you may have
R.I.P Autumn Pasquale. May she rest in Peace!
Instagram! @freedo70
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#3 2010-03-02 8:57am
- fulfillment
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
i'm totally diggin this. good work on the recreation.
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#4 2010-03-02 10:24am
- phillyc71
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
thanks for the kind words.
here are some hi-res pics and some pics of my first bike. 
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#5 2010-03-02 12:10pm
- freedo
- White Boy With An Afro
- From: wilmington de
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
sweet
out with the new in with the old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mongoose decade guru, hit me up with any questions you may have
R.I.P Autumn Pasquale. May she rest in Peace!
Instagram! @freedo70
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#7 2010-11-02 9:30am
- Monster-Robot
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
Great bike Phil!!!
Let me know if you still need the numbers.
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#8 2011-03-01 4:13pm
- nycet3
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
The Schwinn is fantastic. I love it. Nice work not going overboard with the parts.
"Ride it like you're riding after the dude who stole it."
Looking for a USA-made pre 1981 Redline MXII f/f with original black paint and decals.
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#9 2011-03-02 4:19pm
- phillyc71
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
Thanks for all the nice comments, guys!
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#10 2011-12-27 12:54am
- Oaktown Massive
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
man, that just screams '70s! very nice 
1 9 7 7 R a c e I n c. R A - 7 1 9 7 9 R e d L i n e M X I I
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#11 2011-12-27 12:55am
- buddhashenglong
- Pro Member"torque monster"
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
Rugged and classic look.
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#12 2012-01-03 7:58pm
- 6s135
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#13 2014-07-31 1:36pm
- cruesixx69
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
So many great memories. Awesome build brother!
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Needs=82' National Pro Long frame. Want one bad!!!!
Needs=80' Malvern Star Super Max frame and fork
Needs=79' Team Jag or 80' Jag
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#14 2014-10-01 7:12pm
- phillyc71
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
Thanks!
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#15 2019-12-30 2:02pm
- seph05
- Centurion Member
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Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
The black color way on the bike makes it look tough!! Diggin it 
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#16 2020-10-19 10:06am
Re: 1972 Schwinn Stingray
Hey I am tripping out on your bike here. I know this is an ancient thread..but I had to comment.
I had an almost identical Schwinn when I was a youngster in Southern California. In the age of FMF, and Mongoose BMX bikes...my bike was unique. I followed no trend. I liked spokes, I loved the look of the old Schwinn frames, The Ashtebula forks, cranks, and gooseneck were stout but carried that same Schwinn style but had "Ashtebula" displayed so it was obvious they were custom stuff . I had a banana seat and the frame was painted flat black. The dang tires are even the same. The ONLY difference would be the sissybar. Mine was chrome and looped just over the back of the seat.
My mind is blown. I built my bike myself. If it would get a rattle I would stop...no matter where...and fix it. My friends would all trip on me for that. There is a cemented up riverbed which flows through the L.A. basin. It is the San Gabriel River flood control project. In the winter the water, without the normal resistance of a natural river basin with trees, bushes, rocks and bends, rages through the flood control channel. It is around 100 yards wide and concrete with sides that slope upward at 45 degrees. It is like a long funnel snaking through several cities and counties from the San Gabriel mountains to where it dumps into the ocean at Seal Beach, Ca. Every neighborhood, every street, every boulevard, every gutter on every building ultimately drains into this channel. I rode my beloved Schwinn down the side of this flood control channel, why? , who knows? I did fall into the raging waters, as did my Schwinn bicycle. I, thank God, was yanked out of the water by a teenager a few years older than me...my bike was gone. This was surely a lesson on the finality of making poor decisions...and their consequences. A lesson I will repeat many many more times in my life...
Seeing the pics of this bicycle has a flood of memories coming back. The majority of which were wonderful.
I am still, very much, that kid riding his Schwinn that was much heavier than the bikes his friends rode. The only difference is instead of a Schwinn Stingray I ride a Shovelhead. They look very similar really. [img][/img][img][/img]
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