I finally found a cheap krate bike! My best find from the weekends carshows was this Dec 1968 Schwinn Orange Krate with 5 speed top tube shifter. It is very complete and original with lots of patina. I plan on cleaning it up as best as I can and making it a rider with new tires/tubes and cables.
UPDATE: Half a day of tear down and clean up of the frame. The majority of the chrome parts will take a few evenings to make nice but at least the frame is ready.
UPDATE: 1/30/11
Got more done on the krate bike. It's starting to look like a bike again. I still have a bunch to do but I am happy with the results of just a cleaning/preservation effort.
UPDATE: 2/17/11
The krate is now rolling again!! Only a few more parts to clean and install and it will be a rider. I'm very happy with how it's coming out so far.
Update: 3/6/11
The Orange Krate is finally finished!!! I completed it just over a week ago in time to bring it to a VW show as my cruising bike. It got tons of attention and I met some very cool "bike" people because of it. Overall it got new tires, tubes, brake pads, cables/housings and all the chrome has been cleaned and clear coated to prevent rust from coming back. All the frame paint is polished and waxed. I may redo the seat sometime in the future but for now I like that the bike is as original as possible plus it rides great. I plan on holding on to this one for a long time.
