Paul H (Doohickie)’s 1973 Schwinn Varsity

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We went Schwinnless for so long that Paul H.‘s 1973 Varsity got an Extreme Makeover. Paul originally sent me his Varsity back in April.  It sat so long waiting to be posted that Paul turned it into some sort of grocery-getting-jalopy that he calls a “Tourist”! I figured if I didn’t get this thing posted soon in his next set of pictures he would have tassels streaming off the handlebars and a big orange safety flag swinging from the rear pillars of a newly installed banana seat.

1973 Schwinn Varsity

Pre Touristification1973 Schwinn Varsity

I picked up this bike at the city dump last week for free. It is all original as far as I can tell. The gumwall tires were melted so I had to replace them with tires I had laying around. Note the Schwinn orange plastic handlebar tape.

This is easily the worst bicycle I own. It is exhilarating to ride. I love it.

Full Touristic Regalia

TouristificFender SplenderThis picture is familiar.

On April 18 I rescued this 1973 Schwinn Varsity Sport from the city dump.
With some new tires it became rideable.

But I wasn’t done yet: I decided it would make a good tourist-style bike.
I got upright handlebars from an old Huffy, a sprung seat for free on the
internet from a fellow Schwinn aficionado, and added some Wald baskets on
the back to make it into a good commuter bike and now I have a 1973 Schwinn
Varsity Tourist!

You can see the evolution in the pictures.

Thanks again Paul

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  • Rob

    I know I’m hoping against hope, but I’d love to get those old handlebars. I’m restoring a 1978 Schwinn Traveler III and need some drop bars. Could you put me in touch with Paul or direct me to someplace I might find old Schwinn drop bars like that?

    • http://oldtenspeedgallery.com The Ten-Speed Dreamer

      Rob,

      I have a set I just removed from a Schwinn Collegiate. I’ll make you a deal.

      Cameron

  • Edward

    What’s the overall feeling of folks who visit this site on swapping out drop bars for upright bars?

    I can’t stand drop bars, but I think it is because the old bikes I’ve found have tiny frames. I was in a “real” bike shop yesterday as long as I could tolerate overhearing people talk about $265 wheels and saw how big high-dollar ten speeds are. They’re huge! I don’t think I would have to bend over much to ride one. (Though I could buy 50 flea market/yard sale bikes for the price of one bike shop bike. And it would get stolen.)

    I’m considering putting Wald 8095 bars on a yard sale, $5 Ross Gran Tour (pictures to follow after restoration) that I found the other day. I figured as long as I’m riding it, it doesn’t matter much that I swapped the bars.

  • Hugh

    I got no problem with anyone changing bars (or saddles for that matter) What I don`t get is, when the bars are commuter and the
    saddle is race or vice versa. Wow I`m really obsessing over this one..LOL

  • Hugh

    Oh, And I forgot. The Schwinn looks great.
    Very nice work!

  • http://doohickie.blogspot.com Doohickie

    Thanks!

    The bars still have the original stem, brake levers and tape job attached to them. I think someone else asked me about them, but he hasn’t gotten back to me in a while, so if you need the handlebars, Rob, email me through the email in my profile.

    Paul H.

  • Joe B.

    Great restoration! 🙂

  • Tomshiba

    What a deal, free!!!…..Actually, the bike looked pretty solid in the first picture. What did you use to clean it up? Those fenders are nice. I remember Suburbans came with those as standard equipment. Nice work.