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From what I've seen, they moved Shelby to Cleveland as soon as they bought them and then turned right around and moved them again to Little Rock. It must have played havoc with production. Which probably helps to explain why after 1957 the biggest difference between a Shelby and a Roadmaster is...

I would like to see the lacing pattern for this hub. Like you said, anything I can think of would look wonky.

Now that's really odd. Most American makers used English or European calipers for their brakes. Schwinn is the only one I know of who made their own, and they quit by the early '50's. I'm wondering if Snyder would have bought parts from Schwinn, but I don't know. But if your bike originally had...

Different number of spoke holes on each side?

What kind of brake calipers are those? Nice find!

The 1959 catalog shows two Skyriders, the version with the tank (at the beginning of this thread) and this tankless version (and no rack or light either), with two different model numbers but the same name. You would think they would have called the first one "Deluxe Skyrider". I may have a...

Since I first posted this bike, I've seen a couple more pop up on the internet. Evidently they originally came with a fender light and a rear rack, which were both missing on mine. Here's one that was on FBM in Pennsylvania, but it sold before I had a chance to go look at it. Oh well.

Is that the one you picked up in Statesville? Or a new one?

Nice looking old bike! What size are the wheels?

Interesting theory! I haven't thought about the other months during and immediately after the strike, now I will have to keep an eye out. I have seen a few 1981 "S" serials but I never paid attention to the month. Your idea that the MR serials represent more bicycles than Schwinn could produce...

I'm guessing that's a church? Interesting detail work!

It doesn't look like the fork is bent so it's probably just the angle of the pictures, but it's hard to say for sure.

Interesting selection of bikes!

I didn't know they ever came with painted fenders, thanks for the nugget!

It looks like you did add them, they're showing up now. Most of it looks correct for a pre-war bike, but the fenders are later. Wheels and rims look original, if you gently clean the rims they may be marked. Schwinn started using "Schwinn Superior" rims not long before the war, before that they...

Those usually have chrome fenders. I'm guessing somebody painted yours but it's a good match, and they suit the bike.

Do you have any pictures? A good picture is worth a thousand words.

I've got a "Deluxe" Varsity with an "FU" serial and it's definitely built by Murray. I'm surprised to see that yours still has all the Chicago-built details. I posted mine (post #50) in this thread: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/greenville-ms-schwinn-bicycles.172362/page-5

Where did you get them at? I'll have to try some, I've got a set of Kool-Stops on my beater Traveler and they stop better than the old ones but they squeal like a stuck hog.

By all accounts, Ian made good use of his time. All we can do is follow his example. Let's ride!

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Like I need a reason.

Looks like they were made to fit. Nice job! Any pictures of the insides?

Didn't the Romans salt the fields of Carthage? They didn't want Carthage to come back.

You notice the son-in-law (partner-in-law?) said she told him her dad abruptly sold the company a few years ago, but there's been no sign or notice of anyone else doing anything since. I wonder if he actually sold it or just shut it down?

I just saw this on the Antique Automobile Club of America website. I wondered what had happened to Quick-Glo and why it was no longer available, so others may be wondering too. If you haven't seen this, it's bad, it sounds like he may have had mental problems...

Looks like a nice set of fenders on it, most went without.

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@Schwinny has done some research on Armstrongs. I've tagged him so maybe he'll see this.

With a "Y" serial? That's a new wrinkle!

If your rear hub was made by Sturmey-Archer, it will have a date stamp. But a lot of bikes from this era also used the "Schwinn Approved - Made in Austria" hubs, and those aren't dated. If it's a Sturmey-Archer AW you're probably in good shape, if its's a Sturmey SW those were probably why...

I think the front plastic piece was "chromed" like the Corvette/Jaguar rear teardrop reflector housing. I don't know how they get that metallic finish on plastic pieces, but by now it's usually tarnished or worn off completely.

If your serial number begins with "L" (1961) your bike may have originally had them.

Do you think somebody swapped out the wheel set? What kind of hubs have you got? Paint looks good, should clean up nice.

Like @Xlobsterman said, there was something odd going on with these December 1980 serials. Here's the thread: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/why-so-many-december-%E2%80%9880-frames.176475/

And @Blkbart, we have a thread just on these bikes, and there's a close-up of the shift lever in post #79, third picture down: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/show-us-your-klunker-5-spitfire-5-or-cruiser-5.105050/

The '52 date is for a number on the left drop-out. Numbers under the bottom bracket are earlier, '46 could be right. @GTs58 has been studying these early post war bikes. Are there any black-out parts?

Some might quibble about the Dana, but the Tokheim 5 speed and the Hagan definitely qualify!

@rennfaron, here's another data point for your research. Serial number B08599 dates it to Sept. '53 but the hub date is March '54, still with the English brakes. Looking at @TimD's bike above, I probably should have waited until I cleaned this one up, but that may be a while.

That rack was part of the new design for the Luxury Liner, introduced in 1954 (I think). This is from a 1956 brochure, the last year for the balloon tires.

I see this thread's been cleaned up a little, probably just as well. But one point was raised that's worth considering, this hub doesn't match the pictures. My guess was that there were changes made before it got to production, but it's also possible that the torque arm isn't original to this...

Orange County Choppers, look out! The competition is coming for you!

There's a whole thread here where you can post pictures, although it's already over 3,000 pages: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/what-bike-did-you-ride-today.61973/

In my youth I resorted to such measures, but now I have the tools to implement better alternatives. And I'm not in any big rush.

I tinkered with this a little last night. Removing the two lock nuts on the drive end, the gear cam and the drive sprocket came right out, but the "cartridge" mentioned in the ad is evidently held in place by the plate with two holes for a pin spanner. I've got a spanner, but I'm going to have...

Here's a couple more shots, you can see the fork blades are D shaped, flat on the inside and rounded outside. There's also one showing the "wishbone" chainstays, but there's nothing cast on the bottom bracket except maybe part of a number.

My luck I'd hit a big pothole.

Some kid really went to town with the pinstripes!

I've been keeping an eye out ever since you posted that catalog, and I've yet to see one come up. There's got to be a few out there, but evidently not many.

Will do. It still turns, but it feels rough, like it needs to be cleaned out and re-lubricated at the least.