serial number and head badge number

[blue6218]

Good Day Fellow Schwinn Enthusiasts, I have a question about serial numbers and head badge numbers. I recently purchased (pics are in weekly schwinn purchases two weeks ago) a 1979 schwinn spitfire 5. The serial number is CQ578237 and the head badge (white oval schwinn emblem on front of bike) says 1299. Can somebody tell me the build date of the bike and what the head badge 1299 number means? Thanks for any information you can pass along.

 

[Metacortex]

Can somebody tell me the build date of the bike and what the head badge 1299 number means?

The CQxxxxxx serial number means that the frame was built in March of '79. The 1299 headbadge number means that the bike itself was built on the 129th day of 1979, which was Wed. May 9th, 1979.

 

[blue6218]

Thanks for the information

Thanks for taking the time to respond and information, much appreciated. Does anybody know the approximate number of 1979 schwinn spitfire 5's produced? Thanks John

 

[Freqman1]

With the possible exception of the Paramounts I don't believe Scwhinn kept track of individual models produced by year. V/r Shawn

 

[GTs58]

With the possible exception of the Paramounts I don't believe Scwhinn kept track of individual models produced by year. V/r Shawn

That is what most believe, but I'm pretty positive that's not true. The factory took orders for specific models and they would have to know how many they needed or to produce for the next run of each specific model, and probably how many of each color. The distribution centers along with Schwinn undoubtedly had records of this. This type of info in my opinion would be in house and a manufacturing company would surely have a count or they would be totally lost. Since this info was never published or made public, everyone believes there were no records of the count and amount.


Old thread but interesting subject.

 

[Metacortex]

Schwinn did keep track of (and publish in the Reporter) lightweight vs. middleweight and compact (i.e. Sting-Ray/juvenile) sales. For example 1969 was the first year that lightweights surpassed middleweights in sales (30% vs. 27%) and 1970 was the first year lightweights surpassed compacts in sales (43% vs. 36%). After that I believe lightweights ruled.

 

[Freqman1]

As I understand it the BMA in New Bremen, Oh got most of the Schwinn archives. How much production data is in the archives is anyone's guess. I had inquired about looking through the records--specifically 1955 for info on the boys Blue Phantom but was rather rudely told "no". This was a few years ago so I may try again when I go to MLC next year. V/r Shawn

 

[GTs58]

As I understand it the BMA in New Bremen, Oh got most of the Schwinn archives. How much production data is in the archives is anyone's guess. I had inquired about looking through the records--specifically 1955 for info on the boys Blue Phantom but was rather rudely told "no". This was a few years ago so I may try again when I go to MLC next year. V/r Shawn

Actually having some sort of factory data with production numbers would be very interesting. Can you imagine keeping up on all the production data without a computer? Wonder if they used a chalk board to tally up the thousands of new orders on the different models.