# Can anyone date this New World?



## bikebug (Nov 11, 2007)

My 30s vintage Schwinn New World (serial # D6340) makes it into North Louisiana Military and Aviation Museum.

I think these were first built in 1939. Can anyone date this one with more precision based on serial number or components? (See photos)

Another question: Were the "Victory Bikes" Schwinn later built during the war a stripped down version of this bike? Does anyone out there have a Schwinn Victory Bike? If so, Post a pic.

It was originally owned by a man from New Jersey who came to north Louisiana c 1942 to teach in the navigators' school at Selman Field. He married here and stayed on after the war. After his death about 1990, the bike came into my collection. It is completely original. 

Superior crank set with AS&CO chain wheel. Large flange rear hub. All brake levers and cables are original. Deep red paint with gold hairline pin-striping. All factory decals as well as the decal of the hardware store in Trenton NJ who sold it new are intact. Brake levers, hubs, brake calipers, etc scripted with "Schwinn" or "Schwinn Built". Tires are very old, but I don't know if they are war-time or not.

It's not a donation to the museum, but a loan.


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## bobhufford (Jan 10, 2008)

Nice bike!  Unfortunately the Schwinn serial number records prior to August 1948 were lost in a fire.  The bike has pre-War features (like the clamp-on chainguard, fender stays that mount to the axle, integrated seat post binder, bolt on kickstand, etc.), but you already knew that from the bike's well documented history.  These parts were used for quite a few years, so there is nothing unique to pinpoint it to a particular year and I don't think Schwinn was date stamping any of their parts at this time either.

Here are some catalog links:

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1941_1950/index.html

The New World catalog is mine -- not sure of the date -- it could be '39 or '40.

The '39 Paramount catalog here shows the AS&Co crank. 

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1893_1940/index.html

I received both these catalogs from an old Schwinn dealer who was about to toss them in the trash (along with several other late '30s / early '40s bike and motorcycle catalogs!).

Bob "Pre-War New World Project in the Shed" Hufford
Springfield, MO


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## JOEL (Jan 16, 2008)

Here's some more information for narrowing down the year of a prewar Schwinn:
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/allday101/SchwinnCodes1.html
click "ID Facts" link.


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