# Schwinn Phantom



## John G04 (Nov 11, 2018)

Got this phantom today and am very happy with it rides great and looks like it will be an easy clean up. Little confused on the year though. I know the movie reel chainring was only on later phantoms and when i went to pick it up i thought it was a later one. I looked up the serial number which is D72467 and it says april of 52. Possibly maybe the chainring was switched out but probably just the serial numbers are mixed up in the database. This one also doesn’t have a locking fork but not sure if later phantoms never had locking forks. Either way its a cool bike but would love to know more about it. Looking for a tank and seat will probably skip the rack.Thanks!


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## Freqman1 (Nov 11, 2018)

Chain ring and fork both say '57 tome.Can we see a pic of the serial number? V/r Shawn


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## John G04 (Nov 11, 2018)

Freqman1 said:


> Chain ring and fork both say '57 tome.Can we see a pic of the serial number? V/r Shawn


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## GTs58 (Nov 11, 2018)

Good gawd, that rear axle has been all over the place. Better get a washer on that. Something isn't adding up with a D70000 serial number. Possible letter P?


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## John G04 (Nov 11, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> Good gawd, that rear axle has been all over the place. Better get a washer on that. Something isn't adding up with a D70000 serial number. Possible letter P?



What years are D70000


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## GTs58 (Nov 11, 2018)

Schwinn is life said:


> What years are D70000




I can't find any year that has a D7++++ number. Not sure what went on between 8/28 and 9/03/52 other than a normal two days off for the weekend. Five day gap? Missing some numbers and days? Strike, extra time off for good behavior?
Most likely some records went missing, and if that's the case your bike would be a secret 1952 model. But the fork doesn't substantiate that. 

1952 
08/19 to 08/28 ------- D47223 ------------------ D66447

09/03 to 09/05 ------- E00001 ------------------ E11684


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## John G04 (Nov 11, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> I can't find any year that has a D7++++ number. Not sure what went on between 8/28 and 9/03/52 other than a normal two days off for the weekend. Five day gap? Missing some numbers and days? Strike, extra time off for good behavior?
> Most likely some records went missing, and if that's the case your bike would be a secret 1952 model.
> 
> 1952
> ...




Interesting yeah I kind of just figured that the serial number wasn’t really tracked right. Would taking the crank out and looking at the date tell anything or did they stop dating the cranks after the war?


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## GTs58 (Nov 11, 2018)

I'd be more inclined to believe that's not a D. Maybe a P or an R? That would throw you into 1955.


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## phantom (Nov 11, 2018)

Are you sure the first letter isn't a B ?  That would fit for a 57 which had that style fork.


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## bobcycles (Nov 11, 2018)

Anyone know what bikes those grips came stock on?


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## GTs58 (Nov 11, 2018)

Okay, August 28, 1952 was a Thursday and Sept. 3rd was a Wednesday. So the work days missing were a Friday, Monday and Tuesday. If in fact some records are missing, very possible, then your Phantom's serial number was stamped on the missing Friday and the remaining numbers thru D99999 were finished up on Tuesday with Wednesday's stampings starting the E letter numbers. 
Now the question, was the fork replaced? Looking at all the washer marks on the dropout I'd have to say that chain ring was also replacement and at that time the same chain used on the original 52 tooth ring was reused throwing the axle all the way to the back of the dropout.
 Not sure when they stopped casting a date on the cranks, but I've never seen a 1950's dated crank.....yet. Time to call in Columbo for some help. lol


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## John G04 (Nov 12, 2018)

Ok then I’ll try cleaning the area around the number today and see if i’m reading it wrong and try to get the chainring out. I don’t think the fork is different from the bike and if it is it was replaced a long time ago. Thanks everyone for the help


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## Freqman1 (Nov 12, 2018)

I'm thinking the serial was mis-stamped possibly leaving off the first "7" in front of the "D". The fork looks original to this bike as well as the chain ring which would not be '52. I'd service it, clean it up, find the rack, tank, seat, grips, and correct fork bolts, and call it a day. V/r Shawn


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## John G04 (Nov 12, 2018)

Freqman1 said:


> I'm thinking the serial was mis-stamped possibly leaving off the first "7" in front of the "D". The fork looks original to this bike as well as the chain ring which would not be '52. I'd service it, clean it up, find the rack, tank, seat, grips, and correct fork bolts, and call it a day. V/r Shawn



 So you think its not a pieced together and just a serial number mistake. This bike would take the rack without the tail light correct?


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## Freqman1 (Nov 12, 2018)

I believe the bike is legit as it sits. The light was a $2.95 option so you could go either way. V/r Shawn


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## John G04 (Nov 12, 2018)

Cleaned the fenders up a little bit. Chrome is pretty decent on both rear is pretty banged up though. Cleaned area around serial number still looks like a D72167 to me. Wheels are double knurl s2 and looks like they will clean up alright to. Not sure if this picture of the decal helps date it.


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## Allrounderco (Nov 12, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> ...Not sure when they stopped casting a date on the cranks, but I've never seen a 1950's dated crank.....yet.



@GTs58 : Is that a model / line specific observation, or Schwinn cranks in general? My middleweight has a '54 stamped crank, which jives with the serial # and Sturmey hub date. I have a pic somewhere.


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## Freqman1 (Nov 12, 2018)

My '50 is not dated but I have seen middleweight cranks dated? V/r Shawn


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## Freqman1 (Nov 12, 2018)

Schwinn is life said:


> Cleaned the fenders up a little bit. Chrome is pretty decent on both rear is pretty banged up though. Cleaned area around serial number still looks like a D72167 to me. Wheels are double knurl s7 and looks like they will clean up alright to. Not sure if this picture of the decal helps date it.View attachment 900273
> View attachment 900274
> 
> View attachment 900275
> ...



Those wheels are S-2s not 7s. V/r Shawn


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## GTs58 (Nov 12, 2018)

Sure looks like a definite D to me in this shot. And I highly doubt that's a mis-stamped number since the number starts right at the stay stamping leaving no room for a missing digit.  
\




This is a mis-stamp leaving the year letter out.


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## 51Resorter (Nov 12, 2018)

Sure looks like D32167 to me.


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## John G04 (Nov 13, 2018)

Does the decal give any info on the year


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## Freqman1 (Nov 13, 2018)

Schwinn is life said:


> Does the decal give any info on the year




Nope. The tank decals were different on the early '50 Phantoms and all decals were different on the '59 models. V/r Shawn


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## John G04 (Nov 13, 2018)

So it sounds like this bike is pieced together. If the frame isn’t mis stamped then its a 52 unless records are wrong and it has a 57 fork and chainring.


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## GTs58 (Nov 13, 2018)

Have you crossed your fingers and then checked the crank for a rare possible date? 

That chain ring was not a typical ring on the Phantom until 1959, although there are many Phantoms over the years that have been equipped with it. Dealers special order or customer/owner change out at some point. Heavy bike with a 52 tooth ring is a bit much for a small kid.


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## Freqman1 (Nov 13, 2018)

Schwinn is life said:


> So it sounds like this bike is pieced together. If the frame isn’t mis stamped then its a 52 unless records are wrong and it has a 57 fork and chainring.




I don't think the bike is pieced together. If anything I think the serial may have been mis-stamped. V/r Shawn


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## John G04 (Nov 25, 2018)

Got the chainring off kind of looks like it says W1 or something


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## GTs58 (Nov 25, 2018)

I don't think that's your typical 50's Schwinn AS & CO crank.


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## John G04 (Nov 25, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> I don't think that's your typical 50's Schwinn AS & CO crank.



What do you think it is


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## GTs58 (Nov 25, 2018)

Schwinn is life said:


> What do you think it is




I have no idea what company cast that. In the 60's there were at least three different manufacturers, at least I assume there was, that produced the Schwinn cranks. S.W., S.A. and S.F. were cast in the cranks and then the year of casting. Never really found out what the letters meant for sure but some indicated SF was Schwinn Factory, SW was Schwinn Wald, and SA was Schwinn Ashtabula. 


.


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## John G04 (Nov 25, 2018)

So the crank is wrong. Is the fork a 57 or a 52 since the frame isn’t a mis stamp most likely


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## GTs58 (Nov 25, 2018)

Schwinn is life said:


> So the crank is wrong. Is the fork a 57 or a 52 since the frame isn’t a mis stamp most likely




That is the second gen springer that came out in 1955.


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## John G04 (Nov 25, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> That is the second gen springer that came out in 1955.



Ok i’m stumped then. It doesn’t looked pieced together and mis matched. The frame says 52 and parts say 57.


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## GTs58 (Nov 25, 2018)

What parts say 1957? The fork was used from 55 thru 59 and the ring was used for five decades or more. There were thousands of Black Phantoms produced so it would be real easy to find a springer to match any patina. Here's an interesting thread. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/perfect-patina-matches.127874/


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## Freqman1 (Nov 26, 2018)

Personally I think the bike is legit like it is and the serial is an anomaly. I don't think any parts were changed. Just my thoughts but I wouldn't change anything on the bike. V/r Shawn


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## John G04 (Nov 26, 2018)

Ok I think i’ll just clean it and if it rides well witch i’m sure it will and looks good i’ll, lookfor a tank and seat. Also how hard is it to recover a phantom seat or is it like any other seat just needs more padding.


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