# Prewar Schwinn crank markings



## cds2323 (Apr 30, 2015)

I was wondering if anyone knows what this mark is on this Schwinn crank? Is it a makers mark? I know that the 502 refers to the part number for a ladies crank arm.


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## 2jakes (Apr 30, 2015)

cds2323 said:


> I was wondering if anyone knows what this mark is on this Schwinn crank? Is it a makers mark? I know that the 502 refers to the part number for a ladies crank arm.




I saw this in another forum from july 2012.
*
40's Schwinn parts for sale:

Quote  "Dog leg crank marked H 502 from '46 girls bike & 24 tooth skiptooth sprocket."
*

I've heard of "dog leg crank" before (no pun intended) but maybe others can pitch in & tell you more.

jake.


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## jpromo (May 1, 2015)

To me, the mark looks like an early variant of AS&Co. Also, I'm pretty sure I've seen the H502 on men's crank arms as well.


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## cds2323 (May 1, 2015)

Thanks for the input so far. The crank in question is a 24 tooth with dogleg crank removed from a ladies 1939 Schwinn. 

Here's a catalog page showing the 501 as a men's and the 502 as a ladies. 

As to the mark, still not sure. Here's a 36 crank with a clearly marked A S. To me, it doesn't look any thing like the round mark. Still guessing it's a makers mark.


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## 2jakes (May 1, 2015)

jpromo said:


> To me, the mark looks like an early variant of AS&Co. Also, I'm pretty sure I've seen the H502 on men's crank arms as well.





 Note the Schwinn catalog has listings for 501, 502, & 503 
"dog leg crank" for mens, ladies & juvenile Schwinn bikes.

*502     Ladies  and New World ---Chrome plated*


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## Djshakes (May 1, 2015)

From my understanding the cranks stamped 501 and 502 were replacement cranks.  That is why it states "In Carton".


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## 2jakes (May 1, 2015)

Djshakes said:


> From my understanding the cranks stamped 501 and 502 were replacement cranks.  That is why it states "In Carton".




Yes !
 Probably the cranks also came in cartons to dealers who could then apply to each bike as an option.
Plus reading in a '40s Schwinn catalog of parts.
 Each crank was designated a specific size.
Mens-Ladies-Juveniles.


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## Djshakes (May 1, 2015)

I owned one once.  Here it is.

http://www.bicyclechronicles.com/#!noscrank.JPG/zoom/c6u/imagensa


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## jpromo (May 1, 2015)

2jakes said:


> Note the Schwinn catalog has listings for 501, 502, & 503
> "dog leg crank" for mens, ladies & juvenile Schwinn bikes.
> 
> *502     Ladies  and New World ---Chrome plated*




Yep, it was a men's New World that I was thinking I saw it on!


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## 2jakes (May 1, 2015)

jpromo said:


> Yep, it was a men's New World that I was thinking I saw it on!




Probably someone did use it on a men's bike back then.


* AS & Co. by Schwinn *





btw: I used Djshakes photo as a background because I like the image.


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## Miq (Sep 25, 2019)

The 502 “ladies” crank is the correct one for the prewar Men’s New New World as shown in the 1940 parts catalog.  There was one fitted to my 1941 men’s New World.  

I was wondering if some of you could help nail down what the actual lengths of the different prewar cranks are.  The 502 cranks on my bike are 6.5” from center of the BB to the center of the pedal axle. What is it for the other two common prewar cranks?

501 Men’s Prewar Dogleg Crank = ??”
502 Ladies and New World Prewar Dogleg Crank = 6.5”
503 Juvenile Prewar Dogleg Crank = ??”

It would be nice to have this info captured here.  Maybe I’m just not searching long enough...

Thanks for any help you can share.


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## SirMike1983 (Sep 25, 2019)

Just want to add - that "AS&Co" sprocket for one-piece crank is very uncommon. That sprocket is usually seen on the 3-piece cottered crank New World sets from before WWII. But here it is the one-piece version, which is very rarely seen.


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## GTs58 (Sep 25, 2019)

@Miq
My 1943 blacked out dog leg crank is 7"  C-C. It doesn't have a part number cast in though.
And the other little cast in symbol is a square with what looks like an F. I've seen other symbols on pre war Schwinn cranks and I'm not so sure it's a marking indicating a manufacturer.

Just a note. All the post war Schwinn cranks I have on my Balloon, Middleweights and early 60's lightweights have a 6.5" C-C crank.


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## Miq (Sep 25, 2019)

@GTs58 That 1943 wartime black out crank is sick!  So the men's crank is 7".  Now all we need is the Juvenile length.

501 Men’s Prewar Dogleg Crank = 7” = 177.5mm
502 Ladies and New World Prewar Dogleg Crank = 6.5” = 165.0mm
503 Juvenile Prewar Dogleg Crank = ??”

Pic of the 502 marked crank from my 41 New World.  Extremely close markings to those on the crank from the first post by @cds2323


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## Miq (Sep 25, 2019)

Juvenile ("Photo" 216) looks at least a full inch shorter than the ladies/New World ("Photo" 215) crank.  Maybe more...  Anyone have one they can measure?

NW Racer ("Photo" 217) crank doesn't have a dog leg.   But this shows that it was also 6.5" offset:




501 Men’s Prewar Dogleg Crank = 7” = 177.5mm
502 Ladies and New World Prewar Dogleg Crank = 6.5” = 165.0mm
503 Juvenile Prewar Dogleg Crank = ??”

7003 New World Racer Prewar Straight Crank = 6.5" = 165.0mm


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## Miq (Sep 25, 2019)

1948 Catalog







I'm guessing this is the same length as the Juvenile prewar cranks too.  If so:

*501 Men’s Prewar Dogleg Crank = 7” = 177.5mm
     502 Ladies and New World Prewar Dogleg Crank = 6.5” = 165.0mm
     503 Juvenile Prewar Dogleg Crank = 5.5” = 140mm
*
*     7003 New World Racer Prewar Straight Crank = 6.5" = 165.0mm*


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## Miq (Sep 25, 2019)

1948 catalog page on 1 piece cranks.  Same prewar 503 part number is used for the 5.5" Juvenile length as listed above.

4.5" super small Juvenile crank looks like a post war part with the 9351 part number.  ??



Also note that the 1948 post war adult 1 piece crank doesn't look as dog legged as the prewar crank, and the circular washer looking part that the sprocket rests directly against is gone.  The Juvenile dog legs above it show the prewar look to compare to.


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## 1motime (Dec 7, 2019)

Miq said:


> 1948 catalog page on 1 piece cranks.  Same prewar 503 part number is used for the 5.5" Juvenile length as listed above.
> 
> 4.5" super small Juvenile crank looks like a post war part with the 9351 part number.  ??
> View attachment 1069540
> Also note that the 1948 post war adult 1 piece crank doesn't look as dog legged as the prewar crank, and the circular washer looking part that the sprocket rests directly against is gone.  The Juvenile dog legs above it show the prewar look to compare to.



These arms were stamped SCHWINN?  Or is just in a catalog drawing?


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## GTs58 (Dec 7, 2019)

1motime said:


> These arms were stamped SCHWINN?  Or is just in a catalog drawing?




I have never seen an engraved leg on a forged crank. Looks good on paper.


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## bobcycles (Dec 7, 2019)

Seems to be an 'artist rendering' issue with the Schwinn logo shown on catalog parts pages where
in reality they were never stamped....


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## 1motime (Dec 8, 2019)

Too bad they never followed through and did the stamping.  Some Accountant probably shut the idea down......


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