# Rim Color of 1955 Girld Hornet?



## Dan West (Dec 14, 2014)

Hi All,

I am refinishing a 1955 girls hornet with 26 inch S-7 rims. Where they originally white or the ivory color used on the frame?

Thanks,

Dan


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## PCHiggin (Dec 14, 2014)

My '56 has ivory


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## PCHiggin (Dec 14, 2014)

*Heres a comparison....*

And heres my '56. I'd really like to find a mate to this one. I cant remember seeing a boys M/W that year.


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## Dan West (Dec 14, 2014)

PCHiggin said:


> And heres my '56. I'd really like to find a mate to this one. I cant remember seeing a boys M/W that year.




Yep that is the color it was and will be soon. I bought some stencils for the frame and wheels, the instructions said to paint S-7 rims white but I really think the ones I stripped were ivory. I was thinking maybe it had yellowed so I wasn't sure.  Thanks for the pics, they'll help me a bunch!

Dan


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## GTs58 (Dec 14, 2014)

Can you post the serial number on your Hornet? Your question on the SBF was not completely answered due to dating info.


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## Dan West (Dec 14, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> Can you post the serial number on your Hornet? Your question on the SBF was not completely answered due to dating info.




It is 7007639


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## GTs58 (Dec 14, 2014)

I'm not sure what that number is, but it's not a 55 serial number.   The number should be in the left rear dropout just above the axle nut.


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## Dan West (Dec 14, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> I'm not sure what that number is, but it's not a 55 serial number.   The number should be in the left rear dropout just above the axle nut.




I have no idea where that came from! Let me try again, it is T94602


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## GTs58 (Dec 14, 2014)

Just as I thought. The serial number was recorded late in the year, 11/1/55, so the bike without a doubt is a 1956 model. The serial number's date code is not the date the bike was built and I'd guess yours was actually built right after the first of the year. The Hornet was offered only as a ballooner for 1955, but for 1956 it was offered as a ballooner, boys only (Deluxe Hornet D19, with springer) *and* a middleweight (Hornet F15, with truss rods). It was only offered as a middleweight for the girls in 1956, model # F65.


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## Jeff54 (Dec 14, 2014)

Dan West said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I am refinishing a 1955 girls hornet with 26 inch S-7 rims. Where they originally white or the ivory color used on the frame?
> 
> ...





Ive a 48, same colors and all I did was moreover insto-quicky touching up on it..

Was a field find and purtty rusty. No, make that very rusty! . I cleaned the rust out of the paint with a toilet bowl cleaner,, and then rinsed it several time with distilled water..

But, super low budget job, while testing paints, I had a can of antique white and wiped it on the sides of the rims.. also hit a little of the frame's white too. very tin amounts, lightly rubbed on with cloth. 

That was about 10-12 year ago,,  no way pristine, ,, didn't match exactly, but ya gotta look close to tell,  nor would the exact same color, .but gave it some nice new, "used" life and, considering the age of rims here's how it looks this year.

Also had a local paint store make a quart of the green which didn't match, "exactly"  but,, I thinned it out and  rubbed a thin layer over the bad areas of the green. 


Gave it to my daughter for xmas and it was instant love. I.E. it aint just sat all that time.


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## PCHiggin (Dec 16, 2014)

*1956 Middleweight....*



GTs58 said:


> Just as I thought. The serial number was recorded late in the year, 11/1/55, so the bike without a doubt is a 1956 model. The serial number's date code is not the date the bike was built and I'd guess yours was actually built right after the first of the year. The Hornet was offered only as a ballooner for 1955, but for 1956 it was offered as a ballooner, boys only (Deluxe Hornet D19, with springer) *and* a middleweight (Hornet F15, with truss rods). It was only offered as a middleweight for the girls in 1956, model # F65.




Hi,I was wondering where you got the info stating girls only m/w for the '56 Hornet? I think I can almost read that page on the Tom Findley site but not sure.Can you point me to that info? I enjoy learning new factoids about my bikes.Thanks


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## Rivnut (Dec 16, 2014)

The "_Fair Trade Prices for Schwinn Bicycles_ minimum retail selling prices effective Jan. 1, 1956," shows the boys hornet as model F15, and the girls model as F65.  The 'Deluxe' Hornet is shown for boys only as model D19.

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1951_1960/1956.html

Ed


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## PCHiggin (Dec 16, 2014)

*I see that.....*



Rivnut said:


> The "_Fair Trade Prices for Schwinn Bicycles_ minimum retail selling prices effective Jan. 1, 1956," shows the boys hornet as model F15, and the girls model as F65.  The 'Deluxe' Hornet is shown for boys only as model D19.
> 
> http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1951_1960/1956.html
> 
> Ed




I referenced that page in my question.My question was/is,Where is it written that ONLY  THE GIRLS IS A  MIDDLEWEIGHT? I don't see that here,I wonder where that info came from?


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## GTs58 (Dec 16, 2014)

If you look at the Price guide you will see that the D model Hornet for the girls version is void of a model number. That indicates it is not available, same for the Phantom and Streamliner. And the same thing for the Starlet, no boys model. 

For the F model Middleweight Hornet there are both boys and girls models listed. F models are middleweights and D's are ballooners


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## PCHiggin (Dec 16, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> If you look at the Price guide you will see that the D model Hornet for the girls version is void of a model number. That indicates it is not available, same for the Phantom and Streamliner. And the same thing for the Starlet, no boys model.




Saw that too,That's for the Deluxe, not the standard "F" models,right? I'm guessing the asterisk before the model name might clear this up but I cant read the note it points to. No big deal, just curious


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## GTs58 (Dec 16, 2014)

For some reason I was having a hard time to get my previous post to post. Did you see that the F designates a middleweight model and the D for ballooners. Years later Schwinn changed all the letters for the different models.


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## PCHiggin (Dec 16, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> For some reason I was having a hard time to get my previous post to post. Did you see that the F designates a middleweight model and the D for ballooners. Years later Schwinn changed all the letters for the different models.




Yes,I did notice.Thats where its muddy to me.That page clearly shows boys AND girls standard "F" model MIDDLEWEIGHT  Hornets for 1956,thats if the F meant M/W with this model and the D meant ballooner.It should. The "D" or Deluxe model appears to be a ballooner. I guess we don't know if the F designation was used on the Hornets as it was the Corvette,American etc.  I wish I could read the note the asterisk points to.


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## GTs58 (Dec 16, 2014)

You can read what is noted by the * on the 1958 and 1959 price sheet. It's for a pricing note, not fair traded.


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## Dan West (Dec 17, 2014)

Great information all! Thanks


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