# Schwinn straight bar middle weight?



## Tim the Skid (Feb 2, 2013)

Did Schwinn offer a straight bar mid weight in the 50's? I picked this up this yesterday, it has chrome S-7 rims with 26x1.75 Westwind tires. Or did someone change these out at one time?Any ideas what model this was? Serial # VO5666 (1956) Thanks!  Tim


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## Tim the Skid (Feb 2, 2013)

It Has a BF Goodrich headbadge if that is any help...


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## krankrate (Feb 2, 2013)

*schwinn middleweight*

http://waterfordbikes.com/SchwinnCat/flschwinn_1951_1960/1959_10.html


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## mruiz (Feb 2, 2013)

Skipper, Tornado, there is one more I can't remember?


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## fordmike65 (Feb 2, 2013)

Spitfire? What year is your bike?


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## GTs58 (Feb 2, 2013)

Yep, with that frame SN and paint scheme it has to be a 56 Spitfire or stripped down Hornet. FYI, the Spitfire and Hornet was available as a ballooner and a middleweight in 1956. But I have no idea why. If your front fender has holes for a light then I'd guess it could be a Hornet.


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## Tim the Skid (Feb 2, 2013)

krankrate, that's a great link,thanks! GTs58, it does have holes in the front fender for a light. I'm thinking you are right, probably a mid weight Hornet. I re-packed all the bearings and took it for a spin today. Great rider. Very smooth.


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## GTs58 (Feb 2, 2013)

Grease it, polish it and ride it. 

Scroll down past the Phantom to the Hornet and Spitfire. 
http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1951_1960/1956_07.html


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## PCHiggin (Feb 3, 2013)

GTs58 said:


> Yep, with that frame SN and paint scheme it has to be a 56 Spitfire or stripped down Hornet. FYI, the Spitfire and Hornet was available as a ballooner and a middleweight in 1956. But I have no idea why. If your front fender has holes for a light then I'd guess it could be a Hornet.




Yep,I think the ballooner is a D Model and the middleweight is an F. I have a '56 girls Hornet mid-weight...Heres some literature showing the different models....http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1951_1960/1956.html....A member here brought this to my attention


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## rollfaster (Feb 3, 2013)

*straight bar middleweight*

hey,tim. that is a cool find.1956 is the only year schwinn offered the middleweight in a straightbar frame.check your serial number,this is a hornet-spitfire.this bike will make a real nice rider.post pics when your finished.:o


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## GTs58 (Feb 3, 2013)

57 spitfire said:


> hey,tim. that is a cool find.1956 is the only year schwinn offered the middleweight in a straightbar frame.check your serial number,this is a hornet-spitfire.this bike will make a real nice rider.post pics when your finished.:o




See post above with link. 


PCHiggin 
 Originally Posted by GTs58  
Yep, with that frame SN and paint scheme it has to be a 56 Spitfire or stripped down Hornet. FYI, the Spitfire and Hornet was available as a ballooner and a middleweight in 1956. But I have no idea why. If your front fender has holes for a light then I'd guess it could be a Hornet.
Yep,I think the ballooner is a D Model and the middleweight is an F. I have a '56 girls Hornet mid-weight...Heres some literature showing the different models....http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1951_1960/1956.html....*A member here brought this to my attention *


That would be me. I still haven't figured out why same name models were made in both classes. Maybe to see if the middleweight would be a better seller or if the ballooner was going to be a thing of the past. ???


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## rollfaster (Feb 3, 2013)

*straight bar middleweight*

youre right,gt58s.its hard to say what some of there marketing strategies were.


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## PCHiggin (Feb 3, 2013)

57 spitfire said:


> youre right,gt58s.its hard to say what some of there marketing strategies were.




I think they were just phasing out the ballooners.They are bulkier somewhat heavier and  and the trend was towards middleweights,less was more. The same thing happened to the heavily equipped middleweights when the Sting-Rays and ten speeds came out.I didnt like all of that stuff on my bikes back in the 60's and 70's


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## Rivnut (Feb 3, 2013)

I don't know for sure how accurate all of this is, but here's link that has a bunch of Hornet ads through the years.  From this ad it appears that the D model straight bar frame was last built in 56, and the cantilever middleweight made it's debut in '57.  It appears that the text is from the original ad as well.  Can anyone tell if it's complete or are there missing years/info?

http://schwinncruisers.com/bikes/hornet/


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## GTs58 (Feb 3, 2013)

Rivnut said:


> I don't know for sure how accurate all of this is, but here's link that has a bunch of Hornet ads through the years.  From this ad it appears that the D model straight bar frame was last built in 56, and the cantilever middleweight made it's debut in '57.  It appears that the text is from the original ad as well.  Can anyone tell if it's complete or are there missing years/info?
> 
> http://schwinncruisers.com/bikes/hornet/




It's pretty accurate with most of the available catalogs but it's not really complete. You also have to use a copy of the price sheets and you will see. More bikes were produced than what were shown in some of the Schwinn catalogs. The 56 ballooner Hornet had a springer and the 56 Middleweight version came with truss rods. That site is also incomplete as far as the Schwinn Corvettes are concerned. Again, info shown on the January and later updated price sheets tell all. No Stingrays on the Jan 63 price sheet or 63 catalogs but the later 63 price sheets have the Stingrays.


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