# 1954/56 Schwinn Tiger 26"



## RLS (May 20, 2018)

I mentioned in another thread I had a project I was doing for a friend.....
  So I should have kept up to date from get go with pics and documentation.

  So the sad state of being a Shcwinn was picked up for $15 on Craigslist being advertised as "50's Schwinn?"
It was a carried out and loaded in pieces with pieces missing.

Easily eight layers of misc paint from God only knows what decade each, one of which I am certain was an oil based house paint hid the original color.
The bike seems rather all original down to the rims, only excluding the seat honestly which seems to have been from a Suburban or Continental.

The only thing it had going for it was the fact it checked as an authentic Chicago, was a good frame, ashtabula forks, front fender, and a chaingaurd;
I say good  meaning not bent to hell, dinged up, or rusted out and nothing with it was beyond help. The front rim cleaned up well enough and both need a trued.

  Now I have to ask, how common is double serial use on Old Schwinns? I checked authentic but in the format of "......54? 56? Your Schwinn serial was used twice"
During clean up I was able to see trace shadowing of the original decals for the Shwinn script and Tiger font.

To be cont.......


----------



## GTs58 (May 20, 2018)

There were some serial numbers that were used up to four times if you take the pre war bikes into account. Having a duplicate # from other years is pretty common for certain numbers.
Have you checked the actual serial number list to see if your number was used more than twice?


----------



## Sven (May 21, 2018)

*Heres a "Double issued" Corvette. P15683 - 12/02 to 12-08 1954 ; 11/12 to 11/15 1956.  I bought this jewel before becoming a CABEr. If I would have only known, what I have learned here, I would have waited and bought an at least 90% complete model.

I do wonder if the other P15683 is still out there somewhere?*


----------



## RLS (May 21, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> There were some serial numbers that were used up to four times if you take the pre war bikes into account. Having a duplicate # from other years is pretty common for certain numbers.
> Have you checked the actual serial number list to see if your number was used more than twice?




That's how I found out it was used twice,
Specifically L56134 checks out on the lookup tool as being used 05 to 06 1954
and again 04 to 08 1956



I knew it was genuine, I just wanted a date because it's serial is on the rear drop out.
 Its headbadge has no date code either.

So anyway He wanted to basicly do a ratrotter type build so in TRUE rat fashion we started with what we had that came with the bike... buying ONLY what was deemed a necessity and unavoidable in terms of parts.

  Initially he was going to repaint it a color that was never decided because it just looked to bad@zz stripped down, it got a glasslike poly acrylic enamel to inhibit rust from forming instead, I know alot of CABEr's frown upon that it seems but whatever. It looks like the original color was an earlier version of the "Cardinal Red Translucent on a silver base, but the first repaint layer was a basic red as well.

  The headbadge got a few dings tapped out, from the backside and honestly looked like it had been burnt, so it got redone to a black field and brushed aluminim border and letters.

So far the investment list looks like this and not going up unless he decides to drop a mount Chinadoll 2stroke engine on it.....

  Basicly My Greenville is the trials Beta build for figuring out WHAT NOT TO DO on the old cantilever frames to catalogue what exactly is required aftermarket.
  We established that so far that includes a CNC'd motor mount pair with a price tag bigger than the kit itself had.
(1 1/8" seat stay and 1" down tube)

$15 for the bike [craigslist]
$20 for a Model D New Departure hub [ebay]
$25 for an original 57 Tiger Chain [ebay]
(hub only used as replacement parts)
$25 for misc paint and detailing stuffs [autozone]

I will be clearing off the paint down to the chrome on the rear rim and truing both rims next.
The DX truss from that John Deere themed thing has been put on it.....looks real good.

BTW, anyone know how to date a solid cast steel headset with NO markings? I'll get a few pics of it out when I address packing the steer bearings with grease and locking them in... for now the fork is just hand tight assembled for mock up. I also since mocking found the matched rear brakes, so it will have dual rim + coaster. I would typically rework a coaster hub to not have braking ability in echange for backpedaling for a personal build......lovely little mod known as a "freecoaster" becase I ride hard and need that ability as well as better brakes than a coaster.

I might approach him on that because USUALLY it is as simple as removing the shoes and brake stay, and and then blocking the driver so that it can slip, but the spring still allows it to reengage. Noteworthy memo or was cheaper to buy a complete hub for parts because the clutch discs were nearly impossible to find as a set alone; those were all missing as was the brake side bearings and bearing dust cover.
I have enough loose bearings to free ball pack the parts hub and at least experiment a theory with one so old and No [brake] clutch discs.

The handlebars that came on it actully seem to be the typical wider trike type, but definitely Schwinn (100%identical to original on my 1979 T&C 3 speed IDK they might be original.

  Once I have the front fender in hand, it will serve as a "bobbed" rear since it is a short sport type fender anyway. As of right now it will be sitting on 26 × 2.125 blackwalls.


----------



## RLS (May 21, 2018)

I know there are some oldheads kicking around here... I expect you will be the ones to understand best when I say.....
FWIW:
  I despise the abuse of the postwar 50's era term "chopper" and 60's term "rat rod"

ORIGINALLY chopper is in reference to the old military dressed Harleys and Indians on the premise of as a civilian "if you won't use it, lose it!" Being heavy, and lot of it being welded on so not to vibrate loose, had to be cut or hacked of...."chopped".

Had not one friggin thing to do with adding long forks, or sectioning the frame for added caster and rake!

Rat rods were the crap you built on NO BUILD BUDGET AT ALL.
You literally scavenged and salvaged what you needed.....like a rat (though being "ratty" or "ragtag" as an apearance marquee , It was only included in the context and premise of any used micro budget to be has was blown specifically on making it run or ride)
It didn't matter what the part really was specifically, and never what machine or car it came off of, it only mattered as far as ... If You needed a part to serve a function, and that hunk of crap in the corner would work for THAT function...then beat hell You were going to use it...
These builds all done and said, were the same ones that were so No budget You couldn't even afford to paint it and didn't care because it was a true custom with your own personality.
Big Daddy Roth and his "Rat Fink" became iconic for that theme alone, of course I would be refering to a time before even my own parents were old enough to drive.
IDK it bothers Me that the culture was corrupted by yuppie customs built out of a seemingly bottomless pocket and had its terminology defiled


----------



## juanitasmith13 (May 22, 2018)

The 1954 use of serial number should have been for balloon tire bike; the 1956 use for a middle weight. Do you have S-2 rims or S-7? (early middle weights -1954- don't show up with multiple use serials; the balloon type do , as middle weight serials later on -1956,7, etc.... IMO). If the rims are not original to the bike, I don't know of any sure ways to differentiate year.... trim paint and/or decals? 1954 and 1956 Tiger were almost exact/same style.


----------



## RLS (May 22, 2018)

juanitasmith13 said:


> The 1954 use of serial number should have been for balloon tire bike; the 1956 use for a middle weight. Do you have S-2 rims or S-7? (early middle weights -1954- don't show up with multiple use serials; the balloon type do , as middle weight serials later on -1956,7, etc.... IMO). If the rims are not original to the bike, I don't know of any sure ways to differentiate year.... trim paint and/or decals? 1954 and 1956 Tiger were almost exact/same style.



I could try to date code the ND hubs but I am within 95% certainty the rims are NOT original to the frame bus are as original as built.
  I looked at Schwinn catalogues for the TIGER,
#1 the color and chain guard are consistent with a 56....
#2 it can't be a 54 tiger if tiger didnt exsist before 55...
#3 it has a single speed coaster, not an S.A.3 speed.....
#4 "Opalescent Red" is consistent with the color I mentioned before as being "maybe an earlier version of cardinal red" [see Greenville thread] and also 56

#5 there is no two ways about it that I uncovered "Schwinn" "Tiger" and other details nearly impossible to photograph, but are fairly easily seen in negative because the layers of paint stuck to them better than the rest of the paint, as well as they stuck to the paint better than the bike....

So my take is it is a 56, but "downgraded" in theory maybe the S.A. malfunctioned or the owner didn't know how to tune and set the shifter proper?

The Handlebars are not Tiger at all.....so new theory? Jr left his bike in the driveway an dad ran it over leaving for work? Something like that could destroy a rim and handlebars without touching the frame much.

The spokes are double butted, I'm not sure of the actual rim designation, but they have different profile to the sidewall (typical in coaster matched I noticed) where one is more boxed and squared while the other is more wedge like.

Between the type of tires it has on it, the fact I don't even think these tires can be bought new anymore, and the fact they are in damn good  condition for how old they definitely are (consistent but minor checking).....We are keeping them equipped unless a problem arise.
  TBH, I will only know more when I clear the crud from the rear rim before I true it. As of right now there is so little spoke tension I can grab a fist full of spokes, squeeze them, and the whole rim will shift by up to 3" before I become nervous of damage.


For the record I know too well about a bike being han over. I once hit a Cadillac Escalade broaside back when they were the hottest biggest new oversized SUV on tge market.
  I saved my dumbass by kicking off and putting my bike under and kinda doing a handspring off of the front quarter panel.......go figure I was haulin tail and the driver (a blonde F) decided on a parking spot without signaling..... I had aimed to pass on the right between parked cars because I was moving too fast to stop and she stopped sudden.
My rear rim was trashed, front salvagable, bars totally tweaked as well as the threadless headset was twisted..... No I don't ride like that anymore either.


----------



## juanitasmith13 (May 22, 2018)

RLS said:


> I could try to date code the ND hubs but I am within 95% certainty the rims are NOT original to the frame bus are as original as built.
> I looked at Schwinn catalogues for the TIGER,
> #1 the color and chain guard are consistent with a 56....
> #2 it can't be a 54 tiger if tiger didnt exsist before 55...
> ...


----------



## juanitasmith13 (May 22, 2018)

There was a 1954 Tiger; but, if the serial number was used twice, in 1954 & 1956, the 1954 would be a balloon tire bike i.e. a Hornet; the 1956 use would be your middle-weight Tiger. Tiger(s) were middle-weight bicycles. Another thing you can do is measure the rear seat-tube stays width between the two stays at the place of the upper rear fender mount... we can use this measure to prove it is a middleweight frame. (Your decal was on the chain-guard).


----------



## RLS (May 22, 2018)

juanitasmith13 said:


> There was a 1954 Tiger; but, if the serial number was used twice, in 1954 & 1956, the 1954 would be a balloon tire bike i.e. a Hornet; the 1956 use would be your middle-weight Tiger. Tiger(s) were middle-weight bicycles. Another thing you can do is measure the rear seat-tube stays width between the two stays at the place of the upper rear fender mount... we can use this measure to prove it is a middleweight frame. (Your decal was on the chain-guard).



Based on the catalogue info* I FOUND*
that isn't the case....NBD
The following are all measured in inches

1.94 at the top underside of the brake bridge
.58 diameter rear stays
Downtube, top tube, and seat stay tube are all 1 inch


 

 

 

 View attachment 812530 View attachment 812531


----------



## GTs58 (May 22, 2018)

JFYI, all the first new middleweights for 1955 started out with a serial number that was stamped in 1954. The Tigers were 3 speeds only and had chrome rims. I believe it was the 59 models where you had a choice of gearing or coaster.

@Sven
*P15683 - 12/02 to 12-08 1954 ; 11/12 to 11/15 1956.
*
The first stamping was definitely on a 1955 model and the second stamping was more than likely a 1957 model. Model year change over in most cases started with bikes with November serial numbers.


----------



## RLS (May 22, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> JFYI, all the first new middleweights for 1955 started out with a serial number that was stamped in 1954. The Tigers were 3 speeds only and had chrome rims. I believe it was the 59 models where you had a choice of gearing or coaster.
> 
> *P15683 - 12/02 to 12-08 1954 ; 11/12 to 11/15 1956.
> *
> The first stamping was definitely on a 1955 model and the second stamping was more than likely a 1957 model. Model year change over in most cases started with bikes with November serial numbers.



Not sure what that has to do with L15634 directly?
 I know for a fact now the rims are not original and I am not even sure they are Schwinn rims at all now.
New Departure Model D rear 
New Departure Model WL front.
Both chrome No knurling or stamping on the rim hoop at all
  I got you the measurement you mentioned would be telling specificaly and a few extra.
Personally IDC if it is a 54,56, or a 96, It is not my bike, just a project on my time for a friend in his dime.
At this point all I see is that all indications point to 56 based on readily availible info.   The traces if its original paint color and type, shape/style of the (color matching) chaingaurd, the style of chain ring, and again I have looked because of bad info gotten here on the CABE and going by apearance it is definitely not a 55 Tiger, and 54 HAD NO TIGER acording to the Schwinn catalogues.
  Furthermore I only see Your "JFYI" as rude and purely instigating.


----------



## RLS (May 24, 2018)

At this point, I'm not sure the rear rim can be trued without being relaced, more of the nipples seem fused to the spokes than what turn freely though non are crumbling or stuck to the rim.
  I did mount the rims for mockup and trimmed the front fender to sit bobbed so that's done and ready for clean up of about 3 layers of peeling paint on top of rust mottled chrome. I'm going to get some "quick steel" to fill in a few holes before confirming whether or not the fender is being just clear coated or painted black first.


----------



## RLS (May 28, 2018)

RLS said:


> At this point, I'm not sure the rear rim can be trued without being relaced, more of the nipples seem fused to the spokes than what turn freely though non are crumbling or stuck to the rim.
> I did mount the rims for mockup and trimmed the front fender to sit bobbed so that's done and ready for clean up of about 3 layers of peeling paint on top of rust mottled chrome. I'm going to get some "quick steel" to fill in a few holes before confirming whether or not the fender is being just clear coated or painted black first.
> View attachment 813590



So to update.....
All bearings are officially packed and locked in, rims finally trued, front forks recentered, and Bob fender might be a loss....I will be switching it to a set of gumwall "Schwinn Studded Balloon Tyres" because they have a lower profile than the tires that were going to be used originally.
  I never mentioned the front fork being tweaked because the front rim had been previously trued....total bang up job, straight without hop but it WAS ALSO badly off center of the hub. Recentering confirmed the Ashtabula was pushed over to one side.
  I remedied that by slipping a pipe down almost all the way to the bridge and leaning into it with a foot on the handlebar end. Few bumps later and although there is still a slight spread to them they draw in nice and center on the wheel lugs now.
  At this point it is time to test run and check for minor adjustments to things like lug torque, bearings after the grease loosen up and works around, and brake cables. I don't like over tightening and wrecking old metal axles or their lugd So sometimes I have rearsets that have to be recentered and locked tighter.
  I will add a fresh image set once the tires are swapped, if the bobbed fender will work with them it is getting done in hammered gold over black with the same gold pen striping used on the top tube and chaingaurd in the typical scalloped end style.

I am considering using a section of the pen stripe to create a color negative though.
 The given look would be a gold on black pen stripe for the lenght of the fender edging, and then where the gold tipping scallop is....jump to black on gold. 
One note in regard to the fender color though, I am going to strongly suggest to him a medium bright Red considering the frame is littered with the original paint and the most prominently remaining color on the chaingaurd is a combination of the original red and the first repaint red.

Any thoughts?
I am also debating having him source some Sort of decent fenders that are a touch narrower, NOT CHROME, a little rough for wear and go from there.


----------



## RLS (May 28, 2018)

As for the debate if this is a 54 or 56, something came up that suggests it MIGHT be a factory rebadged 54 Hornet....or other.
The chaingaurd was marked tiger and color matched the frame HOWEVER is other wise 100% physically identical to what is on THIS TRAVELER
  The rims being coaster single, AND the chaingaurd are physically identical to what is on THIS 56 CORVETTE even the original coloration of the "burnt looking" headbadge is a match to that corvette.
According to the Schwinn catalogue archives that chaingaurd was only used in 56 when it comes to Tigers. The chaingaurd for 1955 Tigers was reused in 1956+ with graphic changes alont the way and minor reshapes.
 I am becoming annoyed that this bike is elusive to any identity beyond anything other than being built somewhere between 54 and 56


----------



## GTs58 (May 28, 2018)

That style chain guard dates back to pre war times and was modified post war with attached mounting brackets. The new 55 middleweights, Corvette, Tiger and American were all equipped with that guard. All three of these models also had the same color choices. The 1955 middleweight guard was a one year only and most all of the boys geared models had a cable clip riveted to the top of the guard. One other note is the location of the mounting hardware on the 1956 and up guards was relocated further back on the guard moving the guard forward. Your guard is a 56 or later model guard.


----------



## RLS (May 28, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> That style chain guard dates back to pre war times and was modified post war with attached mounting brackets. The new 55 middleweights, Corvette, Tiger and American were all equipped with that guard. All three of these models also had the same color choices. The 1955 middleweight guard was a one year only and most all of the boys geared models had a cable clip riveted to the top of the guard. One other note is the location of the mounting hardware on the 1956 and up guards was relocated further back on the guard moving the guard forward. Your guard is a 56 or later model guard.




Well on that note she got her rebirth maiden voyage today...I got a few lowrider magazine style photo angles for fun.
  She runs so smooth I can not only ride no hands and keep a straight line but also pedal through a corner no hands and she don't get sketchy about it.
  At some point there will beta boattail rear carrier being added as well as a hair pin springer seat, I currently have a front fender lined up that will get some light reworking to fit properly.


----------



## RLS (Jun 4, 2018)

After some clean up and hole plugging, it turns out the fender isn't even a Schwinn, and was not likely ever chrome....it is in fact a Prewar era "Peaked" Roadmaster fender


----------



## RLS (Jul 1, 2018)

So It is done,
The 56 tiger rolls out tomorrow with it's rightful owner who is needless to say STOKED.

The finishing touches were a torched and oiled purposely burnt chrome front fender, redressed the Bobbed rear, a Brooks (stretcher?) Leather saddle and a brown leather tool bag.


----------



## phantom (Jul 1, 2018)

Interesting fender brace position on the rear fender.


----------



## anders1 (Jul 3, 2018)

Nice ride!


----------



## RLS (Jul 4, 2018)

phantom said:


> Interesting fender brace position on the rear fender.



Being a front fender originally, and slightly shortened for a Bobbed look, I didn't have many working options


----------



## Santee (Sep 25, 2022)

I like what you did with this Schwinn. It looks like a fun rider.


----------

