# Any way to identify a Phantom frame?



## snickle (Mar 10, 2011)

I have what I was told was a 52 Phantom, the serial is on the rear left area where the wheel goes and it had the phantom parts on it but is there any sure way to tell if this is a genuine Phantom frame? I know the paint job is not correct, but is there any way to tell for sure?


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## hzqw2l (Mar 10, 2011)

Other than original paint on a frame, you can't really tell.  Serial numbers only tell year so it could have been one of several models Schwinn offered.


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## snickle (Mar 10, 2011)

Thank you for your reply friend. I guess I will have to chip at the paint and see whats underneath. Does that crank look right to you?


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## hzqw2l (Mar 10, 2011)

The crank might be but the chain ring is not a Schwinn ring.


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## rhenning (Mar 13, 2011)

The Phantom decal on the chain guard is from a 1959 bike the only year that decal was used.  I think you have a bike someone made.  I hope you didn't pay a lot.  Roger


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## schwinnderella (Mar 13, 2011)

The serial number on the rear drop out is not correct for a 1952 phantom.


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## Freqman1 (Mar 13, 2011)

Actually that decal isn't even correct for a '59. That looks to to made from some vinyl letters or something but not Schwinn! v/r Shawn 







rhenning said:


> The Phantom decal on the chain guard is from a 1959 bike the only year that decal was used.  I think you have a bike someone made.  I hope you didn't pay a lot.  Roger


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## snickle (Mar 14, 2011)

schwinnderella said:


> The serial number on the rear drop out is not correct for a 1952 phantom.




Im not sure, but according to this site 52 did have the serial on the left rear dropout


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http://www.angelfire.com/rant/allday101/SchwinnCodes1.html
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I paid $500 for this bike, I think I got my money's worth with the locking fork and other parts. As for the decal on the chainguard, I have seen a google image or 2 with those exact letters, but the majority is the cursive writing. Thanks for the replies guys, Im learning.


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## jwm (Mar 14, 2011)

Rhenning is right. The bike was probably parted together. But it's pretty rare to find a sixty year old bike that isn't at least partly parted together. The gooseneck isn't a fifties from what I can tell, and the seat isn't either. Still, not a bad deal at $500., but neither is it a Phantom. Ride it, and enjoy.

JWM


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## snickle (Mar 15, 2011)

This is great information guys, I appreciate all of it, can someone show me a picture of the correct gooseneck? I also purchased a hornet wasp from the same guy that appears to be correct (except for the seat and rear rack, and the front light is questionable) I paid $300 for this one and have since replaced the seat with a tan troxel similar to the one on the phantom even though I know it is supposed to have one of those 2 tone seats on it. Does this hornet have the gooseneck that the phantom is supposed to have? Also, I know the rims are supposed to be painted, but I just barely got the bike and at least they're S2's


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## jwm (Mar 17, 2011)

It's kind of hard to tell from the pictures, but it appears that the gooseneck on the second bike is correct for the Phantom.
Here's a pic of my 1950 B6. Now, this bike too, took quite a bit of parts gathering, but all but a few minor items Like the pedals, and rear reflector are correct for this bike, and would be correct for your Phantom.
Hope this helps. BTW- What are your plans for the bike? Are you going to go for 100% correct restoration, or just take it as is?





JWM


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## mason_man (Mar 17, 2011)

Those are some nice looking bikes.I've been picking up parts for my whizzers and this is some of the bikes he's got laying around his shop 59 Wasp and 50 B6. Nice bike John


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## hzqw2l (Mar 18, 2011)

jwm said:


> But it's pretty rare to find a sixty year old bike that isn't at least partly parted together.
> JWM




Nice Bikes guys.  It is very difficult to find the unchanged as purchased 1950's bike.









This one came from the original owner.  Can't bring myself to detail it, I've owned it 2 years and haven't even cleaned it.  Maybe this year?


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## teisco (Mar 18, 2011)

Is the chrome chainguard correct for any year phantom? I have a chrome chainguard with phantom on it also but in script. Also any closeup pics of the correct gooseneck?


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## Freqman1 (Mar 18, 2011)

No chrome chainguards for Phantoms. v/r Shawn


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## snickle (Mar 18, 2011)

WOW! Very nice bikes! The chainguard on my phantom is chrome but it loos like it was painted at one time and the idiot scraped off the black paint as there is still traces of it. Im wondering if it's a repop that was chromed somewhere along the way and then painted, or is it original that was chromed and painted. I know you ask "why would anyone chrome it then paint it" well this particular bike came from a lowrider guy so you never know what it's been through. Is there any way to tell if the chainguard or fenders are vintage? There is very little rust inside. Also, there is a smaller spring inside of the larger spring on the fork, is that supposed to be in there?


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## PCHiggin (Mar 19, 2011)

The paint overspray  in the headtube might be red and it might be black in the crank hanger.That would tell me the bike was a Phantom originally. BTW,Roger is correct about the c/guard decal. '59 was the only year Schwinn used it and was the last year for the Phantom.


Pat


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## Freqman1 (Mar 19, 2011)

That decal IS NOT correct. Courtesy of Dave's site (Nostalgic Net) here is a pic of the correct '59 decal. v/r Shawn







PCHiggin said:


> The paint overspray  in the headtube might be red and it might be black in the crank hanger.That would tell me the bike was a Phantom originally. BTW,Roger is correct about the c/guard decal. '59 was the only year Schwinn used it and was the last year for the Phantom.
> 
> 
> Pat


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## snickle (Mar 19, 2011)

I see what you are saying now, Here is a picture of a 59 chain guard I found as well. Here is also a picture of the gooseneck on the wasp, and phantom, and a picture of the inner spring on the phantom that I dont think belongs there.


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