# 1955 Corvette 24" rear coaster hub Help? Or calling all 1950's   hub experts!



## Jeff54 (May 24, 2014)

*1955 Corvette 24" 2-speed hub? Opal red blend & rare Corvette chain Guard (Solved)*

(although there's a lot of confusion, ignorance on my part inside this log, I'm going to leave it, un-edited for those who might have a similar experience as a heads up. You may be a know it all, like me, or others who actually do know a lot more than anybody, Thanks to GT for his patience, Spoker's knowledge  and Island Schwinn's data base, but unusually as in this topic, as the story concludes, every once and a blue moon,   nobody "knows all". ) 

This is currently on a 1955 25" girls Schwinn Corvette with Schwinn S-7 rims as found. (photo's below)  But darned it, I can not find anything in better detail about this hub. Although similar hub's made later, with similar tall or wide outer hub ends, that appears to be required if a 3 speed hub was laced in the rims.  I.E. It looks like, the coaster 24 corvette's spokes are interchangeable with the fat hub of a 3-speed. And that's why the hub has such wide  side walls, for lacing the spokes. 


 And other than the Bendix brake, there is no manufacture's identifying marks. And it gets a bit worse too. There's pits on the center cylinder, rust pits. Before I began cleaning it to find manufacture marks, other than perhaps a light attempt to clean it in the past, there was  enough old dried grease or oil that covered all other chrome parts of this hub. Which indicates to me,, it should have been dirty enough through its history to protect the chrome on the center cylinder from pitting. A guess perhaps, although, the 'chrome' on the other areas, while not polished as the center, is thin and preserved perfectly, due to the many years of dried grease/oil covering it. (Some can be seen reaming  in photos, I was only cleaning enough to discover a maker's mark)) And all of he other chrome parts on this bike, except the kick stand which is painted silver, so who knows but,  are very nice, condition. . There's no reason the think it was left outside or abused. Including the rims on the bike. a little rust but it's light,, appears easily removed. The handle bars and goose neck where water and dew settles and rusts,  are remarkably nice!

However still, thin chrome on the cylinder  is not up too normal standards I've ever seen in 1950's Schwinn. The front wheel hub is nice with Schwinn stamped logo on cylinder not a single pit or indication of any rust. . 

I mean I can imagine, for the ability to create interchangeable hubs in each different model, 3 speed hub and coaster hub would be smoother at factory and dealer if both lace up without requiring different spokes.  And the spokes on it do look correct, and or, not modified to fit it. But I can also imagine, somebody might know of a lower quality bike manufacture that will also be the right size to interchange that hub too. 


So, can anybody recognize this hub?/I can't find but above 60-61 examples  is it 1955 only?, serial numbers; frame date code says; made on 05/03 to 05/05 of 1955, So it's an pretty early edition/production release for this model which means, it could also be  a quick and small product purchase for the first year edition,  or, is it on earlier/later 24" models? 20" rims, 26". Other manufactures; Murray, huffy, etc? 

Disclaimer: I intend to sell whole or preferably, parts, part-out  (there's a few small chromed  parts I'd like because they are so nice but whole can work for the right price, 'naturalist'  too. ) However, stickler that I am, long winded but detailed too, lol, 
 need to insure I'm making proper  identification Thanks in advance for all or any assistance in solving my little mystery! !


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## spoker (May 24, 2014)

bendix 2 speed manual hub,should have a large shift handle on the right handle bar and a metal cable down to the hub,i have a 1960 fair lady with that hub aand a front caliper brake,the fair lady replaced the girls corvette,both were produced 3 years only


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## Jeff54 (May 24, 2014)

spoker said:


> bendix 2 speed manual hub,should have a large shift handle on the right handle bar and a metal cable down to the hub,i have a 1960 fair lady with that hub aand a front caliper brake,the fair lady replaced the girls corvette,both were produced 3 years only




Thanks spoker but you're confusing me.. This is not a 2-speed, and according to both online catalogs were not offered on the Corvette  in 1955, 3-speed strerny-archer  (cable to hub required)  or Bendex coaster brake (single speed, no cable to hub required) only, .  Although any Schwinn could be modified for the bendex 2-speed, 'kickback', the model did not offer it .

  And what was produced 3 years only? the hub, which is what I am seeking or the 24", assuming you're talking about 24" too,  model of fair lady you have?

And I'm not trying to sound like a SA, but,, I never heard of a 2-speed that required a cable too? 3-speed yes, but Schwinn made a 2 speed that's cable operated verses the kickback without cable? .  maybe you could double check, comparing the small cylinder body of mine against either 2 speed or 3 speeds, those  would have a much bigger or  fatter center cylinder (center hub body) . And I think they would have red striping too. 

Well wait, sure it's a 2-Speed, forward speed and stop speed, {grin} [wink]

However, there's something new to me, You're right about production years. Schwinn did not make the girls Corvette after 1958 , it became the fair lady 1959. And they did have the coaster bendex single speed ,  the bendex  2-speed,' kick-back' and 3-speed option in 1959. So, the girls Corvette must not have sold well, as the catalog only shows it in 1955-1957. 

Regardless, Hub question remains, although greater odds it is indeed Schwinn, but all years through 1961, or?


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## spoker (May 24, 2014)

im only speaking of 26 inch,your bike might be a 56 cause the numbers duplicated,i dont think the2 speed manual wasofferd in 55 as sock but yours could have been changed,remember these bikes are old and many things happened to them in the days past,take a look at the right side of your reat axle and see if it gas a hole in it and see if the left side axle has a scewdriver type on it,this my help identify,gts58 may add some info as he is prolly the most knowlagable about these things


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## Jeff54 (May 24, 2014)

spoker said:


> im only speaking of 26 inch,your bike might be a 56 cause the numbers duplicated,i dont think the2 speed manual wasofferd in 55 as sock but yours could have been changed,remember these bikes are old and many things happened to them in the days past,take a look at the right side of your reat axle and see if it gas a hole in it and see if the left side axle has a scewdriver type on it,this my help identify,gts58 may add some info as he is prolly the most knowlagable about these things




Yeah got ya. and once again it's not a two speed,.. . Yet, nope it's a 1955 alright.. they did duplicate the first letter R, but did not duplicate the number series on my corvette.  R 394 on a corvette  is 1955 only. 
while 56 can have  R30 --R38 (1956  R30528 - -R38316)

and 1957 is   R41 -R58  (1957  R41605 -R58258) 


you'd expect that, or I did, R39-- R41604  (1955   R00001 --R99999)
)  

was made after R38 (1956) but it aint! lol and that's confusing!  

So it could begin with an R or other letter in other years, but some of them can be dated . maybe just a few, guess I'm lucky    A little confusing as it took me a while to figure it out, and hit the right dated number series. 

Because, as you pointed out the girls Corvette had a 3 year production limit,  1955 (05/03 to 05/05 ------- R39162 ------------------ R56573)

R394  Girls Corvette is 1955 only.


Oh and By the way. Ya don't need to remind me of changing stuff on Schwinn's. cause, between say, 1964- 1972 I was doing it with several multiples of different years!  (Guilty as charged) LOL 

Only because I could not bake paint on, and possibly dating guts, (bearings, brakes etc)  hubs, and accessories , you'd know if ya had one of those I restored. 


So the answer, the question about this hub remains a mystery .

Sorry for all the edits, sheash!


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## GTs58 (May 24, 2014)

The rear hub is in fact a Bendix 2 speed manual. You never posted a picture of the drive side but the high flanges and brake arm are enough to identify it. The first year that hub was offered on a Corvette was 1958, but there were other earlier models where that hub was a standard hub like the 1955 24" Flying Star.

I believe the manual was replaced by the Bendix Auto in 1961 or 62. So it only was offered for maybe six model years.


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## spoker (May 24, 2014)

dont know if its off topic or not but i have a 56 boys american with 2 speed manual and fron brakes mounted on the fork legs,it came that way in the 56 catalog,rare front brakes as i had only seen em on heavyweights b4 i got this american


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## Jeff54 (May 24, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> The rear hub is in fact a Bendix 2 speed manual. You never posted a picture of the drive side but the high flanges and brake arm are enough to identify it. The first year that hub was offered on a Corvette was 1958, but there were other earlier models where that hub was a standard hub like the 1955 24" Flying Star.
> 
> I believe the manual was replaced by the Bendix Auto in 1961 or 62. So it only was offered for maybe six model years.




Oh it is a 2 speed GT?  then what does that mean, it's not working? I do not see any place for a cable, and catalogs say bendex 2-speed coaster that's a kick back.. ( I don't know if or how things changed but back in the day the Bendex 2 speed, was called a 'kick-back'  ''2-speed kickback'') And to my eckalect, they always had a red stripe,, plus you couldn't miss them for being fatter than any other coaster, could spot em a mile away,, back in the day,. It was  most desired multi-speed too.  

 You're saying then, cause I tested it,, it's not shifting on kick back? 

 And I have never seen nor heard of a kickback this tiny too, for sure as a kid 1960-1970's. It does not mean I've seen every thing but it sure surprises me!


Kickback for sure?? goody, goody I like that better but? What/how am I missing  it GT?


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## GTs58 (May 24, 2014)

There should be a hole in the axle and a toggle on the drive side, plus a cable and a shift lever. You're missing some components so it doesn't operate.  The Manual was lever operated and the auto is a back pedal shift. The hub on the auto had three colored bands, either red, yellow or blue.

Here is my 58 Corvette 2 speed manual.


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## Jeff54 (May 24, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> There should be a hole in the axle and a toggle on the drive side, plus a cable and a shift lever. You're missing some components so it doesn't operate.  The Manual was lever operated and the auto is a back pedal shift. The hub on the auto had three colored bands, either red, yellow or blue.
> 
> Here is my 58 Corvette 2 speed manual.




Ah ha!! you made me look!, did not expect that one!!. I see it now,, shesh  the key to answer  is the hole in the shaft!  But GT is you in Europe, England,  Japan or Asia right handed drivers country?  or and this can't be, it's mounted passenger side, US right is passenger left for driver. . er ah if you are sitting on it.. right side (passenger). [edit} oh wait I get it, "drive side" as in drive shifting side, not "drivers" {Jeff gives himself a slap on drive side of face) 

*Say spoker, I were tinking ya was delirious er something Sorry!! Yup you nailed it!.  Mystery solved. but dang nab it, that means I need parts to get it running right! Keee-rap! LOL*

A two speed bendex manual cable operated shifter, dang,, even back in the day, I never even heard, seen one!  Or,, most possible option they were junk! ??

Is there a schematics or assembly parts diagram for these anywhere?  I didn't work on too many Schwinn 3-speeds as it was, but do recall they were a ton better than other manufactures,, yet fear of reassembly comes to mind any time I think on opening them up.


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## Jeff54 (May 24, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> There should be a hole in the axle and a toggle on the drive side, plus a cable and a shift lever. You're missing some components so it doesn't operate.  The Manual was lever operated and the auto is a back pedal shift. The hub on the auto had three colored bands, either red, yellow or blue.
> 
> Here is my 58 Corvette 2 speed manual.




Yeah I recognize that GT,  (and some how missed your photograph on first response to this) and knew just as soon as I discovered the hole in shaft, that's what it's missing too. or moreover it reminds me of the cheap butt crappy 3-speed Royce unions in the 1960's Interchangeable with other makers or Schwinn only?


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## spoker (May 24, 2014)

there are a couple of handles on ebay,one nos cable that should work on a 24 inch{there are diff lengths for diff size bikes] you prolly need a bell crank and check to see if there is a small shaft in the axel hole that shifts the gears,there is info on sheldon browns or gooled bendix bike rear hubs for bicycles


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## Jeff54 (May 24, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> The rear hub is in fact a Bendix 2 speed manual. You never posted a picture of the drive side but the high flanges and brake arm are enough to identify it. The first year that hub was offered on a Corvette was 1958, but there were other earlier models where that hub was a standard hub like the 1955 24" Flying Star.
> 
> I believe the manual was replaced by the Bendix Auto in 1961 or 62. So it only was offered for maybe six model years.




OK I never even heard of a flying star,, got to wondering about what you said here. I've presumed from the common features it's a Corvette.. but do you recall my says that chain guard is weird in other topic, Not the Corvette streamlined version??

Do you know? Is this a flying star chain guard? 

1955,, is it an Opel red  At least I think it's Opel red, and the catalog says the kickstand on flying star is removable, and mine is fixed, like a Schwinn should. Corvette/ flying star? or some kind of mixed up flying star, corvette frankengirl? ( I am experiencing less compassion on a part out idea  in this now, LOL)


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## Jeff54 (May 24, 2014)

spoker said:


> there are a couple of handles on ebay,one nos cable that should work on a 24 inch{there are diff lengths for diff size bikes] you prolly need a bell crank and check to see if there is a small shaft in the axel hole that shifts the gears,there is info on sheldon browns or gooled bendix bike rear hubs for bicycles





Yeah the inner shaft is in there. Otherwise, I would have noticed it right off, but, just, had no clue, lol, never saw that coming too! as I've never seen any type of manual shifting multi speed with bendex brake arm, nor such a small core for multi-speed on a hub like that..

You guys are the best!,, well duh, that's why I visit here too.


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## GTs58 (May 24, 2014)

Many of the juvenile bikes used a chainguard like yours. I can't say for sure if the 24" Corvette used that guard or not.


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## Jeff54 (May 24, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> Many of the juvenile bikes used a chainguard like yours. I can't say for sure if the 24" Corvette used that guard or not.




Yeah I think I'm starting to see that chain guard now.. eh now that yawl made me slap myself! Not as simple as rummaging through rusty parts in the 60's for creating stingray Frankenstein's lol .  In 49 - 53 it's on  most of the 24" models.. . Photos in catalogs isn't most desirable for nailing it, but,, what visible appears on 24 spitfire, hornet, starlet, meteor, world  and so.  pretty sure it was not made by 54. and if 20" it wouldn't fit on the 24. 

On a side note, actually helpful cause holy crap batman, the pre-war 24" inch kids  models, in contrast to regular 26",   did not have a chain guard? what was Schwinn thinking? Guilt trip for a liability suite, LOL. Shesh! But no need to look earlier than post war, nor 55. 


I've got some things to contemplate before I return. Thanks again GT ! You too, Nope I'm the delusional nut, not you,  spoker!


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## GTs58 (May 24, 2014)

Just for fun, I would remove the white paint with some goof off and see if there is a model name on that chainguard. Opal is not a Tornado color but it sure looks like a Tornado or juvenile guard of some sort.


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## island schwinn (May 25, 2014)

here's a diagram of the bendix multi speed power brake hub used from around 55 to 60.


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## jacobs132 (May 25, 2014)

I picked up a 55 hornet with the same hub a couple months back, didn't know I had the 2 speed manual hub until I disassembled it to clean and grease it.  looked at the Sheldon brown site and realized what I had and a forum member from another site sent me a diagram to.   I hunted down the cable, shifter, and bellcrank, there a good hub!  a little sensitive to adjust but once you get it right works like a charm. follow the instructions for adjustment carefully. the parts needed are out there. I got n.o.s cable and shifter. I believe bicyclebones on ebay has the shifters, and tom at owlworks has another cable. the bellcranks are easy to find on ebay.


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## Jeff54 (May 25, 2014)

island schwinn said:


> here's a diagram of the bendix multi speed power brake hub used from around 55 to 60.




Yeah great, and strange but It seems I might remember that one,, or perhaps one like it. Me thinks the first time, back in the day, I recall not putting M37 in, or something like that, so murphy, as in murphy's law, or the deal I made with him all those years ago, 'do it right the first time, and murphy won't break it'  made me redo it right the next time. . Regardless, they're a piece of cake..

Thanks Island!


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## island schwinn (May 25, 2014)

not sure if this was covered,but the 24" corvette used the same style guard as the 26" corvette,except a bit smaller to fit the smaller frame.chrome and painted to match.


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## Jeff54 (May 25, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> Just for fun, I would remove the white paint with some goof off and see if there is a model name on that chainguard. Opal is not a Tornado color but it sure looks like a Tornado or juvenile guard of some sort.




 accordingly, Goof Off is a mixture of ethylene glycol n butyl ether; which is primarily a  glycol ether and  "are solvents that dissolve both water soluble and hydrophobic substances" along with Benzyl alcohol. Moreover rubbing alcohol breaks down about anything goof off will. I haven't paid much attention to cleaning products for several years as my toilet bowl cleaner trick has been my main goody on 95% of my needs. but looked up goof off.  Rubbing alcohol does the trick too. 

. 

But now I know the frame was painted blue twice! the brushed on blue almost just wipes off. sprayed once above original paint  and water based the last. plus that silver, (alias, lazy man's go too for polishing rusty stuff) Is some hard paint too. And that chain guard, white paint is really thick, but nothing a soaking for 10 minutes with rubbing alcohol  doesn't solve.  And guess?  If you're thinking white spray paint is under the brushed? You NAILED it! lol.  yet, this will be tricky.

I am also discovering that 'thee artist' (I have a little peeve. For example; in the home, on drywall, when a construction "expert" repairs drywall or patches a wall or ceiling  and after painted, completed, there are trawl marks? It's because the dope thinks he's an artist!) Signatures by "artists'" are the most expensive, one way or another. I.E. spraying silver on original metal finish, is an artist mockery, which is usualy just a lazy man's chrome job,, so, And not removing the head-badge is the same. 

And moving on, ! Neither of the  spray painted parts  can stand up to nail polish remover! Acetone. Remember my having said the bikes looks to good to have panted the silver on GT? This is what I call, for 59 year old bike, nice chrome.








So as seen in previous thread, this bike is a Opel red which can be identified due to the missing head badge. Right? well, apparently that's not as simple as the story goes. Photo below, but before ya jump to conclusions, I scratched the blue off to discover gold. And then I thought maybe the artist sanded it or something, so I tried to acetone both colors on the side of it, to see if the red would wash down into gold, but NOPE!
It aint gonna do it.. Best guess now is it's gotten sun faded, but it's a strange idea too. It actually looks like Opel red, and BTW the red sure looks factory, hard, clean, smooth, baked finish  coating. So it's a big photo have a look see. What? it's kind of like there's two separate colors edged in. 

All that red there in the gold area is the red-lead., except that red line at 12 O'clock. And the scratch down to the metal was already there. Somebody intentionally scratched that and the chain gard to see the original paint.. which might be where the seat and head badge went  OK which collector here in Florida did that! give em back  








On to that mysterious chain guard. Well apparently 'thee' artist' Who couldn't bother to remove that badge during the transformation or whatever the heck is going on here. did find the need to give it a light sanding in the areas the sun would hit it and  undercoat his job with a  red-lead primer.  

So now i'm thinking,, I must have been delirious, wishful thinking, jumped to quick conclusions. And in my apparent LSD flash-back  illusion presumed a small chip exposing red must be Opel!  Red-lead, er ah yeah that's the ticket, it's ah, er, eh,, opel red-lead! yeah!! which year and no doubt, limited model did Schwinn paint one opel red-lead? [grin]

Worried the acetone might emulsify the original coating or decals after removing the brush painted white, there's a fairly decent white under it, and of course red-lead. so I carefully scratched off the white while much of that red-lead doesn't want to.. only to discover  Gold?,, GOLD?? OK I worked on the chain guard first, and after this discovery played with the head badge are to see what's to discover..

The red lettering, what little is left, that looks identical to the head badge area. especially when the tiniest bit of it began to show, it looked like chips, which was above the gold color. rough edged and similar to a metal flake just like the opal red.. So I began figuring it was the decal, it was red, and with a gold guard,, it must be gold with red lettering, but what bike is this? 

GT dam you're good! that photo of tornado,, you got the name correct because by searching it I found a few original womens/girls bikes with this chain guard, tornado's..

However,, from the form of the letters I figured for sure, you Nailed it!.. But but but but,, look closer in my photo, just top right where I did not get all the white off, can you see that Schwinn dart? the color is gone but it's why I stopped there, clearly a dart, and just before that something else, a streamline, or another dart in opposite direction..
I can't take off any more because some areas of the red began to fade out so this is it! I'm sure it was original opal  red too because,, in the right large area of gold, not easily seen is a similar faded remnant  line which was red. like the line near badge area.  








I hunted up and down high/low everywhere for any tornado with any darts above letters,, and nothing. No tornado's with those darts,  The clear letter is an 'O' and appears to be where or close to where it would on tornado.. and the other letter, it got washed out a tad from when it first appeared as I described,, rough edges of decal, as I continued to expose more of it.. I thought it was going for a 'T' but now I'm not sure,, It's either a 'T' or Tornado's 'd'

But the rest that's visible,, does not appear as if it's going to say it..  So, the only hunt is that dart.... and Gold?? it's the same gold that's near the head badge.  And, It is under the rear bars too. I only needed finger nail to scratch off blue here. and it boggles my imagination to consider it faded too, but still you can see some red blending in it, as if the  thing is two colored. two colored or gold first coat and red second for the 'Opel" dazzle.





So at last I cleaned around the head badge areas, and doesn't that look like the red is above the gold? it seems too nutz to conceder Schwinn doing that intentionally!

Which brings me back to the guard,, same red where decals where, same gold on frame,, best odds there's some serious sun fading it to gold. 

That's got to be the same faded opal red on that guard, protected from fading under the decals. so with that Schwinn dart the biggest clue here what the heck is the name on it? Once again,, affirmative, it is a 1955!  Yet< is there another year of tornado with that dart, somewhere? If not tornado then what, the guard  surely is not Corvette, nor fair lady.  and or in the case the guard is original,, what name is this, in 1955, and or a 55 frame but built in 56?

[Edit] two more clues reveled. nearly fully inside of the valley of  pressed metal at  across the top above letters    is a pin stripe and it was white. also about the same distance on bottom white pin strip too.  And I cleaned a tad more of the o, which looks like an e now. But not sure if the red didn't wash off because the font on top e side is fat but thin on lower half.


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## GTs58 (May 25, 2014)

Pretty interesting. Where the headbadge was the paint is definintely Opal Red. In the pictures it looks like there was some silver paint but hard to tell. Schwinn advertised a four coat paint job during that time but I can't see calling an acid dip a coat of paint. After the dip the frame was primed with a red oxide primer and then the base coat was applied. During this time Schwinn used two different color base coats under the Candy colors, either a silver or a gold. It does look like the guard and frame had the gold base coat. 
The guard undoubtly was a Tornado issue looking at what's left of the preserved paint that was underneath the worn off decal.


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## Jeff54 (May 25, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> Pretty interesting. Where the headbadge was the paint is definintely Opal Red. In the pictures it looks like there was some silver paint but hard to tell. Schwinn advertised a four coat paint job during that time but I can't see calling an acid dip a coat of paint. After the dip the frame was primed with a red oxide primer and then the base coat was applied. During this time Schwinn used two different color base coats under the Candy colors, either a silver or a gold. It does look like the guard and frame had the gold base coat.
> The guard undoubtly was a Tornado issue looking at what's left of the preserved paint that was underneath the worn off decal.




Ok then here's my op to do Schwinn a solid. I didn't pay too much attention to the scrape near the badge area. But, now that you've said it, Schwinn's statement is correct.  Take a good look at my photo, (badge area in previous post) , there's no rust where the metal is exposed, that red is Schwinn's red-lead primer. above that primer, over on the edges of the whole scrape; I thought before; 'it's  white and strange, white primer?'' but I've now doubled checked, triple in fact,  there's your silver!,   then gold and finally red.. 4 coats!  red-lead, silver, gold and red? don't ask me why but, there ya go!   you can copy that photo (in previous post)  blow it up and see it. Plus, Now I know why Schwinn called it Opal red too.. make that photo real big and with all the undercoating seen, understood, you can realize the red it's like a red-clear coat. transparent red. and the undercoating has some krackle in it.. That gold over silver is krackling, I.E, yeah it's opalescent, under a microscope!. 'candy apple red'

As for guard, I'd left alone for a while, and the shade was cast over it. For that, I could see the impressions of pin stripping on top and bottom. So I carefully gave them a wipe down with the acetone, hoping like the decals I could expose enough to see it in bright light. As the primer narrowed down the white arose and what ya know it's paint.. You can see them now. Also fiddled around a tad trying to expose a little more of the O, but now I t looks like a strange font e.. with a fat top and skinny lower.  Also managed to expose the S, 1st letter in the Schwinn signature, which is where to be expected near rear of guard..

So now we got more of the streamline design appearing with those pin stripes,, that dart, which has a bit off a tail or something behind it. l,, some letters? and most likely opal red paint,, or less likely three colors on a guard.. gold, red letters and white (the white  pin stripes still have some  red-lead over them),. ..

Regardless,, No Tornado's with those stripes and dart..

.. Not that I can find.  (Photo below) can not see the letters very well in this window but blow that photo up real big and you'll see all I've mentioned.


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## spoker (May 25, 2014)

As long as we seem 2 b on a history search let me add some things that may or may not answer some ?s,opel paint is like a candy paint,it was invented by Gene Winfield in the 50s,about the same time schwinn started with there change from solid colors to opels,candy paint is made by adding tinting paint to clear[not think color paint added to clear]red oxide primer would be correct for a schwinn,they quite possibly sprayed silver or aluminumover the primerthey gold was added when the bike was goin to b red,as fed is not a primary color and has an amount of brown in it depending[boyd cddington made up his own red without any brown,hence coddington red]so the red worked better as a top coat when gold was used over the silver cause its more brownish than silver,silver would be under like a blue and green etc,i have seen schwinns that ppl thought were gold,when left out in the sun,the top coat would go away,this was b4 clear coart was used with uv refraction in it,hence the real color under head bages,fork srems ans inside bottom brakets,they were not exposed to the suns uv rays,the different hes of red blue green etc were diff tints used


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## Jeff54 (May 26, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> Pretty interesting. Where the headbadge was the paint is definintely Opal Red. In the pictures it looks like there was some silver paint but hard to tell. Schwinn advertised a four coat paint job during that time but I can't see calling an acid dip a coat of paint. After the dip the frame was primed with a red oxide primer and then the base coat was applied. During this time Schwinn used two different color base coats under the Candy colors, either a silver or a gold. It does look like the guard and frame had the gold base coat.
> The guard undoubtly was a Tornado issue looking at what's left of the preserved paint that was underneath the worn off decal.




Bingo! Solved! and I am really surprised you didn't get it GT. That dart is the key, and last reply about the last letter, the font with a fat top, and thin bottom which had looked like an e. Plus, I said; that dart has a line behind it but I couldn't figure out what it was.. It's the line which crosses the T's. ending into an arrow (Dart) I.E. cross your t's and dot your i's, lol. 

Whelp here ya go,, the dart, dart tail which crosses the t's, and fat top with thin bottom  'e' font. And as I said; I found the 1st letter of the Schwinn name, it's an identical font as this blue corvette chain guard photographed below too. As I also discovered this is considered: "early design"  Corvette 1955-58

However,, I am not completely sure the decal on my  guard, also  below, is a complete, exact and total match.. The font used in 'Corvette' letters are, the font used in the "Schwinn" logo letters are also, and The position of the 'Schwinn dart is but,, the position and Possibly size of the letters in  "Schwinn" logo on my Corvette Chain guard  looks like it may be  different. I can't say the letter size of "Schwinn" logo, without an in hand side by side comparison is, but,, from what I have in hand and what is in the below photo,, appears to be  in a different position, The 'S', which is the only letter I've discovered of the logo, is far to the rear and it appears to be, 'bottom line aligned' with the Corvette letters, verses raised half way like the standard, known, and maybe larger letters .   Also possible though, is, it's the same, and because of the triangular shape of the guard and pin stripes, on mine,  it just looks different with so little remnants to gather a comprehensive comparison. Regardless the main objective is solved.. the guard is a opal red corvette.

Whew! dam that were a ton o'work. Obviously, for, pretty much, an un-known or rare chain guard (not the one shown below but that above in previous post)  for a Corvette. Perhaps, a little bit special because of the manual 2 Speed?  A head scratcher for the purists! 

I probably should have done this yesterday as, seeing and reading makes a difference,  however for full comparison I've added in red lines which are out-lining the areas which are difficult too see in my photos of the guard. . So, here's mine and a blue guard below it. 

To the far left  is the S of the  'Schwinn' logo, and front side; the dart and tail, and the fat top and thin bottom;  e,  out-lined in red. . 

You should also, like myself, get a sense that the two designs are slightly different. I would not say completely different and may be identical because, there is not much left to call it, yet definitely a Corvette!


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## spoker (May 26, 2014)

ther is a politician where i live named Franken,i think u got his bike LOL!!!!!!!!!


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## Jeff54 (May 26, 2014)

spoker said:


> ther is a politician where i live named Franken,i think u got his bike LOL!!!!!!!!!



Ha! well, take another look Spoker,, I think I've put it into the perspective where you'll be reconsidering eating your  Franken berry cereal (crow).. 

Added another photo above, and out lined the remnant parts of decals on the chain gaurd.

we're looking at one rare butt chain guard, and now really good reason to conceder the bike is , except no seat, replaced; newer Schwinn pedals, funky, who knows what rear rack, missing cable, shifter, and bellcrank,  front brake handle with cable and cantilever brake assembly and newer Schwinn tires but; otherwise an all original 1955, Bendex manual 2-speed, girls 24", Opal red Corvette with rare type of an original chain guard! 

Speaking of crow and franken politicians spoker. Waza-matter wit U? Not knowing straight off, that Schwinn dart or arrow, didn't register the very first time I wrote and displayed it? The single one and only, most different feature that Schwinn Corvette's have on the early chain guard which no other Schwinn's do. Eh? 

No other chain guards except a Corvette because: *It's part of the  line that crosses the T's!* 

The one yawl have never seen! (er, ah, never seen chain guard that is.) 

After all isn't that of the many reasons yawl play here; To discover the unknown, rare and unusual? 


(Photos from the Craig's list ad I found it in. )


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## GTs58 (May 26, 2014)

Unbelievable Jeff! Great job on the chainguard.


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## Jeff54 (May 27, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> Unbelievable Jeff! Great job on the chainguard.




The rest of the story. I watched it on Craig's list for about 5 days, only because I wanted some parts off of it and part out the rest, but didn't know what year. 2. Once I figured out it should be a 50's bike for the support bar in-between the rails, tubes, contemplated if it was worth 30 bucks in parts for another 2 days. 3. hand no clue it was a Corvette albeit figured it might be an American with stainless steel fenders , and for the type of mounting of fenders,  "maybe" because fenders could be 1997 and up issue and or Chinese too. 4. Only if it's 1950's I wanted  the crank, possibly seat post clamp and bar, Head post assembly, goose neck and possibly a few other nuts because, during the 1950's and early 60's you can be sure the chrome is quality plated and nuts and bolts hard forged, zinc plated. 4. whenever I went to get it quickly discovered I did not want because, it's 24 inch. Girls Schwinn's in a man's hobby and 24''  too? even worse and it  also meant I couldn't be sure would be a 1950's bike!. But the chrome was just too nice to pass up even if it turned out worse case scenario 1960's. The goose neck, head post assembly, crank and sprocket's chrome are in the 9 point range on a 1-10 scale which meant to me, the parts painted silver will be very nice when paint removed. 

But now, now that it's turned out to have such a rare chain guard I really don't want to take it all apart!

I am not in such a fashion to restore this bike, not like I did as a kid. And dam most especially that I understand the make up of paint, 4 coats. I wouldn't be satisfied with a restoration unless I duplicated those four coats.  As ya might have noticed and even as a kid, I'm a detail orientated perfectionist. And there's always a problem with that, ya never get satisfaction because nothing restored ever comes out perfect! LOL. But otherwise my reality regarding doing things like that are out of the picture, in 1 word disabled. 

I still want those parts, or a few of them, but maybe somebody else wants a whack at a rare Schwinn? I think it's reasonable to go so far as to say, the only one left in existence too. In the least, only 1 known to exist. At what value/price does anybody think this whole bike is worth shipped? Keeping in mind, I do have a fair estimate of what most other 24" girls corvette might be worth especially 1956 or 1957 that need a restoration, but not a for sure 1955 with original rare chain guard.. 

A purest at heart that wants to own an original issue verses picking up just rare chain guard if or when I decided to part it out, to refinish and stick on another. I.E. for the purest, you might be able to stick a different label, decal on an otherwise common thing, but knowing it's the real deal verses changing one for another is a whole different ball game. 

I am aware that, in the collecting world rare does not  always mean Ka-Ching! $$$. Not unless it was original and paint as nice as the chrome is, to be sure! lol So, I'm thinking like $200 plus shipping and maybe a little more but at least 200 plus shipping or no shipping if picked up seems fair for a 1 known to exist? Yeah it's no longer pretty but compare to rusty restoration, it's way better! LOL.. I bet too, for the faded color and sweet chrome it grew up in the desert, New Mexico, Arizona or Nevada , 

I think I could likely have no problem parting out the goose neck, crank, and sprocket, seat post and clamp for near top dollar because the chrome is so swell, add in the rest, Schwinn tires, 2-speed rim set, fairly nice fender set, all of these part combined as group or separately   ought to be 150 bucks pretty easy, and probably hard to sell the frame albeit 1955 frame might get a calling, and chain guard might be easy too....

Who'll say $200 plus shipping is a nice deal and I'll move it into the for sale/trade section.

or recommendations of value, so I can get to the bottom of this, either part the rest, or whole and move on wit me miserable life. lol


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