# This one found me. 80 or 81?



## fxo550 (Feb 12, 2021)

Per serial number is a 1980
But headbadge telling me 1981
One owner bike


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## Xlobsterman (Feb 12, 2021)

Frame built in Dec. of 80 with the actual build of the complete bike on the 148th day of 81

Also, that fork is not original to the bike! It is from the 60's.


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## hm. (Feb 12, 2021)

Here is the one from my 80...there is not too much of a difference...


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## fxo550 (Feb 12, 2021)

hm. said:


> Heres the difference...
> View attachment 1356756



Thats not a schwinn fork mine is.


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## fxo550 (Feb 12, 2021)

Xlobsterman said:


> Frame built in Dec. of 80 with the actual build of the complete bike on the 148th day of 81
> 
> Also, that fork is not original to the bike! It is from the 60's.



Yes is original to the bike.


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## fxo550 (Feb 12, 2021)

Xlobsterman said:


> Frame built in Dec. of 80 with the actual build of the complete bike on the 148th day of 81
> 
> Also, that fork is not original to the bike! It is from the 60's.



Search for schwinn deluxe cruiser 1980.


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## hm. (Feb 12, 2021)

fxo550 said:


> Thats not a schwinn fork mine is.



They are both schwinn forks, you just have the earlier 60s style. Now it looks like youre the one that needs to do the search...


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## A.S.BOLTNUT (Feb 12, 2021)

Ah, the elusive chestnut brown one I've been looking for , nice !


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## Danny the schwinn freak (Feb 12, 2021)

fxo550 said:


> Thats not a schwinn fork mine is.



They are both Schwinn forks. The one one your bike is from the late 50’s or early 60’s. You can tell by the ball-shaped lower section of the steer tube. The one HM showed above is what’s correct for the early 80’s deluxe cruisers. Awesome bike! Hit me up if you want to sell it.


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## Callahooney1 (Feb 12, 2021)

Could someone please tell us what distinguishes the chrome springer from the 60's - 80's.


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## GTs58 (Feb 12, 2021)

Callahooney1 said:


> Could someone please tell us what distinguishes the chrome springer from the 60's - 80's.




Look at the OP's piece and then the one HM posted. Compare the two where I circled the image below.


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## Callahooney1 (Feb 12, 2021)

Oh, ok. Thanks for sharing that info. So here's my 81; I believe my fork is correct, right?


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## dave429 (Feb 12, 2021)

Callahooney1 said:


> Oh, ok. Thanks for sharing that info. So here's my 81; I believe my fork is correct, right?
> 
> View attachment 1356859
> 
> ...



I would say that looks correct.


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## dave429 (Feb 12, 2021)

fxo550 said:


> Per serial number is a 1980
> But headbadge telling me 1981
> One owner bike
> 
> ...



Beautiful bike! Enjoy it.


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## Xlobsterman (Feb 13, 2021)

fxo550 said:


> Search for schwinn deluxe cruiser 1980.




No need for me to search the internet for the info, I pulled enough of them out of the boxes back in the day to know the difference!


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## Xlobsterman (Feb 13, 2021)

Callahooney1 said:


> Could someone please tell us what distinguishes the chrome springer from the 60's - 80's.




The earlier models were cast at the bottom of the steer tube, and the ones sold on the 80's bikes were welded.

Pretty easy to tell if you know what you are looking at.


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## Danny the schwinn freak (Feb 25, 2021)

Callahooney1 said:


> Could someone please tell us what distinguishes the chrome springer from the 60's - 80's.



The base of the mid 50’s to late 50’s model is sort of ball shaped and is a cast piece with the pivot bolt housing as one piece with it. The 80’s version is simply a round piece of tubing with a small piece of round tubing going through it for the pivot bolt to ride through. Picture aren’t great but you get the idea.


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## TurtleDove (Mar 21, 2021)

Xlobsterman said:


> No need for me to search the internet for the info, I pulled enough of them out of the boxes back in the day to know the difference!
> 
> 
> View attachment 1356922



This was my bike shop as a kid on Aviation Blvd. in Manhattan Beach.  Got my 1st major brand new bike here for my birthday...a 1979 Blue Schwinn Spitfire.  I had it for 1 month, and then it was stolen from in front of my bank, American Savings in downtown Manhattan Beach, as I was depositing my birthday $$$ into my savings account.  I was so afraid to tell my parents.  I loved this shop.


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## Xlobsterman (Mar 21, 2021)

TurtleDove said:


> This was my bike shop as a kid on Aviation Blvd. in Manhattan Beach.  Got my 1st major brand new bike here for my birthday...a 1979 Blue Schwinn Spitfire.  I had it for 1 month, and then it was stolen from in front of my bank, American Savings in downtown Manhattan Beach, as I was depositing my birthday $$$ into my savings account.  I was so afraid to tell my parents.  I loved this shop.




If you purchased your bike from our shop in 79, chances are that I pulled the bike out of the box and assembled it for the sales floor.


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## TurtleDove (Mar 21, 2021)

Xlobsterman said:


> If you purchased your bike from our shop in 79, chances are that I pulled the bike out of the box and assembled it for the sales floor.



Thank you so much.  I enjoyed going to your shop on weekends, and then riding through Polliwog Park on my way back home.  It’s been through many owners since, and I was sad to see it go.  I’m trying to recreate that ‘79 Spitfire, but I only have red.  I wish I could stumble upon a blue all original ‘79 Spitfire...any friendly advice?


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## Xlobsterman (Mar 22, 2021)

TurtleDove said:


> Thank you so much.  I enjoyed going to your shop on weekends, and then riding through Polliwog Park on my way back home.  It’s been through many owners since, and I was sad to see it go.  I’m trying to recreate that ‘79 Spitfire, but I only have red.  I wish I could stumble upon a blue all original ‘79 Spitfire...any friendly advice?
> 
> View attachment 1377287
> 
> ...




Keep an eye on the LA Craigslist, I see bikes pop up there all the time.

You can even find one on Ebay from time to time. I found this KLUNKER 5 from my old shop on Ebay, and chances are that I pulled it out of the box an assembled it for the sales floor back in the day. It was pretty thrashed when I got it, and the only reason I purchased it was because it came from my old shop!

Here are the before and after pics:


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## TurtleDove (Mar 22, 2021)

Xlobsterman said:


> Keep an eye on the LA Craigslist, I see bikes pop up there all the time.
> 
> You can even find one on Ebay from time to time. I found this KLUNKER 5 from my old shop on Ebay, and chances are that I pulled it out of the box an assembled it for the sales floor back in the day. It was pretty thrashed when I got it, and the only reason I purchased it was because it came from my old shop!
> 
> ...



Most appreciated.  Will do.  Thank you.  You wouldn’t happen to have any of those Aviation Cyclery stickers laying around, would you?


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## Xlobsterman (Mar 22, 2021)

TurtleDove said:


> Most appreciated.  Will do.  Thank you.  You wouldn’t happen to have any of those Aviation Cyclery stickers laying around, would you?




The only 2 shop stickers I have are on bikes! One is on that KLUNKER 5 and the other is on an XR-6 Exercycle that my late mother gave me years ago before she passed away. I built this bike in late 1980 and my dad purchased it for my mom as a Christmas present. She keep it all those years, until she finally gave it to me almost 20 years ago.


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## TurtleDove (Mar 22, 2021)

Ha...that excercise bike is great!  My mom had one.  I believe she bought it from you, and all the bike was good for was a place to throw her clothes.  Thank you for checking on the stickers.


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## Xlobsterman (Mar 23, 2021)

TurtleDove said:


> Ha...that excercise bike is great!  My mom had one.  I believe she bought it from you, and all the bike was good for was a place to throw her clothes.  Thank you for checking on the stickers.




Yea, I have used it as a clothes hanger a few times myself..................LOL


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## TurtleDove (Mar 23, 2021)

Ha...classic.


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## hm. (Apr 24, 2021)

This one sure got around, maybe 3 owners since sold here on the cabe.










$1,000

Schwinn Chicago Made​Newport Beach, CA

Local pickup (25 miles away)
Posted 22 hours ago in Sports & outdoors

SchwinNick (228)
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Used (normal wear)
1980 cruiser deluxe very rare too much to list
All original 100% I sell complete bikes
Please let’s not waste each other’s time
Message when you are ready to buy


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## GTs58 (Apr 24, 2021)

I sure won't be one that's wasting my time with that one. Looks like someone flew over the cuckoo's nest.


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## hm. (Apr 24, 2021)




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