# Just Picked Up A 1962 Continental 15 Speed



## GTs58 (Jan 20, 2017)

Found this on Craigslist and noticed it looked pretty much original. Might have been a Tourist model though, the bars, pedals and seat have been changed out. The rear derailleur is the early Huret with the four tension prongs, three piece Huret rings and the 15-25 Atom freewheel with small solid protector. Nice chrome on this piece including the Rigidas. Saddle is a Girardi and the copper rivets look cool with Coppertone.  
Serial is D242774 and frame is a 23"


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## PCHiggin (Jan 21, 2017)

Thats a nice one,great find


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## Eric Amlie (Jan 21, 2017)

I wonder if this was retrofitted with the triple chain set at some point.
The original 15 speed versions were decaled as Super Continentals.


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## Schwinn499 (Jan 21, 2017)

Eric Amlie said:


> I wonder if this was retrofitted with the triple chain set at some point.
> The original 15 speed versions were decaled as Super Continentals.
> View attachment 412463



Im not 100% but, I think this is a Super Continental? Id like to have a better look at those downtube decals. Looks like the spacing leaves more room for the "super" section of the decal rather than the schwinn "star" but I cant tell from these photos.


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## Eric Amlie (Jan 21, 2017)

What is the serial number of your bike Cody?
It's hard to tell for sure, but it looks like it have the larger font size or the Continental name that the later '61 models had. On the '62 & later models the name was smaller.

May '61 s/n with the larger name.


 

'64? model with the smaller name.


 

Another shot of the Super Conti decal.


 

And another.


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## schwinnbikebobb (Jan 21, 2017)

Pretty awesome Gary!!!


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## Schwinn499 (Jan 21, 2017)

Eric Amlie said:


> What is the serial number of your bike Cody?
> It's hard to tell for sure, but it looks like it have the larger font size or the Continental name that the later '61 models had. On the '62 & later models the name was smaller.
> 
> May '61 s/n with the larger name.
> ...



Dont know the serial off the top of my head. I think you may be right tho, the spacing looks different on the smaller font.


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## GTs58 (Jan 21, 2017)

This Conti isn't a Super and was probably retro fitted with the third chain ring. Here's a few more detail shots with decals and the fancy engraved alloy bars. I really believe this started out as a Conti tourist and someone installed the drop bars leaving the tourist levers and stem. Pedals are the 1966 and later small cap Schwinn approved and stamped Union rat traps. These look pretty cheesy with a huge difference in the quality compared to the large cap Union traps used in the prior years. 

I've noted that this one has no paint on the fork and it seems that both 62 Sport and Tourist models have painted forks and the Super is all chrome in the catalog pics. No signs of paint ever being on this fork.


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## Schwinn499 (Jan 21, 2017)

Ahhh, much better, that larger gap on the small font decal was throwing me off. Whats the plans for this one?


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## Schwinn499 (Jan 21, 2017)

Is the head tube brazed or electro forged?


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## Metacortex (Jan 21, 2017)

Schwinn499 said:


> Is the head tube brazed or electro forged?




Did you ever find out if your 1960 was fillet-brazed like your '61 mentioned here? http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1961-coppertone-schwinn-continental.87396/page-2#post-633348


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## Eric Amlie (Jan 21, 2017)

The pedals look like what came on the Varsity.
The front derailleur has me scratching my head. Why is the tail flying so high instead of following the curve of the largest chain ring?(Just remembered that the cage is mounted on the end of a rod and can be rotated.)


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## GTs58 (Jan 21, 2017)

Schwinn499 said:


> Is the head tube brazed or electro forged?




Good question! I guess I'll have to start stripping this down to tell for sure. After taking a close look, on the outside, the joints definitely look uneven and not _symmetrical _ like an EF frame. I'll chime in with my findings after I get it torn down.


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## GTs58 (Jan 21, 2017)

Eric Amlie said:


> The pedals look like what came on the Varsity.
> The front derailleur has me scratching my head. Why is the tail flying so high instead of following the curve of the largest chain ring?(Just remembered that the cage is mounted on the end of a rod and can be rotated.)




The front der is the first thing I noticed this morning when I was getting it ready for a shake down ride. The cage looks like it had a ring smack it and its bent in more ways then one, and like you said, rotated.


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## GTs58 (Jan 21, 2017)

Okay, the suspense was killing me so I started on the tear down. This 23" 1962 Conti has the electroforged head tube joints. Also, there is no sign of any primer inside the head tube that would indicate that Schwinn dipped the frames in primer. At least the front end of the frame was not dipped. I still have not come across a bike that I tore down that had primer inside of the frame. Just bad luck I guess.

So the 1962 models were the first year without the specific Continental head badge?


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## Eric Amlie (Jan 22, 2017)

GTs58 said:


> So the 1962 models were the first year without the specific Continental head badge?




Presumably...unless the switch was later in '61.
Here is a front shot of the May '61 frameset I posted earlier.


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## schwinnman67 (Jan 22, 2017)

Nice find!!

Wish I would have kept the Super Continental I found here, but it went to an SBF member. I'd be it was fitted with the triple at the dealer..


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