# Understanding Schwinn Middleweights.



## cyberpaull

Hi, My name is Paul. Can someone explain to me the differences between these three model bike from the 60's. They all roughly look the same to me. Schwinn Jaguar, Corvette, and American?. Thanks


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## HIGGINSFOREVER

Hi Paul,there is a good book out on schwinn middle weight bikes,Check here on this site scott may have it or i know news letter by john has then.Has all the info. you need about then.


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## how

The Jaguar and Corvette are basically the same,,they both came single, two and three speed.

The Jaguar came complete with front rack, tank, rear rack and headlight.

The Corvette didnt have a tank and came with a front rack.

The American was different than both because it was fully made in America. Jags and Vettes had parts from Europe,

You wont see a 3 speed American cause Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub was made overseas.

You will see a 2 speed American cause that hub was made here.

Those are the basic differences.


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## cyberpaull

Thanks guys! That helps  a lot.


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## greenephantom

Well, there's four different Jaguars in the Middleweight line.  Each has similar yet different equipment.  Full tanks vs. slimline tanks, different rack styles in different years, stainless fenders vs. chrome fenders, etc.

The Jags are generally considered the top of the line Middleweight, these things were decked.  The Corvettes are sort of a middle-range bike, some neat and high quality extra equipment, but not a lot of it.  The American line was a basic bike, but not entirely a budget bike, these had solid parts, but didn't come with anything extra to speak of, no lights or racks or tanks.  (With the exception of the Deluxe American line.)  All these bikes used the same frame, with the exception of mounts for caliper brakes when so equipped.

For '62 the retail (zone 3 to get exact) for these bikes equipped as 2 speeds: Jag IV, $87.95.  Corvette, $79.95.  American, $62.95.  And for comparison, the lowest price 2 speed middleweight was the Typhoon (painted rims, budget stem and pedals, etc) at $52.95. 

Cheers, Geoff


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## Adamtinkerer

Also, the American had a different seat post decal than the other two.


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## Schweirdo

Dont forget about the Streamliner in the early 50's.


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## davek

The late 50's and early 60's Hornet is a middlewieght. I have a 61


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## island schwinn

i believe the only heavyweight after 54 was the wasp.everything after 54 was a middleweight up until about 78 when the klunker 5 came along.it was considered a ballooner.


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## ZZ3Malibu

Phantoms where made till 1959 and Wasp`s where made till 1964 i believe. Last of the Ballooners.


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## Maskull

I have a bare frame with no fork that was sold as a 1964 Typhoon.  But the catalog says the Typhoon only came in Black and Red.  This one has original paint and it is, I believe, Coppertone.  Would that make it an American?  Americans came in Coppertone in 1964.  Only difference I know of was the painted rims & lesser components on Typhoons.  Frames look similar in photos. Serial Number is G426049 (last digit could be a 6 or an 8) ... SchwinnCruisers.com database says it was built 22 July 1964 ...


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## GTs58

Maskull said:


> I have a bare frame with no fork that was sold as a 1964 Typhoon.  But the catalog says the Typhoon only came in Black and Red.  This one has original paint and it is, I believe, Coppertone.  Would that make it an American?  Americans came in Coppertone in 1964.  Only difference I know of was the painted rims & lesser components on Typhoons.  Frames look similar in photos. Serial Number is G426049 (last digit could be a 6 or an 8) ... SchwinnCruisers.com database says it was built 22 July 1964 ...
> 
> SchwinnCruisers.com is wrong. The serial number date does not tell you when a bike is built. That's the date the serial number was stamped on the dropout component.
> 
> And yes, looking at the seat tube decal, that frame was an American.


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## Maskull

Thanks GT, I see now that the 1964 Typhoons don't have that Federal Shield on the seat tube.

Paint is a bit faded, but it mostly all there with just a few scrapes.  To get it on the road quick I bought on Ebay what the seller called a 1974 Varsity fork in Chestnut Brown ... though it looks more reddish.  It fits fine, though I still need the top bearing cup to put it together.  The bottom one is rusty, so I may replace it as well.

Is this fork similar to the original fork, other than color?

I also have this 1959 chainguard, which might be said to coordinate with both the coppertone frame and the fork colors.

I see that there's a place to hang a front caliper brake, but the rear will have to be a coaster or 2 speed hub.

Could convert to 3 piece crank and then add a Front Derailleur ...


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## greenephantom

Fork won't work, the fork shown is a lightweight fork for 27" wheels.  Guard will work.  If you want to run multiple speeds (front derailleur comment) then you can built a drum brake wheel for the rear around a modern Sturmey Archer drum brake hub, they come in all different configurations.
Cheers, Geoff


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## Adamtinkerer

Maskull, that shield decal is unique to the American, which I referenced earlier in this post.


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