# Henderson Schwinn find - I think it is a '35 or '36



## bfd305 (Jun 2, 2019)

Hello - New to the forum.  I have had several bikes, and still have several old school BMX, but am way new to the "old bikes".

Picked this one up at an estate sale.  Sweet bike and am planning to ride it during the local Tour De Fat.  Just trying to get info.  I believe it is a 1935 or 36.
Everything looks to have been there for a long time except pedals and tires.

Any info on what is correct and whats not would be great.

I cant find any pictures of any old bike with these straight bars.
Fork lock works and key is there
Seat is worn, but awesome
Horn works pretty good
Wheels look like the rims may have been cleaned up with a wire wheel at some point.
Original paint in pretty good condition
Chrome has expected pitting


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## GTs58 (Jun 2, 2019)

Welcome to the Cabe.
 That's a pretty cool estate find but I'm thinking that might be a little later than 35-6. A picture of the serial number under the crank would help in figuring out the year. Until that is known, I'll say the handlebars, stem, pedals, rims, kickstand and definitely the chain guard are not original. Cool piece for the Tour De Fat.


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## Shawn Michael (Jun 2, 2019)

That is a nice estate sale find. Put some comfy bars and a cup holder on there and you will be all set for the Tour de Fat.


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## bobcycles (Jun 2, 2019)

36 wish frame 37 and up fork.......probably 37' plane janer.... Nice!
Give us a serial #


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## catfish (Jun 2, 2019)

Nice!


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## bfd305 (Jun 2, 2019)

Thanks for the info.

Looks like the Serial # is H43600.  Looks like an "H", but the left part is not stamped.

Kick stand is for sure modern

When did the down tube go from straight to curved?

Has anyone seen bars like that before?


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## bfd305 (Jun 2, 2019)

bobcycles said:


> 36 wish frame 37 and up fork.......probably 37' plane janer.... Nice!
> Give us a serial #



Thanks.  I was guessing plane jane beings no tank.  This is the oldest bike I have had, so pretty exciting.


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## John G04 (Jun 2, 2019)

Nice bike with great original paint!


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## juanitasmith13 (Jun 2, 2019)

This is a Schwinn "C" Model... the straight bars tell you that. I'm thinking this is one of the later years of the "C" model; it is Prewar; early 1940s? 1941.


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## Krakatoa (Jun 2, 2019)

Pull the grips off carefully and look at the bar and see if they're marked probably flat or closely flat torrington's these were the hot style for a minute it's a weird setup that you have because it also has a drop stem which is going to lower the bars even more...

Nice find!

Pretty sure that is a postwar Shelby or aftermarket guard not Schwinn unit.


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## Dave K (Jun 2, 2019)

juanitasmith13 said:


> This is a Schwinn "C" Model... the straight bars tell you that. I'm thinking this is one of the later years of the "C" model; it is Prewar; early 1940s? 1941.




Actually not a C mod.


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## GTs58 (Jun 2, 2019)

Interesting letter stamping. :eek:   Machine stamped large digits. Straight down tube. I wonder if that letter stamping was suppose to be an H. 1941 using both serial accounts. Hey, I'm just talking out loud to myself here.  Better pull the crank and see if that has a hidden clue.

Nice looking chain stay/BB joints.


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## bobcycles (Jun 2, 2019)

juanitasmith13 said:


> This is a Schwinn "C" Model... the straight bars tell you that. I'm thinking this is one of the later years of the "C" model; it is Prewar; early 1940s? 1941.




Full MOTORBIKE or 'BC model' size frame.... manufactured some few years after original 1936 introduction....
41 serial number bicycle with a 36 inception frame.....
Probably built as 'cheapie' base models to use up existing frame inventories of the past few years production....


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## Brutuskend (Jun 2, 2019)

Sweet find!


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## GTs58 (Jun 2, 2019)

Every one of Bing's boys had a straight down tube 41.


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## bfd305 (Jun 2, 2019)

Thanks for all the info.  Sounds like Pre-war for sure, so that's good.
Closest I could find searching was the BC97.
I got a set of old stock Uniroyal blackwall tires with it too.  Rode it a bit today, fun bike for sure.


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## barneyguey (Jun 2, 2019)

Welcome! Great place, great people! Barry


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## GTs58 (Jun 3, 2019)

bfd305 said:


> Thanks for all the info.  Sounds like Pre-war for sure, so that's good.
> Closest I could find searching was the BC97.
> I got a set of old stock Uniroyal blackwall tires with it too.  Rode it a bit today, fun bike for sure.




Your head tube area paint scheme matches the BA 97-1 but not the BC 97.
The bike has a 1941 serial number if that letter is an H, but that straight down tube is something not normally seen on a 41 model. I have yet to see a dealers 1941 catalog, and if there is one it will be complete and not illustrating just a few select models. Interesting bike IMO.


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## Miq (Jun 3, 2019)

What kind of hubs are on this bike?  Specifically, the rear coaster hub likely has some clues. What’s the brake arm look like?  

Nice score!


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## Mr. Monkeyarms (Jun 3, 2019)

Those bars!!! 



Nice bike! Welcome to the Cabe!


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## bfd305 (Jun 3, 2019)

Rear coaster hub is Eclipse K4
Front hub is Schwinn
Brake lever is Morrow


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## bfd305 (Jun 3, 2019)

I love the bars...
Here are pics of brake lever and hubs.
Looked up the hubs - K4 likes up with 41. 
So what kickstand should it have?


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## Miq (Jun 3, 2019)

@bfd305  Great pics of the 1941 hub!!

I'm not an expert on your bike, but I'd guess it came with a 3 piece Miller kickstand like my 41 New World.  


1940 Parts Catalog shows the "side stand" above as New World specific.  Maybe your bike used one of the other 1455 ones listed above it.  ? (blue pen is sadly on the original scans)


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## bfd305 (Jun 3, 2019)

Miq said:


> @bfd305  Great pics of the 1941 hub!!
> 
> I'm not an expert on your bike, but I'd guess it came with a 3 piece Torrington kickstand like my 41 New World.  View attachment 1009268
> 1940 Parts Catalog shows the "side stand" above as New World specific.  Maybe your bike used one of the other 1455 ones listed above it.  ? (blue pen is sadly on the original scans)View attachment 1009275
> View attachment 1009279



Wish it was still 70 cents!  Thanks for the info.


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## Miq (Jun 3, 2019)

They're aren't any pics of the bars listed in the 1940 catalog but the descriptions for the 808 numbered bars looks interesting for you. Just guessing by the "straight bar" naming.


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## bfd305 (Jun 3, 2019)

Miq said:


> They're aren't any pics of the bars listed in the 1940 catalog but the descriptions for the 808 numbered bars looks interesting for you. Just guessing by the "straight bar" naming.View attachment 1009288



They match the 808B, they are 28" not including the grips.  Thanks!


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## GTs58 (Jun 3, 2019)

I would venture to say that a Balloon bike had the Miller stand. Looks the same but the angle of the stand when Up might have different angle than the lightweights. Or maybe they just bent the poop out of them so they wouldn't hit the tire when up.    My 41 B6 has a Miller. 








Courtesy of scrubbinrims


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## Krakatoa (Jun 3, 2019)

Yes yes and yes to the above posts!


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## Miq (Jun 3, 2019)

@GTs58 Do you think the difference in the Miller kickstands (New World vs 1455DX) is to cover the difference in the height of the chain stays off the ground?  I love how I wrote Torrington originally above and the pic I posted has Miller stamped on the top plate.


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## GTs58 (Jun 3, 2019)

Miq said:


> @GTs58 Do you think the difference in the Miller kickstands (New World vs 1455DX) is to cover the difference in the height of the chain stays off the ground?  I love how I wrote Torrington originally above and the pic I posted has Miller stamped on the top plate.




I have to assume the height off the ground where the stand pivots is pretty much the same between a 26" lightweight and 26" Ballooner. What is different is the spread of the chain stays. If the stand housing is identical between the two, the sprag angle at the pivot would need to compensated for the distance out so the spag is not inside of the chain stay or way out past the stay on the lightweight in the up position. In the picture I posted it appears the bend is further away from the face of the pivot bracket and the bend is more relaxed. Here's a stay visual on the two, and again I'd have to assume the center line of the BB height off the deck is close to the same. Best I could come up with.





Just measured the BB centers on my 62 Corvette and Continental the center of the BB on the Conti is a good quarter inch maybe 3/8" higher than the Corvette. And the Conti's rear tire has no air! The frame geometry, fork angle, on the NW is a little different than a 62 Conti though.


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## Miq (Jun 3, 2019)

I measure 10.5” from the ground to the center of the cranks on my 41 New World.  The reason I brought up the height is that the NW uses the “ladies” 502 crank and I always figured this was due to the BB being close to the ground.  I can see how the angle of the kickstand has to make sense in the UP and down positions now from your description.  That’s definitely part of it too.  Thanks!


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## GTs58 (Jun 3, 2019)

Wow! My Corvette is 11.25 and the Conti is 11.50".  I'll have to guess the NW sprags are a little shorter too, or they lean to the right really bad.  lol


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