# 1954 Schwinn Hornet Deluxe barn find! with Schwinn Spitfire badge.



## Slick4d4d (Nov 21, 2021)

My latest find is this December 1954 Schwinn Hornet Deluxe! It has a Schwinn Spitfire head badge I'm not familiar with, and search here didn't pull up much so any help with that would be helpful. I do have the pedals and the grips and the tires hold air so it is rideable. I don't know what I'm going to do with it just yet. I may keep it as a partner to my other 50's Men's bike in the same color or I may part it out and put the chain guard and a few other little parts on my men's bike to make it more complete. What do you guys think?


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## GTs58 (Nov 21, 2021)

1955 model and the first year for the Deluxe Hornet. For some reason Schwinn put the Spitfire badge on the Hornets and I'm not sure why they did that. Years prior Schwinn introduced a special model that was a lost leader and it was used to draw customers into the Dealers. Once they were in the store the Dealers were suppose to romance the buyers and get them to buy a higher priced model. These lost leaders were Z models and had a Spitfire badge. All that might have something to do the Hornets having a Spitfire badge.  Here's more info. 








						Prewar Schwinn "Z" Models | All Things Schwinn
					

This appears to be 1941ish due to the 6" headtube on the ladies models. I always wondered what the story was with these "non-cataloged" models, and here is all of the info about them straight from the factory. Obviously a "C" style frame, but the unique specs make them a Z.  I don't think I have...




					thecabe.com


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## Slick4d4d (Nov 22, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> 1955 model and the first year for the Deluxe Hornet. For some reason Schwinn put the Spitfire badge on the Hornets and I'm not sure why they did that. Years prior Schwinn introduced a special model that was a lost leader and it was used to draw customers into the Dealers. Once they were in the store the Dealers were suppose to romance the buyers and get them to buy a higher priced model. These lost leaders were Z models and had a Spitfire badge. All that might have something to do the Hornets having a Spitfire badge.  Here's more info.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



So this bike, with a December 54 serial number, is likely one of the first Deluxe Hornets to roll off the line, and as such there could have been some confusion on what bikes to use the Schwinn Spitfire badge to indicate the cheap version vs the the regular Schwinn badge which were probably supposed to go on the Deluxe Hornets?

What year did the Spitfire become its own bike model, googleing Spitfire brings up bikes with the name on the chain guard and not on the head badge?


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## Rivnut (Nov 22, 2021)

Google 'Schwinn catalog scans" and find the Waterford link. Within that link are links to year spreads. Find the spread that covers the year(s) you're interested in and open it. The scans are chronological by year, then each year represented is (I think) in catalog page order.  Some years are illustrated; some are pictures.


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## Jeff54 (Nov 22, 2021)

Slick4d4d said:


> So this bike, with a December 54 serial number, is likely one of the first Deluxe Hornets to roll off the line, and as such there could have been some confusion on what bikes to use the Schwinn Spitfire badge to indicate the cheap version vs the the regular Schwinn badge which were probably supposed to go on the Deluxe Hornets?
> 
> What year did the Spitfire become its own bike model, googleing Spitfire brings up bikes with the name on the chain guard and not on the head badge?



Although I don't recall seeing a Deluxe with that badge there's plenty Hornets with a Spitfire badge.


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## Jon Olson (Nov 22, 2021)

The rear fender looks like it could be prewar?


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## Slick4d4d (Nov 22, 2021)

Jon Olson said:


> The rear fender looks like it could be pre war




What makes you think that?


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## Jon Olson (Nov 22, 2021)

The braces look flat and reflector seems odd.


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## GTs58 (Nov 22, 2021)

Jon Olson said:


> The braces look flat and reflector seems odd.




And that paint scheme is not something Schwinn did.


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## Jeff54 (Nov 23, 2021)

Jon Olson said:


> The rear fender looks like it could be prewar?



Now that you mention it, yup, that is not the right rear fender and looks prewar. Potentially, B/C it's also a peaked fender verity, belongs too  Cleveland Welding Co. Possibly( I am not on top their pre-wars) CWC's  1936-38 . Maybe Roadmaster.


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## razinhellcustomz (Nov 27, 2021)

Slick4d4d said:


> So this bike, with a December 54 serial number, is likely one of the first Deluxe Hornets to roll off the line, and as such there could have been some confusion on what bikes to use the Schwinn Spitfire badge to indicate the cheap version vs the the regular Schwinn badge which were probably supposed to go on the Deluxe Hornets?
> 
> What year did the Spitfire become its own bike model, googleing Spitfire brings up bikes with the name on the chain guard and not on the head badge?



I have a later Spitfire that i believe is a 55 or 56 as the frame has a plate welded over the #"s and i don't know for certain of the year.. Good luck with your search.. RideOn.. Razin...


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