# Violet Varsity



## MantonSmith (Sep 25, 2020)

Just picked up this October 1966 Varsity cause I like the color. Now to clean it up.


----------



## juvela (Sep 25, 2020)

-----

Thanks very much for sharing this find.

The violet colour does not come up often.

Curious to know -

1966 was the launch year for the Huret model 700 Luxe front mech with dual travel adjustment screws.   interested to learn if the bicycle received one.  cannot quite tell due to the lock bracket.





---

Pedals -

what year did the Varsity first receive the Union 40U pedals?

---

The forum had a recent thread on a Violet Super Sport which the experts were able to date as a 1964 -









						Fresh pick, Violet Super Sport | Lightweight Schwinn Bicycles
					

My buddy picked this up today and would love your thoughts on it. Pretty decent shape but missing front derailler. Would like to know what year it might be and which one of these two front deraillers might be correct. Serial number is K4088 on left dropout.  Thanks for the help! @Schwinn499...




					thecabe.com
				




-----


----------



## MantonSmith (Sep 25, 2020)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> Thanks very much for sharing this find.
> 
> ...



Looks like just one screw.


----------



## juvela (Sep 25, 2020)

-----

Thank you so much for the speedy response and the good photos!

This is indeed the later type two adjustment screw model.

My apologies for any confusion.  Had only the catalogue page for the Huret version to send which differs somewhat in layout/appearance from the Schwinn Approved edition.

This forum thread shows the earlier single adjustment screw model of front mech on Varsity of 1963 -









						Pair of 1963 varsitys | Lightweight Schwinn Bicycles
					

I have a pair of 1963 varsitys, one is a flamboyant red Tourist, the other is a flamboyant lime sport. I picked up the sport for parts for the tourist I have since decided that they are both to nice to part, so I am now looking for a front derailleur for a 63 varsity, it seems that it is a one...




					thecabe.com
				




-----


-----


----------



## GTs58 (Sep 25, 2020)

@juvela , 
The 1960 Varsity was the first Schwinn to use the U-40 rat traps. Large cap U stamped and that lasted thru 1965. In 1966 the U-40's were small cap and Schwinn was stamped on the caps. The finish also changed around this time judging from my examples.


----------



## juvela (Sep 26, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> @juvela ,
> The 1960 Varsity was the first Schwinn to use the U-40 rat traps. Large cap U stamped and that lasted thru 1965. In 1966 the U-40's were small cap and Schwinn was stamped on the caps. The finish also changed around this time judging from my examples.




-----

Thanks so much for this excellent information!

Sounds then like the pedals on the subject machine are replacements.

Perhaps the owner wished to be able to ride barefoot...

---

Finish on the Union Frondenberg U-40 was always offered in both zinc and in chrome.  Have seen some Schwinn bicycles with each of these finishes and never known if it were a model year thing or a model thing.  May have simply been a function of what the Schwinn buyer could get at a given moment...

-----


----------



## juvela (Sep 26, 2020)

-----

front mech addendum -

here is the Schwinn Approved Huret Luxe 700 front mech as it appears on a 1974 model Sports Tourer.  note how it more closely resembles the Huret version posted above.  the twin travel adjustment screws can clearly be seen directly behind the seat tube:









-----


----------



## MantonSmith (Sep 29, 2020)

Have had these pedals for years, they say Schwinn on them so I think they are good enough for this one.


----------



## juvela (Sep 29, 2020)

-----

if only me laundry room were as tidy as thine...    

---

one technique employed by some enthusiasts to "repack" undisassemblable pedals such as the Union U-40 is to drill a tiny hole in the "dustcap" and use it to pump grease into the pedal with a grease pump.  grease will come out the other end around the spindle.  keep pumping and watch until such time as the grease coming out is clean and you are done.


-----


----------



## geosbike (Sep 29, 2020)

really kool color


----------

