# Schwinn Excelsior Ladies ID help



## vanhook (Apr 19, 2022)

I have a pre war schwinn excelsior ladies bike made in chicago and I have not been able to find one other bike like it. The serial number under the bottom bracket is K 2832 and the number on the crank is M 36


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## vanhook (Apr 19, 2022)

@cyclingday are you able to help me find information about this bike?


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## dasberger (Apr 19, 2022)

Are you missing a digit on that serial?


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## vanhook (Apr 19, 2022)

dasberger said:


> Are you missing a digit on that serial?


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## cyclingday (Apr 19, 2022)

Unfortunately, I don’t think I can help much with that one.
It looks like a parts built bike from various different manufacturers.
Back in the day, we called those bikes, a  “Morphidyte.”
Probably not politically correct these days.
Now the preferred terminology for that type is, a “Frankenbike.”
The headbadge is the prize there.
I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help, but that’s just what I see.


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## dasberger (Apr 19, 2022)

As mentioned on another thread I'm inclined to say it's a frakenbike... It may not be a Schwinn frame at all. The prewar lades bikes  had curved down tube as well as a small section of tube joining the two down tubes(hollywood).  The sports tourist has straight down tubes but also small tube joint the two down tubes The rack and fenders appear to be different colors, crank and sprocket most likely not an original pair... almost look like different finishes.   Front fork also looks bent.  Schwinn prewar serial should be a letter and 5 digits


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## Archie Sturmer (Apr 19, 2022)

Two (2) *very-similar looking* bikes have recently been posted:








						Excelsior bicycles | Antique Bicycles Pre-1933
					

Nice! Cool headbadge. Are the rims clinchers or single tube?  Marty, The rims appear to be the Crescent "Beaded Edge" type "H" or possibly the older Williams type referenced here.  The bike in transit now and is due to arrive to me on Friday so I will know more then.




					thecabe.com
				












						Antique Schwinns where are they? | General Discussion About Old Bicycles
					

Even though Ignaz started out building bicycles, his primary focus was on the production of motorcycles.  It's no coincidence, that when he retired in 1931, and his son Frank, (who had no interest in building motorcycles,) took over control, that the production of bicycles ramped up to the...




					thecabe.com
				




Welcome to the CABE (which loves *triplicate *posts in various forums)!


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## vanhook (Apr 19, 2022)

cyclingday said:


> Unfortunately, I don’t think I can help much with that one.
> It looks like a parts built bike from various different manufacturers.
> Back in the day, we called those bikes, a  “Morphidyte.”
> Probably not politically correct these days.
> ...



Do you know what these numbers mean? It’s from the crank


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## cyclingday (Apr 19, 2022)

36 is most likely the year of manufacture, and the M is probably the manufacturer.
McCauley Products? Murray Ohio? Etc.

Just a guess though.


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## Archie Sturmer (Apr 19, 2022)

Archie Sturmer said:


> The M-crank may have been from a Mead Chicago bike? (1936)



To find one's previous posts, click on one's name (to the left), and then click on the number under messages.


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## prewarmachine (Apr 19, 2022)

Looks to me like a boys bike that's been turned into a girls bike. Top bar brazing looks fatter than the others.


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## vanhook (Apr 19, 2022)

cyclingday said:


> 36 is most likely the year of manufacture, and the M is probably the manufacturer.
> McCauley Products? Murray Ohio? Etc.
> 
> Just a guess though.



OK seems I have a mixture of different bikes I’ve always wanted just like an old-school red bike like this can you recommend any of the older bikes that resemble this to paint/ redo it like? This is my 1st time


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## dasberger (Apr 19, 2022)

If it were me and I didn't pay very much for that bike I would try to salvage a few of the parts and sell to put towards a bike in better shape.  That one is going to need a good amount of work to be serviceable.  If you're in the market for a ladies bike $300 or less would get you your choice of some pretty nice bikes...  If you post a want ad for a red prewar ladies I'm sure you'll get some responses...  My $.02... free but actually worth zero


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## cyclingday (Apr 19, 2022)

Agreed with the sentiment above.
You got an iconic headbadge with that bike, so I’d take it off that frame, and consider it a win.
Then hang around here for awhile, and educate yourself on what it is that you like about old bikes, and be ready to buy when the bike of your dreams shows up in the for sale section.
You’ll be much better off in the long run.


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## prewarmachine (Apr 19, 2022)

If you like that bike, I'd say just go ahead and have fun restoring that one how you like! No need to change to a different bike. It could be a good first restoration project. Clean and grease the moving parts, sand it down, paint it and ride it!
  There's a guy on ebay (oldstuff4yousheepdog) that sells some stencil sets for a couple different paint schemes. Might check him out and see if he has a style you might like. I've had good luck with his stencils in the past.


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## vanhook (Apr 19, 2022)

cyclingday said:


> Agreed with the sentiment above.
> You got an iconic headbadge with that bike, so I’d take it off that frame, and consider it a win.
> Then hang around here for awhile, and educate yourself on what it is that you like about old bikes, and be ready to buy when the bike of your dreams shows up in the for sale section.
> You’ll be much better off in the long run.



I started out…. not trying to sell it at all, just loved it for its look and history. I just started taking apart and redoing it…. But jm
Very new at all this. I have other older schwinn’s but they are in “good” shape. I guess maybe this is just a hobby? Because I don’t wanna trash it or sell it so I’m just I guess now looking for remodeling advice?! Haha


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## cyclingday (Apr 19, 2022)

No harm in that.
It’s all about having fun anyway.
I would carefully dismantle the whole bike, then take care of any cosmetic issues and replace or repair anything that’s bent or broken as you build it back up.
That first ride after looking at it in pieces for months, is magical.
You’ll learn a lot in the process, that’ll help you out on future projects.


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## J-wagon (Apr 19, 2022)

Hopefully you'll get feedback on frame mfg and date range. Then modify as you wish. CABE helped me id these as 1946 Snyder ladies frame (white) and 1950 JC Higgins Colorflow, made into klunkerettes


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## vanhook (Apr 19, 2022)

cyclingday said:


> No harm in that.
> It’s all about having fun anyway.
> I would carefully dismantle the whole bike, then take care of any cosmetic issues and replace or repair anything that’s bent or broken as you build it back up.
> That first ride after looking at it in pieces for months, is magical.
> You’ll learn a lot in the process, that’ll help you out on future projects.



I’ll send the before and after, maybe I’ll just paint it all the same red. Because that’s what I’ve always wanted and and that’s what caught my eye! Thanks for the encouragement and help. I was a little down because I spent so long looking for it’s identity to find out it’s a mixture but I’m okay with it because at the end of the day I was still keeping it no matter it’s worth. Thank you for your help ☺️


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## vanhook (Apr 20, 2022)

cyclingday said:


> No harm in that.
> It’s all about having fun anyway.
> I would carefully dismantle the whole bike, then take care of any cosmetic issues and replace or repair anything that’s bent or broken as you build it back up.
> That first ride after looking at it in pieces for months, is magical.
> You’ll learn a lot in the process, that’ll help you out on future projects.



is there a good thread for tips on vintage bikes? looking to derust the skip chain


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## dasberger (Apr 20, 2022)

Use the search tab... there are countless threads on every aspect of bike repair.  It's an overwhelming amount of info but if you dig deep enough you will find the answers to all of your bike related queries


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## vanhook (Apr 20, 2022)

dasberger said:


> Use the search tab... there are countless threads on every aspect of bike repair.  It's an overwhelming amount of info but if you dig deep enough you will find the answers to all of your bike related queries



alright, ill start with that, thank you for your help!


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## vanhook (Apr 20, 2022)

So as I’ve been taking the bike apart I found some other markings it looks like that the first bar is original with the rest of the bike it looks like that second bar was added because it doesn’t look like a normal weld job and then I also noticed that on that bar number to the one that looks like it was added it says USA


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## J-wagon (Apr 20, 2022)

Perhaps tube #2 with repair and thus the franken look


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## vanhook (Apr 20, 2022)

J-wagon said:


> Perhaps tube #2 with repair and thus the franken look



I’m sorry what’s a Franken look? I’m reall new at all this haha


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## J-wagon (Apr 20, 2022)

Bike hacked together with donor parts


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## vanhook (Apr 21, 2022)

Oh haha  well I shall keep the heavy hott mess of history and make her freshen her up


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## HEMI426 (Apr 21, 2022)

Could you take a pic of the seat stay area. I see something interesting. I'm probably just shooting in the dark but bar no. 2 might have been the top bar if that was a boys bike. Is there any grind marks on the seat stay tube. Bar no. 2 has a little roadster (camel back)  bend to it. If it was a boys bike it could have been frankened for a girl. Like I said just shooting in the dark.


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## gkeep (Apr 21, 2022)

From the bend in the top bar it looks like it might have been a boys camelback frame before alterations. Clean it up and it'll make a nice rider with paint as is.


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## vanhook (Apr 21, 2022)

HEMI426 said:


> Could you take a pic of the seat stay area. I see something interesting. I'm probably just shooting in the dark but bar no. 2 might have been the top bar if that was a boys bike. Is there any grind marks on the seat stay tube. Bar no. 2 has a little roadster (camel back)  bend to it. If it was a boys bike it could have been frankened for a girl. Like I said just shooting in the dark.th





HEMI426 said:


> Could you take a pic of the seat stay area. I see something interesting. I'm probably just shooting in the dark but bar no. 2 might have been the top bar if that was a boys bike. Is there any grind marks on the seat stay tube. Bar no. 2 has a little roadster (camel back)  bend to it. If it was a boys bike it could have been frankened for a girl. Like I said just shooting in the dark.



Like this?


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## dasberger (Apr 21, 2022)

vanhook said:


> Like this?
> 
> View attachment 1611109
> 
> View attachment 1611110



A pic of where seat post comes into frame where a top tube would be welded if it were a boys bike


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## vanhook (Apr 21, 2022)

dasberger said:


> A pic of where seat post comes into frame where a top tube would be welded if it were a boys bike





HEMI426 said:


> Could you take a pic of the seat stay area. I see something interesting. I'm probably just shooting in the dark but bar no. 2 might have been the top bar if that was a boys bike. Is there any grind marks on the seat stay tube. Bar no. 2 has a little roadster (camel back)  bend to it. If it was a boys bike it could have been frankened for a girl. Like I said just shooting in the dark.


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## dasberger (Apr 21, 2022)

Yes that but the front of the tube.... can't see from that angle


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## vanhook (Apr 21, 2022)

Here’s a few More shots


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## HEMI426 (Apr 21, 2022)

Wouldn't a girls bike have 2 curved down tubes and a boys have 1 straight down tube. If it turns out to be a boys bike moving that tube back up should increase the value if you could get it done with little to no cost, don't spend to much money. We all know boys bikes are worth alot more than girls. It's already been repainted so no harm done there. Just looked at your pics, mystery solved it was a boys bike.


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## dasberger (Apr 21, 2022)

Yep was a boys bike... probably converted for a younger sister after her brother got a car...  We used to be a thrifty, industrious nation


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## vanhook (Apr 21, 2022)

HEMI426 said:


> Wouldn't a girls bike have 2 curved down tubes and a boys have 1 straight down tube. If it turns out to be a boys bike moving that tube back up should increase the value if you could get it done with little to no cost, don't spend to much money. We all know boys bikes are worth alot more than girls. It's already been repainted so no harm done there. Just looked at your pics, mystery solved it was a boys bike.



So with all its markings and badge plate, do you know what bike it was or have a picture of a look-alike?


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## HEMI426 (Apr 21, 2022)

I believe it is a 1936 boys roadster like the crank date says. If you research that (google) it with a single top bar you should see pics of it with a matching badge. Good Luck.


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## dasberger (Apr 21, 2022)

Bike is now a one-off semi custom painted to look like many of the prewar bikes.  Good bike to learn on if you really want to repaint.  No harm in making it what you want.  Your biggest issue is going to be that bent front fork....  









						~ FORK SERVICE for Balloon Tire Bicycles ~ Re Threading & Re Sizing Etc! | Services
					

Mail order Fork & Frame Services offered for American Balloon tire bicycles 1935 through 1955!   Featured Service:  I can rework your donor fork for a perfect fit in your application!  Basic re threading and re sizing of ladies headtube length fork to men's length or desired under sizing with...




					thecabe.com


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## J-wagon (Apr 21, 2022)

The font on your serial K letter is different than other K fonts. But maybe someone will recognize it to help narrow down frame mfg


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## GTs58 (Apr 21, 2022)

The frame looks Schwinnish to me, a modified 1936 Camelback frame.


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## Jeff54 (Apr 30, 2022)

Being a girl or whatever, modified? Year that seat post has a lot of crap that ought not be there, and I wouldn't know if it was a camel back as well. 

What I do know is the difference between home made and in general so called 'Artists who paint crap and most can't tell the differences. These days, even good decent custom auto shops can't do a very good job when restoring bicycles.  Go figure?

Yet your bike's pin stripping is really excellent. This is what I expect from old factories, so smooth, straight it's really nice. 
That red bordered with black is a style that Schwinn did around 1933. The darts look much like Schwinn's special boys bikes. 

IDK as I said, if it was modified with out burning the pin stripes then, I expect it was done a long time ago, like before the 1950's when there were bike shops around who did have excellent painters where it was not so expensive.. 

I would NOT repaint this just for that. 

That seat post does look pretty bad, like even factory wouldn't leave it like that, but as for the posts to head posts, there are a few Schwinn's that had kind-of sloppy welds so, keep that in mind too. 

Regardless, both; frame and fenders pin stripping;, ain't a chance in H, you gonna get better work without paying a good chunk of change that would be outrages for what it is.


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## vanhook (Apr 30, 2022)

Update, taking the paint off the mystery bar.


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## GTs58 (Apr 30, 2022)

I'm surprised the artist that converted that piece used a fully rust pitted piece of tubing for the modification when the rest of the bike's frame is clean. What are your plans for this?


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## vanhook (Apr 30, 2022)

I’m unsure I’m figuring it out as ha, I do it I know I want to be able to ride it one day. I’m so new at this I don’t wanna mess up certain parts. I did get matching paint but I hated the fact that that the second tube had all that bumpy texture. Feel free to share recommendations


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## vanhook (May 2, 2022)

Update


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## GTs58 (May 2, 2022)

Looks like you're having some hardcore fun! Do a search on "filling in rust pits before paint."  😉


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