# 1953 (ALL Chrome??!) Chicago Schwinn



## Amelia Marie (Jun 18, 2015)




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## Amelia Marie (Jun 18, 2015)




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## rustjunkie (Jun 18, 2015)

What's the serial # and where is it located?


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## Amelia Marie (Jun 18, 2015)

The description that didn't post with the photos (including the serial #) ((sorry it didn't post the first time!!)) 

Hey fellow bikers!! I bought a Schwinn at a yard sale about three years ago from an old gal who was trying to clear out her late husbands barn. She said he had bought it brand new, but didn't have any info beyond that. When I was doing what research I could, I found from the serial number, A11326, that it was produced between 08/08-08/18 in 1954. I have an original Chicago Schwinn. Trying to research the chrome, information was even sparser. I did once see a paper advertisement on eBay for custom chrome option available through direct factory order, but it had sold before I could check them out more thoroughly.

So here is my question for you guys.... Does anyone know about the full chrome option? What years was it offered? Is my bike original?? Any info you guys have, I would appreciate. I have included photos, I have more/close-ups if needed.

Interested in info, history, stories and possibly in selling my bike. It rides smoothly and gets a lot of comments naturally, I would just really love to know more about my bike.

Thanks in advance!!!


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## Amelia Marie (Jun 18, 2015)

Located on left rear dropout.


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## sfhschwinn (Jun 18, 2015)

you have what appears to be a middleweight. Fork is original but the AS bolts were replaced. Seat and chain guard are non original and Fenders have been replaced as well. As far as I know, there was never a chrome option. someone had stripped all the paint off that bike, rechromed it and ruined a nice original Schwinn.
I would say the bike is worth $200 tops


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## schwinnbikebobb (Jun 18, 2015)

I agree that it is a bit of a mix of parts. Pedals are from an exerciser. I'm not sure the springer is a Schwinn.  I tend to go with the frame being chromed at some point. I think it is a very cool bike. Different looking!  That was a nice find, I sure would have snatched it up if I found it too.


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## greenephantom (Jun 18, 2015)

Fork is the early style Schwinn springer, bolt behind leg. It's a neat bike, but it's certainly a bit of a mash-up of parts. Getting that much chrome work (frame, fork) done today would be spendy.
Cheers, Geoff


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## vincev (Jun 18, 2015)

pretty much a frankenbike.


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## detroitbike (Jun 18, 2015)

These all chrome bikes were NEVER EVER made by Schwinn and everyone you'll see was just a regular bike done by someone with
too much time on their hands. Schwinn NEVER had any variation no matter how small from what was offered in the catalogs.
  If it wasn't in print it wasn't allowed to be made!


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## greenephantom (Jun 19, 2015)

Certainly there were some oddities produced at the factory. Promo bikes, favors, award bikes perhaps. But I'd wager that the vast majority of chromed Schwinns knocking around today (with the exception of the later road bikes) were done after the fact by collectors and tinkerers.  

As a side note, the early springer was available in all-chrome for a brief while as a dealer upgrade / replacement part. 

The patchwork nature of the OP's bike would tend to point towards it being someone's project bike.  Still, a neat ride that could be make even better.

Cheers, Geoff


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## how (Jun 29, 2015)

detroitbike said:


> These all chrome bikes were NEVER EVER made by Schwinn and everyone you'll see was just a regular bike done by someone with
> too much time on their hands. Schwinn NEVER had any variation no matter how small from what was offered in the catalogs.
> If it wasn't in print it wasn't allowed to be made!
> View attachment 220912
> View attachment 220913



Schwinn Continentals came all chrome , made by Schwinn


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## GTs58 (Jun 29, 2015)

how said:


> Schwinn Continentals came all chrome , made by Schwinn




I'll have to totally disagree with that. The Paramounts were offered in chrome for some years including the Paramount tandem, but that was about the extent of Schwinn factory chrome frames.


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## schwinnderella (Jun 29, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> I'll have to totally disagree with that. The Paramounts were offered in chrome for some years including the Paramount tandem, but that was about the extent of Schwinn factory chrome frames.




You are basically correct and certainly chrome continentals do not appear in any Schwinn catalogs, However I would wager that a dealer selling a lot of bikes in the early 1970's could have special ordered and received a chrome continental and Schwinn would have been happy to make it.


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## GTs58 (Jun 29, 2015)

A COPO chrome Continental would be cool but special orders like this would be very unlikely. Ever see a Schwinn order form? Dealers had no chrome frame options on the spec sheets so ordering a chrome frame would be like ordering a bucket of chicken teeth from KFC.


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## Metacortex (Jun 29, 2015)

detroitbike said:


> These all chrome bikes were NEVER EVER made by Schwinn and everyone you'll see was just a regular bike done by someone with
> too much time on their hands. Schwinn NEVER had any variation no matter how small from what was offered in the catalogs.
> If it wasn't in print it wasn't allowed to be made!






GTs58 said:


> A COPO chrome Continental would be cool but special orders like this would be very unlikely. Ever see a Schwinn order form? Dealers had no chrome frame options on the spec sheets so ordering a chrome frame would be like ordering a bucket of chicken teeth from KFC.




I believe detroitbike and GTs58 are correct, the Schwinn ordering procedures were very specific during the bike boom years and there were no custom orders allowed, not even on Paramounts. In fact according to the Reporters (dealer newsletter) and especially the dealer News Flash bulletins I've read, Schwinn's chrome output during the boom years was severely constrained. Because of this they first dropped the chrome forks on Continentals in Sept. '70 and on the Super Sport a few months later at the start of '71 and finally the full-chrome option on new Paramounts was dropped at the end of '72. In Nov. '72 dealers were advised that orders for '73 chrome Paramounts would come painted in Silver Mist unless the order was revised.

If there are any chrome framed Continentals they were most likely not done by Schwinn or were some sort of factory insider custom job as there was no way for a dealer to place such an order. Thinking about inside jobs or maybe special builds for executives, most would have chosen a Paramount or fillet-brazed model vs. a lowly Continental. This may explain why '73 and later chrome Paramounts do turn up from time to time even though they couldn't be ordered that way by a dealer.


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## how (Jun 29, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> I'll have to totally disagree with that. The Paramounts were offered in chrome for some years including the Paramount tandem, but that was about the extent of Schwinn factory chrome frames.




That is wrong, i owned 2 of them myself, and have seen others, Bike Tech in Detroit has had them also


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## GTs58 (Jun 29, 2015)

how said:


> That is wrong, *i owned 2 of them myself*, and have seen others, Bike Tech in Detroit has had them also




I assume you are talking about Paramounts.


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## how (Jun 29, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> I assume you are talking about Paramounts.




I owned 2 chrome continentals, they were factory made. I didnt at the time know what I had, and gave them away, they were owned by neighbor he bought 2 matching ones for him and his son that he gave to me, I rode them both for awhile them gave them away. They had the decales  from the factory, they were not homeade

I am not so sure Schwinn was as strict as you guys think, I was also an owner from new of a Schwinn Town and Country 3 seat bike. There a lot of rumers about these bikes only being 12, I have seen about 6 myself and have corresponded with others that owned them from new. One guy had one in his family, after owning it for about 20 years his father gave it back to Schwinn and they restored it in the Chicago factory for him. Bet persons dont believe that, but I saw many pictures of before and after

My brother still has the 3 seater.


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## GTs58 (Jun 29, 2015)

Over the years I must have seen over 200 chrome Sting Ray frames. Popular thing to do back in the day, and putting a set of factory correct decals on your newly chromed Continental would have been no big deal. Decals were plentiful at the Schwinn dealers. I'm a very optimistic pessimist so anything could be true.


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## how (Jun 30, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> Over the years I must have seen over 200 chrome Sting Ray frames. Popular thing to do back in the day, and putting a set of factory correct decals on your newly chromed Continental would have been no big deal. Decals were plentiful at the Schwinn dealers. I'm a very optimistic pessimist so anything could be true.




So you are saying the dealer did it? lol I doubt it..The guy bought them from a dealer new.
I have seen them at Ann Arbor before too


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## 2jakes (Jul 1, 2015)

how said:


> I owned 2 chrome continentals, they were factory made. I didnt at the time know what I had, and gave them away, they were owned by neighbor he bought 2 matching ones for him and his son that he gave to me, I rode them both for awhile them gave them away. They had the decales  from the factory, they were not homeade
> 
> I am not so sure Schwinn was as strict as you guys think, I was also an owner from new of a Schwinn Town and Country 3 seat bike. There a lot of rumers about these bikes only being 12, I have seen about 6 myself and have corresponded with others that owned them from new. One guy had one in his family, after owning it for about 20 years his father gave it back to Schwinn and they restored it in the Chicago factory for him. Bet persons dont believe that, but I saw many pictures of before and after
> 
> My brother still has the 3 seater.





1948 Schwinn Catalog
Original text and images of the 1948 Schwinn sales brochure. The text below, are as written in 1948.









End of quote from the Schwinn catalog:

Looks like it may have been possible for the customer & local bike dealer to place an
order for a specific model with the Chicago factory.
My 2¢ !


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## GTs58 (Jul 1, 2015)

Ya Jake, the Paramount only.


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## 2jakes (Jul 1, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> Ya Jake, the Paramount only.




Do you think it’s possible that perhaps a ’53 all-chrome like Amelia Marie posted could have been a special order from the Chicago factory ?

But some have pointed out that it may well have been a “custom” job by the owner which might explain all the “frankenstein” parts...
I guess we’ll never know for sure ! :o


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## Amelia Marie (Aug 31, 2015)

I really appreciate all of you helping give me information!! Here's the next question. How can I sell it? Recently lost my job and need a small cushion. LoL. I will miss getting all the looks riding this bike!!!


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## WES PINCHOT (Jun 23, 2017)

Amelia Marie said:


> View attachment 220749View attachment 220750View attachment 220751



DO YOU HAVE A KEY FOR THE CYCLE LOCK?


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## fordmike65 (Jun 23, 2017)

WES PINCHOT said:


> DO YOU HAVE A KEY FOR THE CYCLE LOCK?



It's been 2 years Wes. I'm betting the bike is looooong gone


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## bobcycles (Jun 24, 2017)

Amelia Marie said:


> I really appreciate all of you helping give me information!! Here's the next question. How can I sell it? Recently lost my job and need a small cushion. LoL. I will miss getting all the looks riding this bike!!!





You could easily market that to a different type of collector....rat rod and custom guys would
go nuts maybe?  
  for that with the plating done, saving the expense of doing it ...
Cabers might be a hard sell tho
It's funny...If I had that bike and it was a BALLOON frame...I'd have fun
building a Chrome Phantom or Wasp or some odd thing... but with correct 
period parts chromed to match


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## spoker (Jun 25, 2017)

mpls cr


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