# Who has the last Prewar Schwinn ?



## Roadstermike (Jan 6, 2021)

I have a 1942 Schwinn DX with serial number I 25938. I would think this is close to end of production for the war years. This has been my beach cruiser for about 30 years. I know that when I got it it was spray painted red.  Who's got a Prewar Schwinn with a higher serial number?
Just wondering,
Mike


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## Freqman1 (Jan 6, 2021)

I sold a 20” Cycle Truck frame and fork last year serial I45183. V/r Shawn


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## oldmtrcyc (Jan 8, 2021)

1942 would be mid-war.  I would think, for USA,  prewar would be Dec 1941 and earlier.


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## Rivnut (Jan 8, 2021)

Pearl Harbor wasn't attacked until Dec of '41. 

_In December 1941, the Office of Production Management and leading manufacturers developed specifications for a simplified bicycle dubbed the "Victory bicycle" by government and media. OPM reviewed several prototypes submitted for examination. Regulations finalized in March 1942 specified that bicycles would be lightweight - not more than 31 pounds, about two-thirds the weight of prewar bicycles - and they would be made of steel only, with no copper or nickel parts. Chrome plating was limited to a few small pieces of hardware. Handlebars and wheel rims would be painted instead of chrome plated, and most accessories (chain guard, basket, luggage rack, bell, whitewall tires) were eliminated. Tire size was limited to a width of 1.375 inches, narrower than balloon tires on prewar children's bikes. Production was set at 750,000 Victory bicycles per year by twelve manufacturers, approximately 40 percent of total prewar production but a significant increase in annual production of adult bicycles. The manufacture of all other types of civilian bicycles was halted._

I'm betting that you'll find some year wars lightweight Schwinns out there.  Gas and tires were rationed, civilians rode bicycles to work.  There had to be some made to fill this quota.

_1942-1945_​_In 1942 the Schwinn catalog saw most of it's bikes discontinued and the "Defense models" introduced.




These models were Schwinn bicycles stripped of their fancy (and metal) accessories. The company received the Army and Navy "E" Award for the excellence of it's performance in the production of war materials. Commander Singer of the Navy said of the Schwinn company (at the presentation of the "E" award)...
_


> _"Not only have you consistently met or anticipated your delivery schedules, but you have kept a high standard of quality that resulted in a need for rejection less than 1% of your production. That makes you practically perfect."_


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## Roadstermike (Jan 8, 2021)

oldmtrcyc said:


> 1942 would be mid-war.  I would think, for USA,  prewar would be Dec 1941 and earlier.



The style of construction of what I call "prewar" is different from the 1946 and later Schwinn bikes


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## oldmtrcyc (Jan 8, 2021)

Rivnut said:


> Pearl Harbor wasn't attacked until Dec of '41.



I think that is what I said.


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## GTs58 (Jan 8, 2021)

Rivnut said:


> I'm betting that you'll find some year wars lightweight Schwinns out there.  Gas and tires were rationed, civilians rode bicycles to work.  There had to be some made to fill this quota.












						Wartime Schwinn New World Bikes - We Know You Have Them - Tell Us About Them!! | Lightweight Schwinn Bicycles
					

Please help us gather some more info on wartime Schwinn New Worlds (or other lightweights).  We know many of you have these unique bikes and they all have an interesting story to tell.  We are already starting to get an idea of what serial number New Worlds have the transition from brazing to...




					thecabe.com


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## Casual dreamer (Jan 9, 2021)

My '42 Excelsior Defense Model DX. I love this bike! Always have a smile when I ride it!


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## Rivnut (Jan 9, 2021)

I would consider prewar anything built prior to March of 42 when the building of commercial bikes was brought to a halt.  From March 1942 forward until sometime in 45 when tooling for the war industry changed back to the public interest, the few bikes built would be neither pre-war nor post-war.  Automobile production resumed in October of 1945 with the 1946 models.  I would imagine the same would be true for most bicycles.


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## Freqman1 (Jan 9, 2021)

Casual dreamer said:


> My '42 Excelsior Defense Model DX. I love this bike! Always have a smile when I ride it!
> 
> View attachment 1335864
> 
> ...



Serial number?


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## HARPO (Feb 20, 2021)

I bought this one a couple of years ago and haven't done anything with it. I can't make out if there's a letter before the numbers, though...


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## Roadstermike (Feb 20, 2021)

My Guess would be that your bike would be a 41 and the first letter might be a H


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## cyclingday (Feb 20, 2021)

This one has an H prefix, but I’ve always considered it a 42 model, since it has all of the defense era trim.
I don’t think the serial number has as much to do with the build date, as the way it was trimmed out.
H would indicate Prewar for sure, but painted rims, trussrods and fender braces, would indicate defense era cutbacks.
No rack, or tank either.
I put the U bar on this bike, because in the description of the defense models, it states that the Torrington SB bars would be used until supplies ran out, at which time a Torrington U bar would substitute.
So, a 1942 defense model, was the only time/year, that a Torrington U bar was ever used on a Schwinn built bicycle.
Kind of cool!


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## Roadstermike (Feb 20, 2021)

Very Nice


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## Kickstand3 (Feb 20, 2021)

Here’s mine 
 It’s all minty . I love this ride


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## HARPO (Feb 20, 2021)

Roadstermike said:


> My Guess would be that your bike would be a 41 and the first letter might be a H




I remember posting the bike when I first got it, and I was told it was 1941, and a one-year-only frame, tank and chain guard. Just had no idea as to where it falls into early or late 1941.


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## Roadstermike (Feb 21, 2021)

Kickstand3 said:


> Here’s mine
> It’s all minty . I love this ride
> 
> View attachment 1361223
> ...



That's a real nice one. Serial #?


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## BigWaveDave (Feb 22, 2021)

This is my 46 B6 with I s/n


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## GTs58 (Feb 22, 2021)

BigWaveDave said:


> This is my 46 B6 with I s/n
> 
> View attachment 1362648




What was the casting date on the crank?


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## mrg (Feb 22, 2021)

Had & have a few "I #'s" but nothing that high of #, as for the war time production think there was a time companies were able to use up stock on hand to fill orders, perfect example my 42 Western Flyer ( CWC used the "A" serial # all of 42 ), CWC used a frame designed exclusively for Montgomery Wards by Walter Teague only used for 40-1 Hawathorne All American but ended up on a bare bones 42 WF, don't know if there was a overlap with these spare-parts bikes and war time production. Guess there could be the same thread for CWC's my number is A17xxx


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## Oilit (Feb 26, 2021)

mrg said:


> Had & have a few "I #'s" but nothing that high of #, as for the war time production think there was a time companies were able to use up stock on hand to fill orders, perfect example my 42 Western Flyer ( CWC used the "A" serial # all of 42 ), CWC used a frame designed exclusively for Montgomery Wards by Walter Teague only used for 40-1 Hawathorne All American but ended up on a bare bones 42 WF, don't know if there was a overlap with these spare-parts bikes and war time production. Guess there could be the same thread for CWC's my number is A17xxxView attachment 1362649



You're right, sorting out the differences between pre-war and early war-time production could be a real headache. Maybe it would be easier to see who's got the latest 1942 balloon Schwinn. And I don't get tired of looking at your 1942, it's a perfect witness to a particular time and place, long gone by.


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## dasberger (Feb 26, 2021)

Not sure where in the year my '41 G serial falls...


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## Roadstermike (Feb 26, 2021)

dasberger said:


> Not sure where in the year my '41 G serial falls...
> 
> View attachment 1364392
> 
> ...



Very Nice!


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## Roadstermike (Feb 26, 2021)

Oilit said:


> You're right, sorting out the differences between pre-war and early war-time production could be a real headache. Maybe it would be easier to see who's got the latest 1942 balloon Schwinn. And I don't get tired of looking at your 1942, it's a perfect witness to a particular time and place, long gone by.



That is kind of what I had in mind. These bikes are way fun to ride, The prewar DX has a high bottom bracket and longer cranks,


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## BigWaveDave (Feb 28, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> What was the casting date on the crank?



This is the best picture I can get, it is hard to make out the numbers


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## GTs58 (Feb 28, 2021)

Those are part numbers. Looks like 9020 A and I've seen the number 9620-A.


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## BigWaveDave (Feb 28, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> Those are part numbers. Looks like 9020 A and I've seen the number 9620-A.



Good tip, looks just like this one on the other side too. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/46-schwinn-dx.22756/


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