# My New Schwinn Autocycle



## Rust_Trader (Sep 19, 2011)

Thanks to the CABE i came across this autocycle on this thread 

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?12957-The-Award-for-Best-Craigslist-Picture-goes-to....

After a few weeks talking to the owner i finally made a decent deal and it finally arrive today from Indiana.

The frame i believe was repainted i rubbed some compound and a shinny maroon paint came out but no pinstriping designs so i assume this bike was all repainted???? 


serial number starts with Z i taken a picture if anyone can help me give me an idea of the year, the fork is not a locking fork.

The adjustable neck is all metal, the handlebars have 4 holes i assume its for the wiring of the cross speedo button cables.

Original fender bomb ornament 

Fenders dont have flat braces???  rear fender has a schwinn scripted reflector.

Front center drop wheel has a New Deaprture Front brake, back wheel has a new departure model D coster brake, also the axle has a spring at the end??> is it a 2 speed new departure hub brake???    If so does any one have the rest of the parts for sale? i included a picture of what im trying to describe.

Pogo Seat is all there without the leather 

Jewel tank has both reflectors that are schwinn scripted one is cracked, the inside side of the jewel has some writting on it pat pending numbers i would imagen??

Seiss lights with bracket one is missing a lense If anyone has ONE for sale i would be interested in buying it please let me know.


So this is what I got, I hope it's an autocycle but at least it has all the cool original parts of one.


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 19, 2011)

*pictures*

here are some pictures


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 19, 2011)

more pictures 















That little cup thing is a combination lock it looks that it has a chain inside but i couldnt open it, PLEASE  can the original owner PM me the combination. Thanks


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 19, 2011)

more pictures


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 19, 2011)

and some more


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 19, 2011)

I also need the right pedals, so what on this? I added some AS pedals but it came with some Wald metal pedals. 

Also does anyone have the clamps to hang the tank? I would be interested on a set of originals.

Thanks all.


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## Talewinds (Sep 19, 2011)

I'm not experienced enough with the prewar Schwinns to say with confidence, but you got what looks to me like a really nice bike there. Please show us more as you get it all put together!


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## old hotrod (Sep 19, 2011)

Looks great Santi...just what you were looking for....


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 19, 2011)

I have to clean it up and get a lense and the clamps for the tank to put it all together and I will take more pictures thanks I think this looks super cool. 



Hey Dave I found one  and I only paid 32.5% of his asking price for it I think it was a good deal :0.  


I finally have an original fender bomb ornament lol that's what excited me the most.


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## Dave K (Sep 19, 2011)

Wow cool Autocycle!!!!!!   Looking forward to seeing it all put together


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## J.C. (Sep 19, 2011)

*Great bike.  The pedals would be Torrington 10s*


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 19, 2011)

J.C. said:


> *Great bike.  The pedals would be Torrington 10s*







Oh cool thanks JC.


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## kccomet (Sep 20, 2011)

you posted to my goodrich motorbike thread. you were waiting for your autocycle said what you paid for it. looking at the first few pics thought the bike was pretty rough. then saw pics of the tank, great tank. you did well really well. these motorbikes are bringing some killer money now. almost everything is down from 4 or 5 years ago but these bikes are bringing more. buff it out put it together and you have one of the more desireable bikes in the hobby. congrats show some more pics when together


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 20, 2011)

kccomet said:


> you posted to my goodrich motorbike thread. you were waiting for your autocycle said what you paid for it. looking at the first few pics thought the bike was pretty rough. then saw pics of the tank, great tank. you did well really well. these motorbikes are bringing some killer money now. almost everything is down from 4 or 5 years ago but these bikes are bringing more. buff it out put it together and you have one of the more desireable bikes in the hobby. congrats show some more pics when together







Your motorbike is sweet, I got a thing about bicycles that they have to be original paint in order for me to keep lol, but an exception has been made in this autocycle. The tank is nice dent free but the bottom has some rust holes but for $1300 i can't complain it still looks good, it has a nice switch, and nice horn unit inside, the door shuts nice and everything is pretty straight. What motivated me to buy it was the fender bomb ornament I would have paid $1000 for one alone. So I'm happy With my new bike purchase.


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## miller32 (Sep 20, 2011)

Congrats on your bike!  Great little Autocycle.  We went to look at the bike a while back...but the guy (at the time) was pretty firm on his price.  I love the patina on the tank....even with the condition of the bottom.  That bike had a small brake on the front....!  Love that too.  Again...congrats and a great price!!!!


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 20, 2011)

miller32 said:


> Congrats on your bike!  Great little Autocycle.  We went to look at the bike a while back...but the guy (at the time) was pretty firm on his price.  I love the patina on the tank....even with the condition of the bottom.  That bike had a small brake on the front....!  Love that too.  Again...congrats and a great price!!!!




Thanks, 

The old owner did tell me a lot of people were interested but no serious buyers, I bugged him for 2 weeks to sell it to me because he didn't want to get paid thru paypal till he said a postal money order was good. 

Did you ever sell your autocycle tanks?


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## miller32 (Sep 20, 2011)

Greens07 said:


> Thanks,
> 
> The old owner did tell me a lot of people were interested but no serious buyers, I bugged him for 2 weeks to sell it to me because he didn't want to get paid thru paypal till he said a postal money order was good.
> 
> Did you ever sell your autocycle tanks?




I still have them both.  I found another Autocycle project a while back and was going to use one of them on it...but come to find out....it takes a bucket or two of money to gather all the parts for these Autocycles.  Then I thought I would restore them both....then talked myself right out of that.  Now I have them on a shelf....hoping to come across a project that might need them so they can be left original....but don't know.  

When I went to look at your bike....I loved the tank...and the fender bomb.  The good part about your tank is the *patina*......the rougher part is underneath...it doesn't mess with the hinges to the door and graphic.  I could tell there was a color close to maroon under the top layer of pinkish paint.....and I was trying to figure out if that was the original color or not.  Again....I thought it was a real nice bike....especially with all the parts.  I think it is a great score!


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## rustyspoke66 (Sep 20, 2011)

Your lock shows up in the 38/39 sears catalog. I've only ever seen one before and it was on a Elgin I had for a while. If it helps the combo is 3 digits and I believe R. L. R. Might be worth playing with if you get real bored.


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 20, 2011)

miller32 said:


> I still have them both.  I found another Autocycle project a while back and was going to use one of them on it...but come to find out....it takes a bucket or two of money to gather all the parts for these Autocycles.  Then I thought I would restore them both....then talk myself right out of that.  Now I have them on a shelf....hoping to come across a project that might need them....but don't know.
> 
> When I went to look at your bike....I loved the tank...and the fender bomb.  The good part about your tank is the *patina*......the rougher part is underneath...it doesn't mess with the hinges to the door and graphic.  I could tell there was a color close to maroon under the top layer of pinkish paint.....and I was trying to figure out if that was the original color or not.  Again....I thought it was a real nice bike....especially with all the parts.  I think it is a great score!






Yeah there's a maroon color underneath that pink faded layer, I thought it was a great score too.  I love that fenderornament. 

Your tanks are nice specially the one that has no rust, parts seem to be hard to pop up and when they do it's hard to get a good deal on them.


Thanks


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 20, 2011)

rustyspoke66 said:


> Your lock shows up in the 38/39 sears catalog. I've only ever seen one before and it was on a Elgin I had for a while. If it helps the combo is 3 digits and I believe R. L. R. Might be worth playing with if you get real bored.







That's sweet pretty cool thanks for the info, I'll sure play around with it I might get lucky and open it.

Thanks again 
Santi


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## Craiggo (Sep 21, 2011)

I just recently aquired a few boxes of prewar bicycle parts at a swap meet. I'll check as soon as I can for any tank hangers. Anything else you may need like some smalls cuz I have alot of little stuff that I don't even know what it is


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 22, 2011)

*NOT my taste but at lease there's original paint on it*

after long hours of trying different methods, i decided to use easy off on my autocycle and this is what i found under the house paint.  Looks like original paint was maroon with avory, the chome on the rack is gone and the maroon on the legs still show some. The fork was maroon but most is gone along with the pinstrip designs, the fenders show some pinstripes and orginal maroon and ivory(white?) color is mostly gone too. 


Rear hub turn out to be a new departure DD 2 speed.


So here it is.


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## Talewinds (Sep 22, 2011)

Ouch, that OG paint is pretty rough. The maroon/white is one of my favorite combos....


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 22, 2011)

Talewinds said:


> Ouch, that OG paint is pretty rough. The maroon/white is one of my favorite combos....




Yup, it has character but to be honest I didn't expect any paint to come out. In person looks a little nice very ratty looking.

That's color combo is my favorite too seems less unusual than the back and ivory.


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## markivpedalpusher (Sep 22, 2011)

Santi did you determine the year yet? I have few pairs of black OG AUTO-CYCLE finger grips if you are interested. I've been pretty busy and have not had time to read you're entire thread here but I believe I read somewhere you said it had a steal stem and there was no stimsonite script on the rear reflector. And if you're battery tray is a 4 D cell these would all be indicators of you're bike potentially being a 36. In that case I would go with ringer grips.

And if the tank jewels only have the Schwinn script and no stimsonite script on the outside combined with the above it is most likely a 36.


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 22, 2011)

markivpedalpusher said:


> Santi did you determine the year yet? I have few pairs of black OG AUTO-CYCLE finger grips if you are interested. I've been pretty busy and have not had time to read you're entire thread here but I believe I read somewhere you said it had a steal stem and there was no stimsonite script on the rear reflector. And if you're battery tray is a 4 D cell these would all be indicators of you're bike potentially being a 36. In that case I would go with ringer grips.






Hello Mark,

Yes the gooseneck is all steel, none of the reflectors tank nor rear say samsonite they only say Schwinn. 

There is a horn but no battery tray inside the tank.  Also te frame has the screw for the ground wire underneath where the tank sits.

Also there is two holes at the end of the frame where the rear wheel goes, I read something about being factory done for something I can't remember. 


Send me an email about the grip some pictures please.


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## markivpedalpusher (Sep 22, 2011)

OK I'm going with 1936 AUTO-CYCYLE

CONGRATS!


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 22, 2011)

markivpedalpusher said:


> OK I'm going with 1936 AUTO-CYCYLE
> 
> CONGRATS!






Thanks, I have no clue so I'll roll with it. How about the fender braces, does it supposed to flat or
Semi-rounded because that's what it has.?!


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## Dave K (Sep 22, 2011)

OG paint is super cool I don't care how bad it is.  When you get the tank and all the parts put on it will be the cats meow.

Are you going to pony up for a cross bar speedo?

Keep up the good work looking forward to more pictures


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## cyclingday (Sep 22, 2011)

Congrats! on the newly aquired Autocycle. That's a big step up!


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 22, 2011)

Dave K said:


> OG paint is super cool I don't care how bad it is.  When you get the tank and all the parts put on it will be the cats meow.
> 
> Are you going to pony up for a cross bar speedo?
> 
> Keep up the good work looking forward to more pictures




If I can find an original at a good price definitely will get a cross speedo might take a long time tho.... But I'll wait for the right one.

Thanks I'll update when I add the rest of the items.


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 22, 2011)

cyclingday said:


> Congrats! on the newly aquired Autocycle. That's a big step up!






Yeah thanks i usually only buy cycle trucks so this is very exciting.


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 30, 2011)

*A true henderson autocycle*

Well my autocycle is badge Henderson but as many the badge is always swapt or missing, anyaway i was playing with the lock trying to open it(no luck) then i saw the bottom tube had like writing on it so after looking it at different angles it spell out Henderson


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## Rust_Trader (Sep 30, 2011)

*are this valve stem covers RARE?*

i have this valve stem covers that i only seen ones on the bicyclechronicles.com website but mine are different brand, Mine say DILL CLEVE and a PAT number.
Has anyone have more info on these? arw they even made for bicycles or is it a car accessory? 

Here's a picture of mine and also the ones on the website


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## Rust_Trader (Oct 1, 2011)

*Crank dated 37*

So I took crank off and it's dated 37, fenders don't have flat braces to be a 36 and fender darts Stripping aren't present at the rear fender to be a 38 so most likely my autocycle is a 1937????


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## markivpedalpusher (Oct 1, 2011)

I could see an early 37 having a steel stem and no stims script on the reflectors :o

bicyclechronicles.com has a nice tutorial on cyclelocks


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## Rust_Trader (Oct 1, 2011)

markivpedalpusher said:


> I could see an early 37 having a steel stem and no stims script on the reflectors :o
> 
> bicyclechronicles.com has a nice tutorial on cyclelocks





Thanks Mark,

I looked thru that website the other day and it's pretty cool, the lock I'm trying to open is the accessory combination lock that came with it not the fork lock mine doesn't have a locking fork.


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## markivpedalpusher (Oct 1, 2011)

oh ok my bad


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