# 47' Continental BB question.



## Schwinny (Apr 14, 2022)

My old Conti is getting rubbed in hopes of making the Lake Pepin run next month.
Spurned on by recent eBay offerings I found the BB dry but not messed up.
But...
It's a Phillip's BB.
Is it correct or has it been replaced?
Honestly can't tell by the wear and use. Everything is the same patina and age.

One thing I thought just might a fine Continental attribute is that the crank arms set very close to the chainguard.
Is it a more narrow replacement?
The axle is 128 mm long


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## J-wagon (Apr 14, 2022)

My 1948 men's conti BB axle is about 128mm or so. Ends of axle curved rounded. Distance chainguard crankarm for comparison.


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## Schwinny (Apr 14, 2022)

Looks the same in width. Clearance and all.
Thanks.
Can you see what the LS bearing race says on it's face?


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## J-wagon (Apr 14, 2022)

Schwinny said:


> Can you see what the LS bearing race says on it's face?



Sure. Left side has nothing stamped. Just grime in pics


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## SirMike1983 (Apr 14, 2022)

The Phillips part is probably a replacement. The stock Schwinn cottered bottom bracket cups I have owned were blued and often had a small, monogram "AS" on them. I suppose it's possible at some point not all the parts were monogrammed, but the Phillips part seems farther afield from normal. The spindles were also blued with "Schwinn" in script on the center section.

I did find that Birmingham Phillips and Hercules parts were drop-in replacements for many of the Schwinn cottered bottom bracket parts. The Schwinn is often harder to find in good shape. When Schwinn designed their cottered bottom brackets, it appears to me they copied a Birmingham Hercules or Phillips. My guess would be a Hercules because they were the most popular English brand in the US prior to WWII. My experience has been the old Birmingham Phillips and Hercules parts are on a par with the Schwinn ones. They're all pretty well-made. The stuff to watch out for is the modern-day Chinese, Indian, and Pakistani stuff, which in some cases is not properly surface hardened and wears very quickly.


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## Schwinny (Apr 15, 2022)

Aaaah very good.


SirMike1983 said:


> The Phillips part is probably a replacement. The stock Schwinn cottered bottom bracket cups I have owned were blued and often had a small, monogram "AS" on them. I suppose it's possible at some point not all the parts were monogrammed, but the Phillips part seems farther afield from normal. The spindles were also blued with "Schwinn" in script on the center section.
> 
> I did find that Birmingham Phillips and Hercules parts were drop-in replacements for many of the Schwinn cottered bottom bracket parts. The Schwinn is often harder to find in good shape. When Schwinn designed their cottered bottom brackets, it appears to me they copied a Birmingham Hercules or Phillips. My guess would be a Hercules because they were the most popular English brand in the US prior to WWII. My experience has been the old Birmingham Phillips and Hercules parts are on a par with the Schwinn ones. They're all pretty well-made. The stuff to watch out for is the modern-day Chinese, Indian, and Pakistani stuff, which in some cases is not properly surface hardened and wears very quickly.
> 
> View attachment 1607052



Aaaah, very good. Nothing else here is marked at all except that cup so a replacement I'm sure.
I found little pebbles in there and the dust from them mixed with hard grease.
When I got the frame it had no BB shell, oil partridge. That's how they got in there I can only guess.
No damage so all is fine. I put a partridge there before ever riding it so no more worries for that..
Thanks for the detailed response.


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