# Schwinn Speedway



## 49er (Sep 3, 2018)

I just got this and might restore it.  It had a front brake and tank.  I believe to be a 1955.  The serial number is S114427.  I have part of the brake, the springer, and more.


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## ZE52414 (Sep 3, 2018)

Whatever you do don’t restore IT! That has some pretty killer OG paint lightly clean and just put it back together! Great looking project!


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## stezell (Sep 3, 2018)

Zach is right that paint will clean up nice. Cool start man!
Sean


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## GTs58 (Sep 3, 2018)

The skeleton of the Black Phantom.


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## 49er (Sep 4, 2018)

Not planning to paint, just collect some wheels (hopefully with a fore brake) a crank & pedals, maybe fenders and for sure a seat.  The guy I got it from says he might have more parts.  Fingers crossed.


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## 49er (Sep 5, 2018)

Some one wanted a head badge shot.


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## fordmike65 (Sep 5, 2018)

Sweet badge


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## juanitasmith13 (Sep 5, 2018)

Picture of front fork ???? 1955 was different than 1954.


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## GTs58 (Sep 5, 2018)

49er said:


> I just got this and might restore it.  It had a front brake and tank.  I believe to be a 1955.  The serial number is S114427.  I have part of the brake, the springer, and more.





I think you must have duplicated one of the serial numbers. S and then 5 digits, not 6 for 1955. Be cautious around the pins if and when you clean up the paint.


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## barneyguey (Sep 5, 2018)

49er said:


> Some one wanted a head badge shot.View attachment 864306



Thanks man! Barry


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## 49er (Sep 6, 2018)




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## juanitasmith13 (Sep 6, 2018)

Weird! Doesn't compute...…. Bottom bracket numbers on 1955? China re-pop in terrible shape?


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## 49er (Sep 6, 2018)

Well, I just looked up the reference list and it does indeed have six didgits.  This bike has been laying around in body shop for a long time.  What year did the Chinese start reproducing them ?


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## GTs58 (Sep 6, 2018)

49er said:


> Well, I just looked up the reference list and it does indeed have six didgits.  This bike has been laying around in body shop for a long time.  What year did the Chinese start reproducing them ?




That's no Taiwan frame. This is the third Phantom I've seen with an S serial number and yours is the second one with a mystery S number. One of the three had an S number that fell in the range on the list. I believe there was an error when the SN list was entered on the net so your frame very well could be a 1950 Black Phantom. 

*1949 *
11/01 ------------------ F303038 ---------------- F308306 
 11/02 ------------------ F308307 ---------------- F309647 
 11/03 ------------------ F309648 ---------------- S312650 
11/04 ------------------ S312651 ---------------- S315855 
 11/07 ------------------ S315856 ---------------- S318300 
 11/08 ------------------ S318301 ---------------- S321357 
 11/10 ------------------ F321358 ---------------- F326178 
 11/11 ------------------ F326179 ---------------- F331736 
 11/14 ------------------ F331737 ---------------- F333674 
 11/15 ------------------ F331737 ---------------- F333674 
 11/16 ------------------ F336648 ---------------- F339451 
 11/17 ------------------ F339452 ---------------- F341662 
 11/18 ------------------ F341663 ---------------- F344772 
 11/23 ------------------ F344773 ---------------- F345341 
 11/28 ------------------ F345342 ---------------- F347192 
 11/29 ------------------ F347193 ---------------- F348329 
 11/30 ------------------ F348330 ---------------- F349001


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## 49er (Sep 7, 2018)

The Black Phantom is a beautiful bike.  Not sure about the head badge though.


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## barneyguey (Sep 7, 2018)

49er said:


> The Black Phantom is a beautiful bike.  Not sure about the head badge though.



The Louisville Cycle & Supply Company was a major distributor for Schwinn bikes. They had maybe 15 different badges or more. Barry


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## juanitasmith13 (Sep 7, 2018)

This makes sense @GTs58; i.e. the top headtube bearing race would have been used on early Phantoms..... But those are the only S numbers I see (S3.... ). Were the S11..... numbers before the '48 fire destruction; or, were these S11..... numbers maybe not "Chicago" Schwinn's???


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## barneyguey (Sep 7, 2018)

juanitasmith13 said:


> This makes sense @GTs58; i.e. the top headtube bearing race would have been used on early Phantoms..... But those are the only S numbers I see (S3.... ). Were the S11..... numbers before the '48 fire destruction; or, were these S11..... numbers maybe not "Chicago" Schwinn's???



No doubt about it, that's a Chicago made Schwinn frame.


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## GTs58 (Sep 8, 2018)

juanitasmith13 said:


> This makes sense @GTs58; i.e. the top headtube bearing race would have been used on early Phantoms..... But those are the only S numbers I see (S3.... ). Were the S11..... numbers before the '48 fire destruction; or, were these S11..... numbers maybe not "Chicago" Schwinn's???




The pre fire serial numbers had the letter and only 5 digits. I believe the later 1948 numbers is when the hodgepodge of 5 and 6 digits began.


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## 49er (Sep 9, 2018)

The fork.


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## 49er (Sep 9, 2018)

View attachment 866551


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## 49er (Sep 9, 2018)

View attachment 866552


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## GTs58 (Sep 9, 2018)

Did you get rest of the springer fork and hardware? 

By the way, I don't think that head badge was original to the bike. It is a cool badge though.


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## 49er (Sep 10, 2018)

I got some of it.  I'll post them up soon.


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## 49er (Sep 11, 2018)




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## 49er (Sep 11, 2018)




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## 49er (Sep 11, 2018)

It's obvious that I'm not the greatest at posting pictures.  I'll try to do better.


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## GTs58 (Sep 11, 2018)

I'm really rattling the can here since I do not believe there was an actual 1949 model Phantom. No legit literature saying there was one or proof that I have come across. So when and why did these mystery SXXXXXX serial numbers come about? Notice the F numbers just stopped and the S numbers started here on this list. They're highlighted in red. So sometime *during the day *on November 3rd 1949 the F stamping die was replaced with an S stamping die? The numbers continued on in sequence and then the morning of November 8th the S stamping die was then replaced with the F stamping die?  
Lets say the June date that matches your serial number was recorded as an S and not an F, then your Phantom would have been considered a 1949 model Phantom. I know there are some type errors on the Schwinn serial number list but this situation has me baffled. Is it an S or F for 1949?   


 You have a very interesting Phantom frame there. Maybe @Freqman1 has some history or a theory about these unrecorded S numbers.    

*1949 *
11/01 ------------------ F303038 ---------------- F308306 
 11/02 ------------------ F308307 ---------------- F309647 
 11/03 ------------------ F309648 ---------------- S312650 
11/04 ------------------ S312651 ---------------- S315855 
 11/07 ------------------ S315856 ---------------- S318300
 11/08 ------------------ S318301 ---------------- S321357 
 11/10 ------------------ F321358 ---------------- F326178 
 11/11 ------------------ F326179 ---------------- F331736 
 11/14 ------------------ F331737 ---------------- F333674 
 11/15 ------------------ F331737 ---------------- F333674 
 11/16 ------------------ F336648 ---------------- F339451 
 11/17 ------------------ F339452 ---------------- F341662 
 11/18 ------------------ F341663 ---------------- F344772 
 11/23 ------------------ F344773 ---------------- F345341 
 11/28 ------------------ F345342 ---------------- F347192 
 11/29 ------------------ F347193 ---------------- F348329 
 11/30 ------------------ F348330 ---------------- F349001


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## 49er (Sep 12, 2018)

It's weird that I chose the handle 49er.


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## Freqman1 (Sep 12, 2018)

I wish I could offer more info but it seems '49 is a 'black hole' year as far as documentation goes. My personal thoughts are that the Phantom was a mid year introduction. The only reason I say this is because I have Chicago Cycle Supply lit from the spring of '50 showing the Phantoms in all three colors. What I would expect the lit to say is "The all new Phantom..." or something similar which it does not. I would really like to see a summer '49 dealer sheet surface. '49 is an interesting year for a lot of reasons particularly the options available on the B6. Essentially you could order all the Phantom options on a B6 that year in addition to chrome fork legs on the springer. V/r Shawn


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## 49er (Sep 15, 2018)

I am looking for a set of wheels complete for this bike.  Patina OK, would really like a front brake since it came with one.  Also springer struts or what ever the straight link is called.  Seat stem and seat, crank and pedals would get me rolling.  I'm new, not sure if this should be in the sell, buy, trade section.  PM me if you have any of this.
Thanks...


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## 49er (Sep 22, 2018)

Thanks to all who replied to my wanted adds.  I am waiting to see if I get more of this bike.


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## MULE SKINNER (Sep 25, 2018)

Whatever it turns out to be it's a real beauty man.


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