# 1948 Schwinn D37XE...I think...



## HARPO (Jan 13, 2019)

I picked this one up this morning out on Long Island. Here I am trying to sell a few bikes to make room, and this turns up. Aye Carumba!!! But love the story that went with it.

The niece of the original owner (_gentleman who is 98 years old!_) was selling it for him. She told me that he had purchased the bike brand new in 1948 for his wife, and had kept it all these years. She had passed away, but he refused to sell it...until now. Unfortunately,though, the last year was spent in the niece's shed. Not in the house where it had been kept since new, so the rust got a bit worse she told me.
With the exception of the grips and tires, the bike is all original. Even the lens cap is still there, but I haven't looked inside the light yet! I was afraid to take off the seat cover, fearing the leather was toast. But I was amazed at the condition of it. 

This will quite a bit of work, but I'm up to the challenge. The serial number under the bottom bracket is *E202801*, indeed making it a 1948 year. But according to the 1948 Schwinn Catalog, it should have a Skip tooth crank and it doesn't show  rear carrier on the photo. It does state, though, that the chrome rims were an extra charge.
So, if anyone out there knows differently, please let me know.

And as I always tell you guys my purchase prices...$60...not bad for a 76 mile round-trip drive early this morning. Check out the photos as I unloaded it from my SUV.


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## HARPO (Jan 13, 2019)

And more shots...


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## HARPO (Jan 13, 2019)

This is a close as I get to what the model of the bike is...


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## gkeep (Jan 13, 2019)

Nice rescue! That will clean up beautifully with some patina for that lived in look. I have the same period ladies frame in the darker blue but it showed up as just a frame and handlebars with multiple coats of paint.


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## COB (Jan 13, 2019)

Here is my 48 boy's model. Not a skip-tooth, has the same rear rack and chrome rims if that helps.


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## HARPO (Jan 13, 2019)

I also read in the catalog that the Truss Rods on mine were also an option. This guy treated his wife nicely!


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## HARPO (Jan 16, 2019)

I removed the basket and got to the light. Yikes! Completely rotted. 

Ironically, though, I have the same light off of a 1949 Schwinn that I'll put on if everything else cleans up. Even a clean set of truss rods from the 1949 bike.


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## HARPO (Jan 17, 2019)

Correct me if I'm wrong...but isn't this the "one year only" stem?

Also, some of the chrome is starting to look great, like on the front hub. The rims, not to bad. But ironically, the flat surface is in better shape than the side walls. I figured the flatter the area the longer moisture would have had to eat into the metal. Go figure...


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## A.S.BOLTNUT (Jan 17, 2019)

Not sure about the stem ? , but here's one I had years ago I bought along with a Phantom,  a Wasp, a Western flyer,  and a few others and parts , sold it on Craigslist,  I believe it's one of 6 I had featured in The Evolution of Bicycles vol.2


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## Sven (Jan 17, 2019)

Yet another great score. Long Island area definitely great hunting grounds.


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## HARPO (Jan 17, 2019)

Sven said:


> Yet another great score. Long Island area definitely great hunting grounds.




Thanks, I got lucky, lol.  

These are pretty hard to come by where I am, and if I do find one, it's usually way out on the Island. That Hornet and Jaguar I just sold were close to me, but that's pretty rare to get that lucky. Fingers crossed my luck will continue!!


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## HARPO (Jan 18, 2019)

Well, apparently the bike isn't as light a blue as I thought it was.

I decided to do some wet sanding with Windex and a very fine 400C sandpaper, like you would do on a car once it's been painted (I've been watching a lot of auto channels). Why? Because the paint felt so rough that even rubbing compound wasn't doing a thing to make it smooth. 

So after being VERY gentle, and keeping the sandpaper and back of the front fender WET, the color came back...a deeper blue. I was shocked, and then did a polishing compound and a polish on it and it feels like glass. Compare the back of the fender to the rest of the bike and the color difference is pretty apparent.

OH, and I removed the tank, expecting to see the same horrible condition of the headlight. MUCH better than I dared hope for, and with a little surprise. A small wasp nest!


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## HARPO (Jan 18, 2019)

Breakdown almost complete. Still need to get the neck out that's stuck, though. Let the games begin!!


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## HARPO (Jan 20, 2019)

Work continues on the bike, but the headlight couldn't be saved. What a pain getting that off!!!


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## HARPO (Jan 23, 2019)

Finished with as far as I can get.

I replaced the head light with the same one I had already, and I replaced the grips with Period Correct Schwinn ones in the correct color.

The bike was more work than I had planned, and I was disappointed to see the loss of chrome on the rims. I had hoped that under the rust was shiny metal, but it wasn't meant to be. All in all, I'm happy with the way it came out. Very smooth ride for a 70 year old bike!

Sometime soon this will appear in the For Sale section, as the Pre War Schwinn I have will now takes its place in the herd. Every time I make a bit of room, more show up!  @Jim Barnard bought the Hornet and Jaguar from me, and then the '48 and '41 showed up!! Oh well...


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## HARPO (Jan 23, 2019)

And of course a few more...


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## Autocycleplane (Jan 23, 2019)

Great job cleaning her up, she looks fantastic.


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## Jim Barnard (Jan 23, 2019)

And here is one of your bikes after I have tweeked her a wee bit. She was a pleasure to work on, thank you!

The corvette next week!


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## HARPO (Jan 24, 2019)

Jim Barnard said:


> And here is one of your bikes after I have tweeked her a wee bit. She was a pleasure to work on, thank you!
> 
> The corvette next week!
> 
> View attachment 937558




To bad I couldn't get the blue paint to come out as nice as I did on the Hornet. It was to far faded as you can tell from the decals.

I saw and commented on your Post on the Hornet. It went to a happy place!!  But...do you mean the _Jaguar_ I sold you, lol?


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## HARPO (Jan 24, 2019)




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## cyclonecoaster.com (Jan 24, 2019)

*The bike turned out great .. the chrome on the wheels usually not  coming back once rusted over ... personally I like the peppery finish .. makes the bike look "age appropriate" .. keep up the good work ... ridden not hidden .. Frank *


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## Jim Barnard (Jan 24, 2019)

HARPO said:


> To bad I couldn't get the blue paint to come out as nice as I did on the Hornet. It was to far faded as you can tell from the decals.
> 
> I saw and commented on your Post on the Hornet. It went to a happy place!!  But...do you mean the _Jaguar_ I sold you, lol?



Oooooooo. I wonder if I can return the Corvette decals. Shazbot!


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## HARPO (Jan 25, 2019)

Jim Barnard said:


> Oooooooo. I wonder if I can return the Corvette decals. Shazbot!




To make sure you get the correct decal, Mork, it's a MARK IV JAGUAR...


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## HARPO (Feb 15, 2019)

I'm starting to get offers on the bike. Any idea what a fair price is? ( I've already let everyone know that I won't ship it.)


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