# Help!!! With 1961 Wasp



## riden-n-style (Nov 16, 2022)

Can someone please show me what kind of handlebars, seatpost, and seat  a 1961 Schwinn Wasp is suppose to have thank you


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## GTs58 (Nov 16, 2022)

Will the brochure image help? The optional heavy duty seat #7000 was on a lot of Wasps since these were used in newspaper delivery. Also the large boy scout bars were an option over the standard Steer Horn bars .


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## riden-n-style (Nov 17, 2022)

Will the longhorn bars be stamped schwinn + year? I have a 61 Wasp that was stamped on Aug 31st with newer 1962 paint scheme and 1962 gaurd thats missing bars, seat and wheels and im looking for right parts


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Nov 17, 2022)

riden-n-style said:


> Will the longhorn bars be stamped schwinn + year? I have a 61 Wasp that was stamped on Aug 31st with newer 1962 paint scheme and 1962 gaurd thats missing bars, seat and wheels and im looking for right parts



No date stamping on bars that early just fine knurls. Someone has a Mesinger 7000 seat like @GTs58 mentions in the for sale section right now. Great seats for adult riders.You would be looking for S-2 wheels Please post some pictures.


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Nov 17, 2022)

riden-n-style said:


> Will the longhorn bars be stamped schwinn + year? I have a 61 Wasp that was stamped on Aug 31st with newer 1962 paint scheme and 1962 gaurd thats missing bars, seat and wheels and im looking for right parts



I believe the wheels would also be HD with 12 gauge spokes


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## riden-n-style (Nov 17, 2022)

Here it is


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Nov 17, 2022)

riden-n-style said:


> Here it is
> 
> View attachment 1733822
> 
> ...




Sweet, that will clean up nicely. I believe the Wasp was the last balloon bike made by Schwinn. That seat in for sale would be perfect and you need to be on the lookout for a set of HD wheels, not an easy find. Maybe try posting in wanted section. Do not hesitate to put a regular set of S-2 wheels as place holders much easier to find and no one would think twice.  Good luck, I really like that bike. Great price on the seat in for sale.


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## Oilit (Nov 17, 2022)

The heavy-duty wheels were a popular option on the Wasp, but they came with with the regular wheels as standard. When did they start marking the chain guards on the Heavy Duty versions? Nice project!


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## Oilit (Nov 17, 2022)

@prewarmachine has a good picture of the Heavy Duty decal in this thread, but according to one post, those weren't used in 1961:









						1962 Heavy Duty Wasp | All Things Schwinn
					

Just picked this up.  Bendix model K front hub, kickback rear that needs attention. Cool Denver license plates. Was used on a newspaper route.   Has anyone seen a bicycle shop decal like the one on it? I'd like to find out what shop had it at some point if I can. Looks like _IPPER'S Bicycles. I...




					thecabe.com


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## ADReese (Nov 17, 2022)

This is my '61. It has the heavier duty options.


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## Oilit (Nov 17, 2022)

So @riden-n-style, you have your choice, heavy-duty or standard. It will make a really nice bike, either way


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## riden-n-style (Nov 17, 2022)

ADReese said:


> This is my '61. It has the heavier duty options.
> View attachment 1733967
> 
> View attachment 1733968
> ...



What month is this Wasp? I ask because the catalog picture Gt's58 posted it shows the 61 with this type of paint scheme but with phantom style gaurd. Mine is stamped August of 61  but it has the paint scheme of 1962 Wasp


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## riden-n-style (Nov 17, 2022)

Oilit said:


> So @riden-n-style, you have your choice, heavy-duty or standard. It will make a really nice bike, either way



I would like to go with the Heavy Duty features.


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## ADReese (Nov 17, 2022)

I'll look it up for you next time I pull the bike from storage. It's definitely a weird transition bike with old scallops and newer guard. I prefer the older guard personally. It's got a factory model k hub and bendix 2 speed rear with the beefy spokes.


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## riden-n-style (Nov 17, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> Sweet, that will clean up nicely. I believe the Wasp was the last balloon bike made by Schwinn. That seat in for sale would be perfect and you need to be on the lookout for a set of HD wheels, not an easy find. Maybe try posting in wanted section. Do not hesitate to put a regular set of S-2 wheels as place holders much easier to find and no one would think twice.  Good luck, I really like that bike. Great price on the seat in for sale.



Thanks for pointing me in the right direction for the seat. Do you happen to know who has the handlebars for sale or the hd wheels?


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Nov 17, 2022)

I'm not sure of the style bars by name I would need a pic of what you want. I have not seen the wheels come up too often, that is not to say they do not. Try a post in the wanted forum. Oftentimes people will find a regular set of S-2 wheels and run them as place holders until they find the right ones. They are visually nearly the same hard to tell the difference unless you are looking.


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## riden-n-style (Nov 17, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> I'm not sure of the style bars by name I would need a pic of what you want. I have not seen the wheels come up too often, that is not to say they do not. Try a post in the wanted forum. Oftentimes people will find a regular set of S-2 wheels and run them as place holders until they find the right ones. They are visually nearly the same hard to tell the difference unless you are looking.



Looking for the steerhorn handlebars. Im looking to buy but am unsure as to how to tell diffrence between correct steerhorn bars vs reproduction or aftermarket. I really want this to be a heavy duty only as long as steerhorn bars are correct for heavy duty version. I really dont care for the boy scout style handlebars. Im also trying to hunt down a 62 American Heavy Duty


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## GTs58 (Nov 17, 2022)

riden-n-style said:


> Looking for the steerhorn handlebars. Im looking to buy but am unsure as to how to tell diffrence between correct steerhorn bars vs reproduction or aftermarket. I really want this to be a heavy duty only as long as steerhorn bars are correct for heavy duty version. I really dont care for the boy scout style handlebars. Im also trying to hunt down a 62 American Heavy Duty



The last production Schwinns that used those bars were the Phantom and the Wasp until the 70's "Beach Cruisers came out. Schwinn's bars had no markings until 1965-66 if I remember correctly. One thing I learned years ago is it you cannot tell one set of bars from another just by looking at pictures.


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## ADReese (Nov 17, 2022)

I have an extra set of s2 wheels that I believe we previously discussed. They are just standard wheels though. The large diameter spokes and HD hubs seem to be more rare.


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## GTs58 (Nov 17, 2022)

ADReese said:


> I have an extra set of s2 wheels that I believe we previously discussed. They are just standard wheels though. The large diameter spokes and HD hubs seem to be more rare.




The heavy duty S-2's on the Wasp had 120 spokes. A set of these will cost more than two bikes if you can find a pair for sale. The middleweight heavy duty models used the 105 spokes. @riden-n-style will have better luck finding the standard equipment wheels.


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## Oilit (Nov 18, 2022)

riden-n-style said:


> What month is this Wasp? I ask because the catalog picture Gt's58 posted it shows the 61 with this type of paint scheme but with phantom style gaurd. Mine is stamped August of 61  but it has the paint scheme of 1962 Wasp



It's possible that yours is actually a '62. Normally a drop-out stamped August '61 would be used before year end, but  there's been other examples that broke that rule. As @GTs58 says, evidently the serial number was stamped on the drop-out before it was welded up into a frame, and some of them sat around a while before they were used.


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Nov 18, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> The heavy duty S-2's on the Wasp had 120 spokes. A set of these will cost more than two bikes if you can find a pair for sale. The middleweight heavy duty models used the 105 spokes. @riden-n-style will have better luck finding the standard equipment wheels.



Did all S-2 HD wheels have the larger 120 spokes? I have a set of S-2 HD hoops I figured were for a Whizzer. What type of hub would have been on them? I laced them with  105 spokes with washers to a HD Tandem hub. I would love to find correct 120 spoke hub and build them correctly.


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Nov 18, 2022)

riden-n-style said:


> Looking for the steerhorn handlebars. Im looking to buy but am unsure as to how to tell diffrence between correct steerhorn bars vs reproduction or aftermarket. I really want this to be a heavy duty only as long as steerhorn bars are correct for heavy duty version. I really dont care for the boy scout style handlebars. Im also trying to hunt down a 62 American Heavy Duty



I do have a set of the S-7 HD wheels in for sale they came from a '69 Tandem. With the new bigger S-7 tires you almost fill out your fenders like the s-2 wheels would.


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## riden-n-style (Nov 18, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> The last production Schwinns that used those bars were the Phantom and the Wasp until the 70's "Beach Cruisers came out. Schwinn's bars had no markings until 1965-66 if I remember correctly. One thing I learned years ago is it you cannot tell one set of bars from another just by looking at pictures.



So that is a part i should buy in person rather then online correct?


Oilit said:


> It's possible that yours is actually a '62. Normally a drop-out stamped August '61 would be used before year end, but  there's been other examples that broke that rule. As @GTs58 says, evidently the serial number was stamped on the drop-out before it was welded up into a frame, and some of them sat around a while before they were used.



You might be correct, what I can tell u is the crank is stamped 61.


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## riden-n-style (Nov 18, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> Did all S-2 HD wheels have the larger 120 spokes? I have a set of S-2 HD hoops I figured were for a Whizzer. What type of hub would have been on them? I laced them with  105 spokes with washers to a HD Tandem hub. I would love to find correct 120 spoke hub and build them correctly.



I want s-2, after comparing the s7 and the s2 the s-2 are slower but have a smooth ride. I would however be interested in taking the HD s2 if you are willing to sell


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## GTs58 (Nov 18, 2022)

The 1961 Wasp had a mid year change with the new guard and paint detail. Not only did the Wasp have a mid year change in 1961, so did quite a few other models and Schwinn even added a couple new models to the line up along with deleting the Speedster.


coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> Did all S-2 HD wheels have the larger 120 spokes? I have a set of S-2 HD hoops I figured were for a Whizzer. What type of hub would have been on them? I laced them with  105 spokes with washers to a HD Tandem hub. I would love to find correct 120 spoke hub and build them correctly.




Every year Schwinn offered the heavy duty option on the Wasp, the were spec'd with 120 spokes. Even the prior year's option for a heavy duty front wheel spec'd 120 spokes. There were multiple HD hubs and they had 3/8 axles.


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## Rusty Klunker (Nov 18, 2022)

My 62 HD American has a Bendix model K. They're a pricey hub and there are two different versions, one with fixed axle and with knockout axle.


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## riden-n-style (Nov 18, 2022)

Rusty Klunker said:


> My 62 HD American has a Bendix model K. They're a pricey hub and there are two different versions, one with fixed axle and with knockout axle.



Can u post pics of that bike? Ive been looking for one


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## riden-n-style (Nov 18, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> The 1961 Wasp had a mid year change with the new guard and paint detail. Not only did the Wasp have a mid year change in 1961, so did quite a few other models and Schwinn even added a couple new models to the line up along with deleting the Speedster.
> 
> 
> Every year Schwinn offered the heavy duty option on the Wasp, the were spec'd with 120 spokes. Even the prior year's option for a heavy duty front wheel spec'd 120 spokes. There were multiple HD hubs and they had 3/8 axles.



So then would mine be a 61 model or a 62


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## GTs58 (Nov 18, 2022)

riden-n-style said:


> So then would mine be a 61 model or a 62



August 61 stamped serial number and 61 stamped crank? No doubt in my mind it's a 1961 model. There's a date on the inside of the left fork leg above the axle slot also. A two or three digit stamping for month and year, and it should be close to the serial date.


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## riden-n-style (Nov 18, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> August 61 stamped serial number and 61 stamped crank? No doubt in my mind it's a 1961 model. There's a date on the inside of the left fork leg above the axle slot also. A two or three digit stamping for month and year, and it should be close to the serial date.



Thanks, I was hoping 61.


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## GTs58 (Nov 19, 2022)

Oh my @Dave Stromberger , another newbie posing as a collector setting up his Scamming franchise?


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Nov 19, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> Oh my @Dave Stromberger , another newbie posing as a collector setting up his Scamming franchise?



What happened there? People suck


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Nov 19, 2022)

One good thing, he lit a fire under my butt to build up my set of HD wheels hahahah


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## Dave Stromberger (Nov 19, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> Oh my @Dave Stromberger , another newbie posing as a collector setting up his Scamming franchise?



It's a duplicate account of another member who sold stuff here, then failed to deliver after having been given plenty of opportunity to make it right.


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Nov 19, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> Oh my @Dave Stromberger , another newbie posing as a collector setting up his Scamming franchise?



Seems like it was well under way.


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