# '55 B F Goodrich Schwinn.... Spitfire?



## 3-speeder (Apr 21, 2018)

I have this Schwinn cantilever frame bike with a Spitfire chainguard and I am wondering if it is actually a different model. From what I've seen the Spitfires had straight bars not cantilever.  Question is did the B F Goodrich Spitfire come as a cantilever frame? There are some other mismatched parts so it wouldn't surprise me if it was another model.  Maybe a Wasp? What do you think? Serial number looks like R48648, maybe R49648


----------



## Adamtinkerer (Apr 21, 2018)

I know there were middleweight canti Spitfires a couple years later. The BFG bikes did have their own model names for a while, it does look like a wasp otherwise!


----------



## GTs58 (Apr 21, 2018)

Looks like it has S-7's. Am I correct?


----------



## Danny the schwinn freak (Apr 21, 2018)

I have the same bike in black and white. Lots of canti spitfires out there and the bolt on kickstand is consistent with the spitfire theory as well. It was a lower end model. Cool bike!


----------



## 3-speeder (Apr 21, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> Looks like it has S-7's. Am I correct?



That's correct. Mid-weights.


----------



## GTs58 (Apr 21, 2018)

The 1955 Spitfire was a ballooner. In 1956 the Spitfire was offered as a ballooner and a middleweight and the straight bar bike illustrated in the catalog is the ballooner. 1957 and later it was offered as a middleweight only. I think your serial number starts with a B, bottom half missing, so that explains the cantilever frame along with the S-7s.

01/18/1957 ------------------ B31410 ------------------- B56170


----------



## 3-speeder (Apr 21, 2018)

GTs58 said:


> The 1955 Spitfire was a ballooner. In 1956 the Spitfire was offered as a ballooner and a middleweight and the straight bar bike illustrated in the catalog is the ballooner. 1957 and later it was offered as a middleweight only. I think your serial number starts with a B, bottom half missing, so that explains the cantilever frame along with the S-7s.
> 
> 01/18/1957 ------------------ B31410 ------------------- B56170



Thanks. Good information. Sure could be a half a "B"


----------

