# 1948 or 1950 Continental  with Cycle Lock!



## HARPO

I just picked this one up today, after initially turning it down when I first saw it (_what a dummy!_). Light bulb in my head went on after I got home and called the person back. Whew!

From all the info I can gather, spending a lot of time looking at Catalogs and photos, I believe it's a '48 or '50. Though it's obviously been repainted way back, it's the parts that made me buy it. The bike says '48, but the fenders say '50.










































A few of the individual original pieces are just amazing on this: a locking fork with the key...double adjustable alloy stem...Torrington No. 7 pedals...and a Brooks non-original saddle which will wind up on a Raleigh. Nice chunky grips and the all chrome chain guard beneath all that paint (they even painted over the oil filler cap).

The hubs are the oiler type and are alloy, and I'm not sure if the rims are stainless steel (_like my'46_) or just chrome. Pretty sure the fenders are chrome.

LOTS of work to do on this...along with a 1958 Schwinn Hornet I bought along with this bike. I'll show that in the general Schwinn section tomorrow.

I'm going to be a busy boy!!!


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## HARPO

A few more...


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## HARPO




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## HARPO

Not bad for $90...I figured the pedals are worth that...


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## Sven

_Harpo scores again!!! Nice.  I like the finned front fender_


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## HARPO

You're not seeing double. I'm reloading the photos as they didn't load properly, and adding a few more...


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## HARPO




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## HARPO

Because it's an obvious repaint, at some point I'll redo it. I'm just curious to see if the original paint is beneath is still there along with some decals, or if it was stripped down to bare metal. Time will tell...


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## HARPO

I think mine is from 1950, as the fenders and pedals (look closely) match.


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## Jeff54

IDK fo


HARPO said:


> Because it's an obvious repaint, at some point I'll redo it. I'm just curious to see if the original paint is beneath is still there along with some decals, or if it was stripped down to bare metal. Time will tell...



IDK for sure Harpo, but what I do know is; these earlier bikes were painted with a  metallic paint, just like yours. And from your photos it's either original or there's no paint under it. I think, unfortunately; for a lack of interest during that big collector's run for heavyweights  in the past 30 year, not many have figured out what the metallic colors were or are in earlier  lightweights . Regardless, you can see it in this photo; that paint is tight, aged as you should expect too,  and it's just like the earlier metallic paint.  There's no previous color left or it hasn't been repainted.


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## bikerbluz

Cool bike, dig those pedals!


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## HARPO

Jeff54 said:


> IDK fo
> 
> IDK for sure Harpo, but what I do know is; these earlier bikes were painted with a  metallic paint, just like yours. And from your photos it's either original or there's no paint under it. I think, unfortunately; for a lack of interest during that big collector's run for heavyweights  in the past 30 year, not many have figured out what the metallic colors were or are in earlier  lightweights . Regardless, you can see it in this photo; that paint is tight, aged as you should expect too,  and it's just like the earlier metallic paint.  There's no previous color left or it hasn't been repainted.
> 
> View attachment 917858



*Wow. You may be right!* Cool if it is, but crazy that every single decal is gone, maybe intentionally by an owner. And I just found the color offerings on a Continental in 1948: _Maroon, Royal Blue, Brewster Green or Black; Opalescent colors in Blue, Green and Red_

The only issue I have, though, is that the *entire* chainguard was painted, not just the inner areas like on my 1946, and the paint is peeling off as you can see. Even the rear screw holding it in place is painted over. I don't know what to think...but I hope that you're right!


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## HARPO

bikerbluz said:


> Cool bike, dig those pedals!




 I found that someone on this site sold a pair last year for $160, and someone on ebay for $100. First pair I've ever seen...


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## Jeff54

Yes it's really tough to say 'it's an actual Schwinn painted bike'. I mean, ya wouldn't expect to find paint on the key cover and a screw but, I'm not up to par with these, don't know just what to expect. Yet, that paint is so tight, it looks right. Otherwise it would have to have been acid dipped to get down to the metal  that far. Albeit, disclaimer, _in the 60's, that's what I did to Schwinns, Acid dipped, [grin] however I expect those I did it too, [stingrays] are all rotted to spit by now. B/C, once it got into the tubes, after all these years, even that   I used red lead primer and Schwinn paint, forgetabout it. b/c you'd never get the acid completely cleaned out and neutralized, inside the tubes . _


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## rennfaron

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1...h-original-purchase-receipt-color-blue.87483/
Similar blue color of the same era


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## HARPO

Here's my blue '46 Continental. Totally different color blue. 

And now that I've begun work on it, the paint _is_ original...but something was done to repaint the chainguard to try and match the original color. This will now have me working removing some of that paint...


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## HARPO

Cleanup is coming along quite nicely...and the tires even hold air!


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## GTs58

The frame has been repainted. The key cylinders were never painted nor was the plug in the right side of the kickstand tube.  





And almost forgot about the painted BB oil port.


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## HARPO

GTs58 said:


> The frame has been repainted. The key cylinders were never painted nor was the plug in the right side of the kickstand tube.
> 
> View attachment 918340
> 
> And almost forgot about the painted BB oil port.




*Rats! You're right!! *

I was looking closer last night and saw the paint around the lock and knew that wasn't correct. I forgot about the oiler cap and HAD seen it. To bad. Well, this has now turned into a larger project. _Euphoria one day, dismay the next_. But it does explain the complete absence off all decals.

Removing paint from the chain guard will be easier because it's all chrome. And from the chipping, it appears that a primer wasn't used. Maybe I'll find the original color beneath. It not, I'm pretty sure it will be on the fork tube when I remove it.
Also, I can't find any markings on the rims. I wanted to see if they're chrome, or stainless steel like my '46 has.

I'll be going back and forth between this bike and the 1958 Schwinn Hornet I bought along with this (photos in All Things Schwinn).


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## SirMike1983

GT is correct - the bike is re-painted. It looks like someone made a rough guess at matching the original paint and sprayed the bike down. Your other Continental displays the correct color blue.

But the bike was still a good buy, considering what you received. I'd be inclined to strip that over-spray blue and see what's left underneath. Worst case scenario, strip the bike and re-paint. You already have a good one with original paint, so maybe do a color of your choice for this one. The frame is certainly worth the work - it's old-style Schwinn straight gauge Cro-Mo. They're really nicely made bikes. Opal Green would look nice.


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## HARPO

SirMike1983 said:


> GT is correct - the bike is re-painted. It looks like someone made a rough guess at matching the original paint and sprayed the bike down. Your other Continental displays the correct color blue.
> 
> But the bike was still a good buy, considering what you received. I'd be inclined to strip that over-spray blue and see what's left underneath. Worst case scenario, strip the bike and re-paint. You already have a good one with original paint, so maybe do a color of your choice for this one. The frame is certainly worth the work - it's old-style Schwinn straight gauge Cro-Mo. They're really nicely made bikes. Opal Green would look nice.




I'm certainly happy to have it, and yes, at some point a strip down will be in order. Doubting if anything if left beneath, but ironically another bike shop (_sticker is on the down tube_) near me had at some point sold it with this respray.

I'll see which color I come up with as close to an original color offered around 1948-1950. Plenty of time for that. I just want to keep working on getting everything else up to snuff.


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## Jeff54

Duplicate


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## Jeff54

Yeah,  repainted but should you strip and repaint, that's a toughy. B/c the thing  that got my interest in this, is that paint. Schwinn's Opal and radiant paints are very difficult to copy. They look metallic or candy but it's dependent on an undercoating. IDK what Schwinn did in the 40's but Schwinn's mid-50's and later have a red lead primer and then an aluminum or silvery color and the final coat is transparent green, red, blue, brown etc. . That transparent top coat is what gives it that metallic sheen or deep rich candy coated  luminescence without a ton of paint. If you  look real  close into Schwinn's paint, understanding the top is transparent, you can see why they'd called it Opalescence and later Radiant, that silvery color is reflecting, 'Radiating' through the top coat . .

So, to get this effect out of a can or just one coat, good luck wit dat. However, or about the only way to copy is from an old can of Schwinn's touch up or paint bottle. It's not a multi coat but does replicate it well. Otherwise, Multi coat it, and find the exact match, of blue or which ever color you choose, Schwinn did in 1948




HARPO said:


> *Rats! You're right!! *
> 
> I was looking closer last night and saw the paint around the lock and knew that wasn't correct. I forgot about the oiler cap and HAD seen it. To bad. Well, this has now turned into a larger project. _Euphoria one day, dismay the next_. But it does explain the complete absence off all decals.
> 
> Removing paint from the chain guard will be easier because it's all chrome. And from the chipping, it appears that a primer wasn't used. Maybe I'll find the original color beneath. It not, I'm pretty sure it will be on the fork tube when I remove it.
> Also, I can't find any markings on the rims. I wanted to see if they're chrome, or stainless steel like my '46 has.
> 
> I'll be going back and forth between this bike and the 1958 Schwinn Hornet I bought along with this (photos in All Things Schwinn).


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## HARPO

Jeff54 said:


> Yeah,  repainted but should you strip and repaint, that's a toughy. B/c the thing  that got my interest in this, is that paint. Schwinn's Opal and radiant paints are very difficult to copy. They look metallic or candy but it's dependent on an undercoating. IDK what Schwinn did in the 40's but Schwinn's mid-50's and later have a red lead primer and then an aluminum or silvery color and the final coat is transparent green, red, blue, brown etc. . That transparent top coat is what gives it that metallic sheen or deep rich candy coated  luminescence without a ton of paint. If you  look real  close into Schwinn's paint, understanding the top is transparent, you can see why they'd called it Opalescence and later Radiant, that silvery color is reflecting, 'Radiating' through the top coat . .
> 
> So, to get this effect out of a can or just one coat, good luck wit dat. However, or about the only way to copy is from an old can of Schwinn's touch up or paint bottle. It's not a multi coat but does replicate it well. Otherwise, Multi coat it, and find the exact match, of blue or which ever color you choose, Schwinn did in 1948




Hmmm...looks like at this point I might just leave well enough alone then. Except for the chain guard, which maybe I'll just strip and leave all chrome. Lots to do with the rest of the bike in the meantime to get that looking good.


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## HARPO

SirMike1983 said:


> GT is correct - the bike is re-painted. It looks like someone made a rough guess at matching the original paint and sprayed the bike down. Your other Continental displays the correct color blue.
> 
> But the bike was still a good buy, considering what you received. I'd be inclined to strip that over-spray blue and see what's left underneath. Worst case scenario, strip the bike and re-paint. You already have a good one with original paint, so maybe do a color of your choice for this one. The frame is certainly worth the work - it's old-style Schwinn straight gauge Cro-Mo. They're really nicely made bikes. Opal Green would look nice.




I'm _really_ beginning to appreciate the condition of my 1946 model...


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## Jeff54

It appears to have everything correct for an 1948 Continental Sports tourist except it's got a Brooks B72 verses a B17 saddle and the 48's were not Chrome molly.
*Specifications- Model CNM *

*FRAME- *_21" and 23" *best grade carbon steel *"Seamless Drawn" tubing, Seat mast and down tube 1 Ya" diameter, All joints  reinforced and fillet brazed, Modified touring angles. Drop-out rear fork ends. . Fitted with Brooks B-17 narrow saddle, rattrap type pedals, Puff Tires and  Dural rims, the Continental becomes one of the lightest sports touring bicycles available. All this equipment is available  at additional cost. _

Everything except the up-grade option for Dural rims and tires.
*TIRES - *

_Schwinn Breeze 26" x 1 1/4": Schwinn Whirlwind 26" x 1 3/8" optional, both on Schwinn S-6 Tubular Rim. Schwinn  Puff 26" x 1" high pressure road racing tire on Schwinn S-8 "_*Extruded Dural" rim available at extra cost.*

And it's certainly possible that B72 saddle was an original option too. "B72 was first featured in the 1935 Brooks catalogue"

https://bikehistory.org/catalogs/1948.html






SirMike1983 said:


> GT is correct - the bike is re-painted. It looks like someone made a rough guess at matching the original paint and sprayed the bike down. Your other Continental displays the correct color blue.
> 
> But the bike was still a good buy, considering what you received. I'd be inclined to strip that over-spray blue and see what's left underneath. Worst case scenario, strip the bike and re-paint. You already have a good one with original paint, so maybe do a color of your choice for this one. The frame is certainly worth the work - it's old-style Schwinn straight gauge Cro-Mo. They're really nicely made bikes. Opal Green would look nice.





SirMike1983 said:


> GT is correct - the bike is re-painted. It looks like someone made a rough guess at matching the original paint and sprayed the bike down. Your other Continental displays the correct color blue.
> 
> But the bike was still a good buy, considering what you received. I'd be inclined to strip that over-spray blue and see what's left underneath. Worst case scenario, strip the bike and re-paint. You already have a good one with original paint, so maybe do a color of your choice for this one. The frame is certainly worth the work - it's old-style Schwinn straight gauge Cro-Mo. They're really nicely made bikes. Opal Green would look nice.


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## HARPO

@Jeff54  Thanks for all the additional info. _BUT_...the '48 (catalog photo below) shows the pointed stainless steel fenders like on my '46. I have the front fender like on the '50 model. Also, the '48 shows different pedals than mine, mine having the Torrington No. 7 pedal.  Very confusing to say the least.







View attachment 920417


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## Roger Henning

I can think of a number of reasons for the changes to the bike in the last 70 years.  Parts wore out or were damaged and people replaced them with what they had.  It was just an old bike.  Also Schwinn catalogs often were not correct for what they were really selling is a given year.  They were for selling a bike not for future collectors.  None of the slight differences change that you have a good old collectable bike.  Roger


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## HARPO

These are the pedals on the bike...


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## HARPO

After all this time I just noticed something else. 

Fenders on my '46 have a wire fender brace...this one has standard braces. Possibly the fenders were changed out at some point, like from a late '50s or an early '60s Traveler? They were also still Stainless Steel.


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## rennfaron

I saw that way back when you first posted it. It definitely looks like a traveler fender set. Also, it looks like the early 60s fender design and not 50s because they had a different design on the rear fender where they connect at the stays.


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## HARPO

rennfaron said:


> I saw that way back when you first posted it. It definitely looks like a traveler fender set. Also, it looks like the early 60s fender design and not 50s because they had a different design on the rear fender where they connect at the stays.
> 
> View attachment 1081783




A detail I never noticed! Thank you. It's really turning into a Franken-bike the more it gets looked at, lol.

I really need to get back to working on this though. I had been working on a bunch of bikes that were easy to do and flipped them, so now as winter approaches...


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## Oilit

HARPO said:


> A detail I never noticed! Thank you. It's really turning into a Franken-bike the more it gets looked at, lol.
> 
> I really need to get back to working on this though. I had been working on a bunch of bikes that were easy to do and flipped them, so now as winter approaches...



@HARPO, Somehow I missed this when you first posted it. Did you ever get any more done to this one?


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## HARPO

Oilit said:


> @HARPO, Somehow I missed this when you first posted it. Did you ever get any more done to this one?




Sadly, no. Its been on the back burner as other bikes came in. I actually took the Brooks saddle off and put it on the Raleigh Super Course I Posted recently.

Right now, I'm working on cleaning up the MOULTON I bought.


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## HARPO

Well, I've decided that I'm going to put the wheels and shifter from my New World onto the Continental...when I get around to it. I still haven't found time to work on the Continental, but I feel that they will be put to better use on it. The year pretty much works out also..

I also saw that Black was available...so that might be the color I go with!


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## Lightweightbikes

Hi do you have extra parts for sale I need the calipers rear reflector and the butterfly pedals and freewheel hubs any pictures price thank you


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## HARPO

@Lightweightbikes  Hi. Sorry, no extra parts...


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## GTs58

So what was the serial number on that repainted Conti? One little detail that you never mention or show.  😉  Was it a K hand stamped number or a D machine stamped number?


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