# 1949 New World with Stainless S-6 Rims



## Oilit (Apr 4, 2020)

Reading some of the threads on here got me interested in the Schwinn New Worlds, and then this one showed up on Ebay, so you can guess the rest. I paid full retail, and then I spent as much again taking Amtrak to go pick it up, so I'm already in the hole on this one, but luckily I've still got my day job. Going by the hub, this one dates to 1949 which looks right, but I was surprised to see the rims, which are Schwinn Stainless S-6's. I've seen pictures of stainless S-2's, but this is the first time I've heard of stainless rims for the lightweights (although when I went looking, @HARPO mentions that he's got stainless rims on his 1946 Continental).
The pre-war lightweights used Schwinn Superior rims, and there's a good picture halfway down page 4 in this thread:








						Wartime Schwinn New World Bikes - We Know You Have Them - Tell Us About Them!!
					

@GenuineRides The patent angle is usually a good avenue to try.  Here though, it doesn't work out because the Europeans had been using rear drop outs for several years before Schwinn started on the New Worlds in 1940.  From what others have written, it seems like the Schwinn family spent some...




					thecabe.com
				



But others in this thread have painted or rusty rims, which leaves me with questions:
Is the bead seat diameter of the Superior rims 597 mm? I've read somewhere that some Schwinn lightweights used  599 mm rims, but I don't know if this was the Superiors or some Schwinn  bought in. Come to think of it, I don't really know if Schwinn made the Superiors or had them made by somebody else.
I'm guessing that the S-6 and S-2 rims were introduced at about the same time (late '40's) and stainless was an early experiment that was soon dropped, but there are people on here who have seen more of these than I have. Any observations to contribute?
I know that I'm obsessing over details and 99.99% of the world couldn't care less, but that's why I come to the CABE!


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## SirMike1983 (Apr 4, 2020)

Looks pretty much original. That's a very short-lived, uncommon shifter unique to that period. At the very end of the New World run, for the last few years, they went from quadrant to the finger shifters. That solid, silverface shifter is right for 1948-49. It looks pretty much unmolested. It's hard to say what a very original bike like this is worth, because it's much more original than most that you find.

I'm not sure when they converted from 599 to 597, but for our purposes today, you use the same reproduction tires - 597mm. The 599 is usually close enough to get by with the 597. I use the Kenda reproductions for Schwinn S6/597mm. The 2mm has only mattered, in my experience, when you've got rims with extremely high sidewalls (I've seen a couple sets, but the Schwinns haven't been a problem for me). What will not work are the 590mm English pattern tires. But if those are marked S6 and date to 1949, I'd guess 597mm.


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## rennfaron (Apr 4, 2020)

I saw that one on ebay as well. It's a nice one. You should try taking a magic eraser to the decal very lightly. I think you will get it to come back some. And I mean...very...very lightly. I did it to one of my NW decals and it really helped out a lot.

SS S-6 should be correct - https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1940s-schwinn-new-world-300.133626/
Don't think all pre-war NWs had script superior rims. @Miq '41 has S-6s - https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/41-schwinn-new-world-question.162015/#post-1095204. I have three '41 NWs and they all have superior rims though. 

Bead references -








						What size would the wheels on an old Schwinn New World be?? | All Things Schwinn
					

I was just given a single speed New World, It is complete minus the wheelset.  It's not a coaster brake bike (has F/R brake calipers). Wondering what size wheels I should be looking for?  I have plenty of old 26" balloon tire wheels, but they don't fit. Thanks,  Eric




					thecabe.com
				











						40"s Schwinn Superior | All Things Schwinn
					

This is out of my area of knowledge, anybody have any thoughts about it?  Fenders do not seem original. Of course chainguard missing. Where should I look for a serial number? Thanks for any help!




					thecabe.com
				




It's great to obsess over the details. Also great you jumped on board from following various posts on these on here.
I always liked that shifter. More uncommon than the quadrant on the NWs. You see those all the time. And as @SirMike1983 stated, you don't see them as clean as that. They pop up from time to time on feebay but are usually beat up pretty bad.


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## rennfaron (Apr 4, 2020)

Also, what you paid for that bike I think was fair and maybe a little under what I would consider the value. One thing going for what you paid for it is the original condition. You don't have to source parts and spend a bunch of time getting it back to original parts condition, if that was the intent. I really like that your brake and shifter lines are original and in decent condition. For someone that sweats the details, tracking down a good set of these is hard and you pretty much have to buy another bike just for those parts. I would personally be concerned with putting too many miles on the saddle. Those don't hold up well. What I do is just have the original saddle to complete the look but then a riding saddle. To each their own.

For instance this one was out there for $100 and may have sold. Not many parts are correct on there. You would spend a ton of money to get that back to original parts condition. I would rather pay up more for a complete bike.

NWs seem to have an ebb and flow in supply. For the longest time I was seeing none of them. Late 2018 and early 2019 I didn't come across many, then all of a sudden on feebay there were tons of them. Finding ones with the pin striping, decals and seat tube decal still intact and in good condition are always the best option as they are more desirable.

Also, as far as NWs go, because they really didn't change much over the years I never really saw a difference in value if it were an earlier one or a later one. The main thing, like all bikes, is condition, how original and equipment (as @SirMike1983 says, NWs were platform bikes so you could build them however you want with the available parts of the time. So if they were decked out at the time then today they are worth more than ones that were built on a budget (obviously)). And I guess with the NWs if you find a large frame, 23", those are much, MUCH, *MUCH, MUCH *more uncommon so I think valued quite a bit more.


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## PCHiggin (Apr 5, 2020)

Thats a sweet one! Stainless rims really make it rock. Yours are S-6 @ 597 BSD. Doesn't matter what the other stuff is unless Schwinn did something weird with the early rims? Measure one when you get a chance.


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## HARPO (Apr 5, 2020)

NICE FIND @Oilit Be ever so gentle in your detailing to preserve what has lasted all these years. Many is the time I became overzealous to get it done and ruined something, like a decal...pin striping...paint on a badge, etc. But, boy, will that little puppy shine like new when you're done!


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## PCHiggin (Apr 5, 2020)

X2,I unwittingly once used windex  on an old racer. I watched in disbelief as the chain guard screen wiped right off,lol.


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## Miq (Apr 5, 2020)

@Oilit Great to see another well preserved New World being revived by capable hands. 

My 41 has S-6 rims with this stamp inside:




When I was looking into it, the 1940 Parts Catalog mentioned these New World Chrome Wheels:



I realize your bike is not prewar, but part number 4172 is similar to your configuration. 

1948 Catalog @ bikehistory.org  shows the regular shifter but is really close.




I can't wait to see how the gold pin stripes look.  Sweet bike!


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## schwinnlax (Apr 5, 2020)

Are the handlebars correct?  I thought all NW bars bent straight back.  Those look taller, don't bend forward, and flare out.


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## HARPO (Apr 6, 2020)

@Oilit  I have the same decal on the 1949 New World I picked up today...


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## Oilit (Apr 6, 2020)

rennfaron said:


> Also, what you paid for that bike I think was fair and maybe a little under what I would consider the value. One thing going for what you paid for it is the original condition. You don't have to source parts and spend a bunch of time getting it back to original parts condition, if that was the intent. I really like that your brake and shifter lines are original and in decent condition. For someone that sweats the details, tracking down a good set of these is hard and you pretty much have to buy another bike just for those parts. I would personally be concerned with putting too many miles on the saddle. Those don't hold up well. What I do is just have the original saddle to complete the look but then a riding saddle. To each their own.
> 
> For instance this one was out there for $100 and may have sold. Not many parts are correct on there. You would spend a ton of money to get that back to original parts condition. I would rather pay up more for a complete bike.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the kind words! And I have to agree, it's better to pay a little more up front and get a better bike to start with. I had to learn that the hard way, but it finally sunk in.


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## Oilit (Apr 6, 2020)

Miq said:


> @Oilit Great to see another well preserved New World being revived by capable hands.
> 
> My 41 has S-6 rims with this stamp inside:
> View attachment 1167956
> ...



@Miq , thanks for the information! Now if I only knew what 26" size they referred to! Sheldon Brown says that the tires for the 599 rims would be marked 26 x 1.25 or 1.375, so maybe Schwinn had already settled on 597 rims. But some others have pointed out that Schwinn referred to the middleweight tires as 26 x 1.75 in the early days, so I don't know how rigorously that rule was applied.


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## Oilit (Apr 6, 2020)

schwinnlax said:


> Are the handlebars correct?  I thought all NW bars bent straight back.  Those look taller, don't bend forward, and flare out.



I've wondered about the handlebars myself. The grips look original along with everything else, so if they were changed out, it was early on. One more thing to research!


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## Oilit (Apr 6, 2020)

HARPO said:


> @Oilit  I have the same decal on the 1949 New World I picked up today...View attachment 1168919



Got pictures of the whole bike?


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## rennfaron (Apr 6, 2020)

It's the one I referenced in one of my posts - http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335809022&icep_item=313020742508

Also shown here - https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1949-schwinn-new-world-yes-that-one.168791/


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## rennfaron (Apr 6, 2020)

Oilit said:


> I've wondered about the handlebars myself. The grips look original along with everything else, so if they were changed out, it was early on. One more thing to research!



Pretty sure those bars are correct. I saw a NW on ebay a while back that had those same bars. Like has been said, these are platform bikes so any options at the time could be built to customer specs. The typical ones are the gull wing ones that you see on most of these. 

I saw that this image from the '39 catalog looks just like them. Just taking a guess that they are torrington... I am sure I will be corrected if not. 





Also, this 1939 as them on there.


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## HARPO (Apr 7, 2020)

Oilit said:


> Got pictures of the whole bike?












						1949 Schwinn New World...Yes, That One... | Lightweight Schwinn Bicycles
					

OK, here are the pics as I got the bike home. And to my VERY happy surprise, it still wears it's original New World decal!!  Bad things, of course, as I stated in the Post in the Schwinn section, are that things will need replacing to be original. That will be done in given time. For now, enjoy...




					thecabe.com


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## HARPO (Apr 8, 2020)

@Oilit  Looks like my frame is a little older...


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## Miq (Apr 8, 2020)

@HARPO We've been guessing E serials at about 1948 for New Worlds.  I'll add it to the New World list.  Thanks!


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## HARPO (Apr 9, 2020)

@Miq Thanks! Hub date is 1 49...so first of the year bike with last of the year frame, lol! BTW...it also has Stainless steel rims.


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## Miq (Apr 9, 2020)

@HARPO The hub date helps place the bike in 1949.  That's going to push the E4XXXX serials into 1949.  It's not an exact science for sure and the 5 vs 6 digit serials adds to the confusion.  Maybe something like this will work...






Got to add @HUFFMANBILL 's two additions to the list too...


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## HARPO (Apr 9, 2020)

Miq said:


> @HARPO The hub date helps place the bike in 1949.  That's going to push the E4XXXX serials into 1949.  It's not an exact science for sure and the 5 vs 6 digit serials adds to the confusion.  Maybe something like this will work...
> 
> View attachment 1170479
> 
> Got to add @HUFFMANBILL 's two additions to the list too...




Don't forget that mine also has Stainless Steel rims...


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## Miq (Apr 9, 2020)

No problem.      Love those rims!


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## Oilit (Apr 12, 2020)

One more picture. This bike doesn't have the "Seamless Steel Tubing" decal that the earlier New Worlds did, but it does have this dealer decal on the the rear fender. Unfortunately there's no street address and I haven't found anything on the internet.


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## HARPO (Apr 25, 2020)

@Oilit  Just an update on mine so far...yours will do better!!!


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## Adamtinkerer (Apr 25, 2020)

Gotta love the shifter, "3 or 4 speed" LOL.


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## Oilit (Apr 25, 2020)

Adamtinkerer said:


> Gotta love the shifter, "3 or 4 speed" LOL.





HARPO said:


> @Oilit  Just an update on mine so far...yours will do better!!!
> 
> View attachment 1180952
> 
> View attachment 1180953



So on your frame, everything is "Electroforged" except the chain stays? You're making good progress! I've gotten sidetracked on a different project, but I like how yours is going!


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## GTs58 (Apr 25, 2020)

Oilit said:


> So on your frame, everything is "Electroforged" except the chain stays? You're making good progress! I've gotten sidetracked on a different project, but I like how yours is going!




Still to early for a full on EF frame. The seat post was the only tubing EF to the BB shell. The seat stays were still welded to the seat post too.


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## Oilit (Apr 25, 2020)

GTs58 said:


> Still to early for a full on EF frame. The seat post was the only tubing EF to the BB shell. The seat stays were still welded to the seat post too.



I've read some of your other posts on the subject. Interesting how the  process developed over time!


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## HARPO (Apr 25, 2020)

Oilit said:


> So on your frame, everything is "Electroforged" except the chain stays? You're making good progress! I've gotten sidetracked on a different project, but I like how yours is going!




I would have been along even further, but I also was sidetracked on another bike. I was doing tons of touch-up on that celeste 980 Bianchi (see my Post).


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