# Upside Down Schwinn Head Tube ?



## Manhrs (Feb 27, 2022)

Has anyone ever seen this ? It appears the head tube was welded upside down . This bike is currently for sale on the CABE


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## Shawn Michael (Feb 27, 2022)

Nope, but I like it.


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## Junkman Bob (Feb 27, 2022)

Tall Frame possibly…SN upside down tho !!!
🤔


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## Manhrs (Feb 27, 2022)

Junkman Bob said:


> Tall Frame possibly…SN upside down tho !!!
> 🤔



Its a 79 spitfire


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Feb 27, 2022)

It is very odd. I thought I had seen reference to it in another thread. Someone will know the deal @GTs58, @Xlobsterman


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Feb 27, 2022)

makes me wonder if they put the serial # on the head tube before they built the frame.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Feb 27, 2022)

the head tube was not welded upside down, the serial # was stamped on the wrong end.


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## Rusty Klunker (Feb 27, 2022)

There have been a few posted here and even double stamped ones. And yes they were stamped while it was a flat piece of metal.



49autocycledeluxe said:


> makes me wonder if they put the serial # on the head tube before they built the frame.


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## GTs58 (Feb 27, 2022)

All the serial numbers were stamped on the bikes component prior to the component being used to build a frame. The premade head tube was installed in the stamping machine upside down. Simple error that has happened a multitude of times. The last step in making the head tubes was stamping the serial and drilling the holes for the head badge.
I've even seen a couple where they restamped the head tube in the correct location so those head tubes had two serial numbers.


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## Xlobsterman (Feb 28, 2022)

Manhrs said:


> Has anyone ever seen this ? It appears the head tube was welded upside down . This bike is currently for sale on the CABE
> 
> View attachment 1579390




The head tube is not upside down. The serial number was just stamped in the wrong place. Anytime you have humans doing work, there is always a chance of a mistake being made! This is why they still put erasers on pencils in the 21st century..............LOL

I would love to have this bike just because of the upside-down serial number. But the bike is over priced, and the seller's conditions are not favorable for buying unless you pick it up!


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## Xlobsterman (Feb 28, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> It is very odd. I thought I had seen reference to it in another thread. Someone will know the deal @GTs58, @Xlobsterman




The only other one like this that I have seen was on a Sting-Ray if I remember correctly? I am not sure where I saw it though????


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## SJ_BIKER (Feb 28, 2022)

Quirky .... My favorite type


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## Lonestar (Feb 28, 2022)

I have 1 too...










This bike's head badge was also stamped on my 10th Birthday!


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## Rusty Klunker (Feb 28, 2022)

Lonestar said:


> I have 1 too...
> 
> This bike's head badge was also stamped on my 10th Birthday!
> 
> View attachment 1579606




You should turn the head badge upside down. That will get people talking. 😆


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## Manhrs (Feb 28, 2022)

Xlobsterman said:


> The head tube is not upside down. The serial number was just stamped in the wrong place. Anytime you have humans doing work, there is always a chance of a mistake being made! This is why they still put erasers on pencils in the 21st century..............LOL
> 
> I would love to have this bike just because of the upside-down serial number. But the bike is over priced, and the seller's conditions are not favorable for buying unless you pick it up!



I was thinking the same thing . This has to be a rare bird , because we know Schwinn did not make many mistakes.


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## GTs58 (Feb 28, 2022)

Here's the page that shows the serial stamping and drilling of the head tubes.


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## mrg (Mar 1, 2022)

Had a few over the yrs, more common on the Schmurrys ( frames assembled by Murry with Schwinn frame parts for Schwinn around 83-4 ), most I've had were on models or condition I didn't want to keep.


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## Les (Mar 6, 2022)

It also appears to be on the opposite side of the head tube. The SN is HS571121, a bit hard to read due to the sun glare but it makes it an August 1981 start.
I agree the SN is stamped at the beginning of the frame manufacture when the steel used was still a flat sheet. The true date of the cycle completion for sale is on the head badge, but that is not shown.
Les


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Mar 6, 2022)

GTs58 said:


> Here's the page that shows the serial stamping and drilling of the head tubes.
> 
> View attachment 1579998



do you have better pictures of this or the other pictures they mention in the text?

is the serial stamped on flat sheet or a welded head tube?


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## GTs58 (Mar 6, 2022)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> do you have better pictures of this or the other pictures they mention in the text?
> 
> is the serial stamped on flat sheet or a welded head tube?




The serial stamping and the drilling for the head badge was the very last step finishing the head tube. The machine in that picture shows the head tubes hanging out as they are being stamped.


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## Les (Mar 6, 2022)

Refer to this page on thecabe
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/schwinn-serial-number-stamping.86093/

All is explained


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## Rusty Klunker (Mar 6, 2022)

Les said:


> It also appears to be on the opposite side of the head tube. The SN is HS571121, a bit hard to read due to the sun glare but it makes it an August 1981 start.
> I agree the SN is stamped at the beginning of the frame manufacture when the steel used was still a flat sheet. The true date of the cycle completion for sale is on the head badge, but that is not shown.
> Les




Looks like HQ571121 and the HB is 2399


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