# ‘53 Deluxe Hornet



## Sandxssun53 (Mar 27, 2019)

Hi guys,
I bought this baby a couple years ago in Tucson. It was already ‘restored’. For me, it is and will always be a daily driver, despite its looks. This was sold to me as a ‘54 Deluxe Hornet
Well, recently I started have problems with the forks so I ‘upgraded’ to Springer forks. They are now installed.
Here is my issue:
My original front fender no longer fits with the springer forks. So, I’ve been looking for a fender that does. The only ones I’ve found (for a reasonable cost), are ‘fat’ balloon fenders with the correct double notches for the springer. They are 3” wide at the notches. But my springer fork is 2 3/4”! Can I make the fork wider?
Or am I going about this wrong and just haven’t found the right fender?
Let’s say I get the front fender to fit, now it won’t match the rear fender- so will the rear fat fender fit?

Anybody have insight to this?
Thanks in advance for all your help.

Matt








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## GTs58 (Mar 27, 2019)

You are better off using a fender that fits. There are/were a few talented members here that have dimpled fenders to fit a springer, but I came up empty doing a search here for any such information. Making the original fenders fit between the fork legs and rods shouldn't be that difficult with some guidance and some simple tools.


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## Sandxssun53 (Mar 28, 2019)

Thanks, Gts58. After doing some further research and some measuring, my frame is definitely middleweight so balloon rims won’t work.

Can anyone out here give some tips on playing a middleweight fender for springer forks?


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## Jeff54 (Mar 28, 2019)

Sandxssun53 said:


> Thanks, Gts58. After doing some further research and some measuring, my frame is definitely middleweight so balloon rims won’t work.
> 
> Can anyone out here give some tips on playing a middleweight fender for springer forks?
> 
> ...



Well 1st off, ya got the year wrong. serial might be of the sets used more than once B/C ain't no such thing as a 53 middleweight and cantilever hornet wasn't used til 57. 2nd is that springer is 1955's "New Style"  which was the type Schwinn continued from then on. Ur lucky fo that B/C say, if it was wide like Phantom? The new repops from 1995 don't mount on that springer. What You're gonna need is, also, a special sized fender just slightly wider than a middle weight yet smaller than wide ballooner. You gotta hunt down any 1955 to about 57 (57 might be ballooner)  hornet deluxe flat bar or canti  front fender. IDK if Schwinn made another painted fender on them other than the Hornets but prob so, which just means ya might fit one from any springer or Deluxe  26" bike  out too about 64. And if ya gots S-2's on it, they're wrong, that bike came out with S-7's. Only the flat bar deluxe hornets had wide balloon S-2 rims. Kind off a mix-match, or, the flat bar hornet deluxe  that is, a 'Transitional', Middleweight type frame wit Ballooner wheels. Regardless No ballooner wheels for U. [wink]

Oh an 1 more thing. I didn't notice your springer all painted and stuff plus what you said; . U up-graded to a springer?   Only _Deluxe_ Hornets had springers. If it didn't have one when you got it, then,, It was not a Deluxe too.  Heck now all painted and stuff, who knows when that springer was made and if newer used then, just get ya any ol'fender off the newer Schwinn springer bikes 1995, except Phantom, too now and paint it red.

Wait, your chain guard type wasn't made till 59 too. IDK but for all that shinny paint, that's prob a decal on it. If so, the chain guard could be a  up too 1969 or so too.

But screw all that, this is prob what it should look like, 1959 and 60: https://bikehistory.org/bikes/deluxe-hornet/ and that'll fit ya plenty different, as said above, fenders. Plus IDK fer sure B/C I have 55 flat bar ballooner, S-2 rims,  deluxe hornet an it's got indented fenders for springer,  but, from Schwinn's illustration (below) I don't even see any indentations special for springer on the fender. Just a regular middleweight front fender. U sposta have middleweight Schwinn 1.75 tires, (S-7 1957-60) not balloon 2.125's. (S-2, 1954-56)


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## Sandxssun53 (Apr 2, 2019)

Hi Jeff,
Thanks for all that great information!

Ok, a small correction. It was sold to me as ‘53 Deluxe Hornet. But a check of the serial # on the rear of the frame says it was made Aug ‘54.

I started to suspect a while back that this might be a mix and match. Thanks for the info about the chain guard! Yeah, who knows what this was originally...

By the way, does anyone know what pedals were used on schwinns in the 50’s?


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## Sandxssun53 (Apr 2, 2019)

And yes, I’m pretty sure the rims are S-7. They’re painted too so it’s hard to tell. But they are s-7 size....


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## Rivnut (Apr 2, 2019)

In the '59 catalog, the Hornet has the standard fork and the Deluxe Hornet has the Springer fork.  The part number for the fender for the standard fork is 5102, the part number for the Springer fork is 5103.  For your middleweight frame w/ springer fork and S7 rims w/ 1-3/4" tires, you're going to need that unique 5103 front fender.


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## GTs58 (Apr 2, 2019)

Sandxssun53 said:


> Hi Jeff,
> Thanks for all that great information!
> 
> Ok, a small correction. It was sold to me as ‘53 Deluxe Hornet. But a check of the serial # on the rear of the frame says it was made Aug ‘54.
> ...





Some of the Aug 1954 serial numbers were also used in 1956. It's possible that was one of the first middleweights with a 54 serial number, and if that's the case, it is/was not a Hornet. If it is a 1956 frame, then it could be a standard Hornet. For 1956 there was a Deluxe Hornet which was a Ballooner and the standard 1956 Hornet was a Middleweight. What's the serial number?


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## Rivnut (Apr 2, 2019)

Take a look at the catalogs.  In 55 and 56 both the Hornet and Deluxe Hornet were made on the larger Schwinn "balloon double bar frame" with the straight lower cross bar, and S2 rims.  

In 1957, the catalogs introduce the new "feature packed" middleweight cantilevered frame; both on the  Hornet and the Hornet Deluxe.  

Your bike has the cantilevered frame. To be a true hornet with a cantilevered frame, it has to be a 57 or later.  Or you may have a Frankenschwinn on your hands.  59 and later chain guard and two tone seat. The rear rack on the Hornets was the painted steel 9 hole rack and remained that way through 61. After 61, the Hornet did not come with a rack.  The chrome wire rack also appeared with the 59 Hornet Deluxe.  From what I've read and seen, your bike appears to be a 59 or 60 Hornet Deluxe sans fenders (painted) with a Delta Rocket Ray headlamp.

Did you ever post a picture of the serial number?  You might let someone else take a look at it.


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## GTs58 (Apr 2, 2019)

Rivnut said:


> Take a look at the catalogs.  In 55 and 56 both the Hornet and Deluxe Hornet were made on the larger Schwinn "balloon double bar frame" with the straight lower cross bar, and S2 rims.
> 
> In 1957, the catalogs introduce the new "feature packed" middleweight cantilevered frame; both on the  Hornet and the Hornet Deluxe.
> 
> ...





Good point! I didn't scroll up so wasn't paying any attention to the picture of his bike. Guess the bike wasn't a Hornet if the SN is from August 54.


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## Jeff54 (Apr 3, 2019)

I don't think you're getting the right date on serial numbers. If you are checking with that auto number site then, for sure it's wrong. Even the color of paint is totally wrong for a 50-60's bike. So, if you repainted it you blew that. Schwinn 50-60's colors on that frame were Opal, radiant and flamboyant or black.  Or, it's not a hornet at all, if actually 54 aug it would be a xmas bike and 1955's release but not hornet, Corvette, American, Jaguar a few others were released with that new frame, they're all Opal and Flamboyant or black. . In 1954 was the change-over so, there's both heavy and middle to be found.  Opal, Flamboyant and Radiant look like metal flake, but are actually Candy coated. not a solid red. 1955 and 56 hornets were flat bar frames and s-2 balloon, Opalescent or Black paint.

Your entire paint scheme, on the fenders, just 2 pin stripes wasn't done till about 61-2. So, if you recreated what was original then, need I say more?

Maybe a 60's Wasp or Tornado could have been the solid red, blue or green  color. Schwinn's lowest end bikes, as the metal flake appearance is a four coating process, a metal protector, red lead, an aluminum and lastly the candy coat, or clear, or transparent blue, green, red ect tint,  that was mid to high range, their solid color was low.

Pedals are dependent on the year and type it is. Use this site to check serial numbers: http://re-cycle.com/History/Schwinn/SwnB_Serial.aspx

  and, if it's in the 50's then double-triple check to see if the set is duplicated in up too 3 different years. . Since that chain guard wasn't issued until 59, good chance a 1958 frame, in other styles,  was issued with it as well.

Not to leave out B/C you originally, to the best of your knowledge, your bike had been issued without a springer, That fork might have its original color on the tube unless it was over painted too. Regardless, it's just another reason why it's not a deluxe. And for pedal, Schwinn large cap rectangle shaped  would do.





Sandxssun53 said:


> Hi Jeff,
> Thanks for all that great information!
> 
> Ok, a small correction. It was sold to me as ‘53 Deluxe Hornet. But a check of the serial # on the rear of the frame says it was made Aug ‘54.
> ...


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## Rivnut (Apr 3, 2019)

Based on all of these "facts," the best thing now would be to post a picture of the serial number.  Let someone take a crack at decoding the actual number rather than trying to make the bike fit what the seller said.  Except fro the lack of a front fender, the bike pictured perfectly fits the catalog pictures and descriptions of a 59 or 60  Deluxe Hornet. My thinking now is that the seller was wrong.

So, let's see a picture of a serial number, please, so this can be resolved.


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## Sandxssun53 (Apr 3, 2019)

Picture is coming of the serial number. It’s very hard to see, though, because the paint is thick in that area...


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## Goldenrod (Apr 3, 2019)

We use a socket to dimple a fenders to fit.  We made a simple crank stretcher to push apart frames if needed.


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## Rivnut (Apr 6, 2019)

Well this thread died.  Wonder what became of the coming pictures?


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## Brutuskend (May 24, 2019)

I don't know if anyone mentioned this before but if you measure across the seat stay bridge you can tell if the frame is a heavy or mid weight. ( which will also help in dating) the heavys were 3 inches across and the mids were 2 1/2


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