# What year is my Schwinn Whizzer?



## Lostsheep (Jun 26, 2017)

Hi,
I'm new to the CABE, and seem like an awesome site. I picked up a Schwinn Whizzer a couple of weeks ago for a restoration project, I gotta say I love this bike and can't wait for the restoration journey.
Info on the bike:
Bike serial number located on the bottom bracket. A99194.
Cylinder head 2204 W1
Engine serial number H 127338. Has H motor controls on handle bars
Carb ML5B.
The frame has the indents for belt clearance
It has the front drum brake
It has brake strap arm and bracket welded to the frame


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## GTs58 (Jun 26, 2017)

01/09/1952 ------------------ A97867 ------------------ E00434

It's been noted that the serial numbers for 1952 were relocated to the drop out about a week or so into January 52. So I'd assume yours is a 1952.


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jun 26, 2017)

3 of the 5 whizzers I own, have very strange serial numbers. They are numbers that are probably before the fire. I would guess that your bike is from 1948 maybe 1949. I think the SN would indicate that it was a 1952? but if it was, most likely the SN# would be on the left rear drop out. Also, I am pretty positive that the head badge would be the larger oval SCHWINN head badge, and not the planes and trains. Do your S2 wheels have double knurls or no knurls. I think the early S2's had no knurls. None of my bikes have them, and they are all 1948 and down bikes. Anyway, I hope this helps.


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## GTs58 (Jun 26, 2017)

I and probably others would like to see some good shots of all the bottom bracket joints. I know Schwinn was EF the bottom bracket shell together early post war so maybe this serial number mystery can be solved. More than one person in this hobby has stated that the serial numbers were relocated to the dropouts sometime in early 1952.

Obi-Wan's input on the serials...............

_1946 series Hxxxxx Ixxxxx Jxxxxx A0xxxx (small type face) 
Bxxxxx 
Cxxxxx (low number)_
But the S-2's were not available at this time.


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## mason_man (Jun 26, 2017)

If this is a 1952 frame, more than likely it has a motor kit installed. Thing is, it would be the 700 model motor kit, not the H model. 

The older could be for a H model. 
Hope this helps

Ray


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jun 26, 2017)

mason_man said:


> If this is a 1952 frame, more than likely it has a motor kit installed. Thing is, it would be the 700 model motor kit, not the H model.
> 
> The older could be for a H model.
> Hope this helps
> ...



In 1952 were all of the Whizzer's a Whizzer Special with the DX frame, or were they still making the cantilever frames as well?


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jun 26, 2017)

Lostsheep said:


> Hi,
> I'm new to the CABE, and seem like an awesome site. I picked up a Schwinn Whizzer a couple of weeks ago for a restoration project, I gotta say I love this bike and can't wait for the restoration journey.
> Info on the bike:
> Bike serial number located on the bottom bracket. A99194.
> ...



Do your rims have two knurls on each side of the spokes, or no knurling? 1948 had no knurls, and 1949 should have double knurls. And I am pretty positive that the planes and trains head badge was discontinued completely by 1950. The only bikes that would accept a planes and trains badge after 1950 would be a BF Goodrich Schwinn, as the screw hole spacing is the same. If you you do a google search on any 1950 Schwinn, you wont find a planes and trains head badge.  This is what I have observed. If I am wrong I would love to be corrected. I am pretty new to all of this and the last thing I want to do is spread false information. Thanks everybody, and cool bike!!!


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## Lostsheep (Jun 27, 2017)

There is no knurling on the rims. The seller had it for 30 years and said it was the original H motor.


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## bricycle (Jun 27, 2017)

Well, being an "H" it would be 1946-1948. J's came out for 49.


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## BillMetric (Mar 28, 2020)

Dredging this subject up from the grave, my Whizzer also has the odd serial number on the BB which decodes as '52 but again its got the original planes and trains badge, skip tooth chain and duck tail rear fender, the only thing that had me second guessing is that the spring fork truss bars are the larger diameter ones but I have yet to see a definite changeover date on those, heres the BB #


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## GTs58 (Mar 28, 2020)

BillMetric said:


> Dredging this subject up from the grave, my Whizzer also has the odd serial number on the BB which decodes as '52 but again its got the original planes and trains badge, skip tooth chain and duck tail rear fender, the only thing that had me second guessing is that the spring fork truss bars are the larger diameter ones but I have yet to see a definite changeover date on those, heres the BB #View attachment 1163206




I'm still on the wagon saying that's a 1949. 05/23 ------------------ F096859 ---------------- F099926 
Even though it doesn't have the 0 and having 6 digits. If you look at the E series for 1948 you can see they went from 5 digits to 6 digits and this same practice was most likely used with the 49 F series. The Schwinn list has been known for quite a few type errors so this situation is probably one of them when the numbers were being transferred. Simple human error at some point. 

Here's the section of the 48 list when it changes. 

09/18 ------------------ E47196 ------------------- E48889
09/20 ------------------ E48890 ------------------- E51200
09/21 ------------------ E51201 ------------------- E53470
09/22 ------------------ E53471 ------------------- E60376
09/23 ------------------ E60377 ------------------- E61777
09/24 ------------------ E61778 ------------------- E62054
09/25 ------------------ E62055 ------------------- E67000
09/27 ------------------ E067001 ---------------- E067965
09/28 ------------------ E067966 ---------------- E070835
09/29 ------------------ E070836 ---------------- E077505

10/02 ------------------ E077506 ---------------- E083213
10/05 ------------------ 11973 ------------- 12173 - (WZ)
10/05 ------------------ 1 ---------------- 160 - (24" S-10)
10/07 ------------------ E088017 ---------------- E089140
10/08 ------------------ E089141 ---------------- E095828
10/09 ------------------ E095829 ---------------- E096520
10/09 ------------------ 12174 ------------- 12564 - (WZ)


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## BillMetric (Mar 29, 2020)

OK, I'll buy that mines a '49 BUT what's with the WZ numbers? My lets say its a '49, its a S-4 26'' Whizzer frame, factory belt dimples, long brake arm with relocated bracket, non-locking springer, no headlight mounts on front fender etc, why does it not have a WZ frame number? And still trying to narrow down the fat truss bar changeover date, maybe Whizzers had them first till they used up the thin ones on lowly pedal powered bikes?


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## GTs58 (Mar 30, 2020)

BillMetric said:


> OK, I'll buy that mines a '49 BUT what's with the WZ numbers? My lets say its a '49, its a S-4 26'' Whizzer frame, factory belt dimples, long brake arm with relocated bracket, non-locking springer, no headlight mounts on front fender etc, why does it not have a WZ frame number? And still trying to narrow down the fat truss bar changeover date, maybe Whizzers had them first till they used up the thin ones on lowly pedal powered bikes?




The prewar springer struts were a smaller diameter than the postwar struts. The only designated serials numbers that I have seen are on the early tandems those ran thru 1963, the Town & Country. They all started with a T00xxxx.


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