# Schwinn 3 seat tandem?



## Jmanning

Anyone have any information on this 3 seat Schwinn Tandem I'm picking up on CL? I've looked over all the pictures. All seem legit. The owner has done some research but comes at dead ends. It looks like the one on the 3 stooges movie, but has differnt features. ( Movie bike - no truss rods or drum brake) Her history shows it was made for movies. I can only find that Disneyland ordered less than 12 in the 50's than canceled the order and they were didributed to local bike shops. Any help would be appreciated.


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## jpromo

Wow, that's amazingly cool. There's a couple hundred worth of skiptooth chain alone! That history would be really fascinating if it could be verified any which way.

My only observation is that the one weld I can see looks somewhat shoddy. It's hard to tell with the small picture but it doesn't look like something that the Schwinn factory would produce. I'd say check the weld quality up close or post some pictures of both frame joints.

Regardless, it's very cool and would really make a statement cleaned up and brought into riding order. Good luck!


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## how

Jmanning said:


> Anyone have any information on this 3 seat Schwinn Tandem I'm picking up on CL? I've looked over all the pictures. All seem legit. The owner has done some research but comes at dead ends. It looks like the one on the 3 stooges movie, but has differnt features. ( Movie bike - no truss rods or drum brake) Her history shows it was made for movies. I can only find that Disneyland ordered less than 12 in the 50's than canceled the order and they were didributed to local bike shops. Any help would be appreciated.View attachment 73325View attachment 73326View attachment 73327View attachment 73327View attachment 73328




That looks like a homemade bike, the Schwinn Town and Country 3 seater was different. The legend goes that Disneyland ordered 12 and then cancled the order and the bikes went to dealers across the country. My father bought me one when I was 15 I am 59 now. I think the legend is wrong and there were more than 12. My brother hijacked it from me and still has it, though he screwed up by painting it and changing a lot of the parts.  I have seen 4 different ones myself.

The picture you have is not one,,and sure looks like a fabrication.


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## bricycle

That would look cool with tripple straight tanks on it!


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## rebirthbikes

bricycle said:


> That would look cool with tripple straight tanks on it!





I SECOND THAT!!! I would love to see that.


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## cyclebuster

SO... there ARE more then 3 stooges!!!


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## 55tbird

*Schwinn Triplex*

Schwinn actually made a factory built "Triplex". I have personally seen one in a collection in Milwaukee. Was originally in great original paint with factory decals and when I went back to make an offer the owner resprayed it and ruined the history of the bike.  Mike


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## detroitbike

*Schwinn Town and Country Triple*

The bike on eBay is surely not a factory built bike! I have personally seen about 5 or 6 of the Triple Town and country bikes . I sold this
 one last spring


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## detroitbike

*Factory Schwinn Triple bike on the eBay today*

Triple Schwinn Bike on eBay right now:
     eBay item : 370687006342


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## skydog

here's a picture of one from years gone by


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## skydog

detroitbike said:


> Triple Schwinn Bike on eBay right now:
> eBay item : 370687006342




http://www.ebay.com/itm/370687006342?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D370687006342%26_rdc%3D1


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## Aarono

how said:


> That looks like a homemade bike, the Schwinn Town and Country 3 seater was different. The legend goes that Disneyland ordered 12 and then cancled the order and the bikes went to dealers across the country. My father bought me one when I was 15 I am 59 now. I think the legend is wrong and there were more than 12. My brother hijacked it from me and still has it, though he screwed up by painting it and changing a lot of the parts.  I have seen 4 different ones myself.
> 
> The picture you have is not one,,and sure looks like a fabrication.




I think there are definitely a lot more than 12...and I know many/most were boardwalk bikes. I personally am aware of at least four others (not counting the Internet). I've heard numbers ranging from 50 through a thousand; I believe the truth is that at least a few hundred were made.

This is my 1949 Town n Country triplet...much is original. The saddles obviously aren't, the front fender is not and one of the chain guards is not (although it is from a t&s triplet). I added the basket. It eats chains, spokes and freewheels for breakfast...currently using a White industries 20t rear and custom made THICK spokes. 

Bike was trash picked from a neighbor by my father and me 25+ years ago...ridden, stored in their garage and then restored again (with help from Via bikes) a few years ago. This bike was used extensively by me and my wife, but we bought a Bilenky two seater and this is now a special occasion rider (like for a local Christmas lights ride). While I did try and get original parts, this bike is set up for riding, hence Brooks saddles rather than the intolerable Schwinn mattress saddles and rechargeable lighting. It also has other weird touches like an ihome2go portable music player. I'd like to change out the rims for modern ones, but the spoke size of the hub makes that difficult. 

It's all fillet brazed 4130 and I've read these were made in the Paamount fasclility...it's certainly cleaner work than other fillet brazed Schwinns I've seen from the period. I love the curved rear seat tube. Union drum brakes and Williams cranks.


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## island schwinn

stones cyclery in alameda has one in their window.owner told me it was given to his father for making top sales in the area.


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## CHB472

I bought a bike from a guy years ago (20+) at the Pomona Antique Swapmeet, who told me this story about the bike that i got from him a 1954 24" Schwinn Wasp. The guy told me that he was born and raised in Anaheim just blocks from Disneyland and that his father worked at Disneyland as either a ride mechanic or something having to do with working with the theme park's engineers....it was something mechanical. He said that Disney had floated the idea of a ride using bicycles, but do to size and safety issues it was scratched. He said that Disney had ordered several tandems from Schwinn as prototypes, but do to a design change they were warehoused for a period of time and then sold to a bicycle shop or shops. They ended ordering several 24-inch mid size bicycles from Schwinn (Wasp) because the size could cater to both kids and adults, but once again do to issues and concerns the ride was permanently scratched. Several of these bikes were used by the cleaning services staff as a means of transportation to get around the park and several of the remaining bikes were tossed in a dumpster....where according to this guy mine came from.


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