# CopperTone 1954 Schwinn Tiger 3 speed Midweight.



## cyclebuster (Apr 3, 2013)

aluminum SA 3 speed dated 54, frame dated 11-53. Troxel saddle, wienemann brakes, painted fenders, Coppertone and white trim. looks like a 54 Jaguar with painted fenders.  
Sound correct?


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## mruiz (Apr 4, 2013)

I don't think copertone was out in 54, it came in to play later in years.


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## jpromo (Apr 4, 2013)

Post some pictures. Coppertone started in '63. Schwinn serial numbers got pretty screwed up for a couple years in the mid-50s, so you'll find a lot of repeats.

With painted fenders, it could be a Fleet, Typhoon, or Hornet from maybe 1963 or '64 since Schwinn went to a different serial system altogether in '65. Good luck!


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## cyclebuster (Apr 4, 2013)

says tiger on the chain guard. son has removed some spray paint, appears to be Coppertone colored??
Wiennman brakes aluminum hub, mid weight built with a heavyweight frame as usual. 
I might make a panther out of it. c6xxxx number, 11/1/53 era. 
was there a bronze ish color in 54?
I don't think Schwinn had all their eggs in a basket in the 50s apparently. I just left Schwinn's catalog site this also could be a Frankenbike, but its all the same color underneath. 
early midweights had balloon frames. this one does
aluminum shell SA dated 54. 
serial number on charts for late 53, also 52 and 57, but 57 midweights had narrow frame. 
no such color shown.


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## jpromo (Apr 4, 2013)

Interesting! I'd like to see a picture if you can get one posted. I don't believe the Tiger was released until '55 with the advent of the true middleweight bicycle. The only 3-speed I know of before '55 was the '53-54 Jaguar which was on a cantilever balloon frame. Is it a cantilever or straight bar? You mention you could make a Panther from it, which would be a straight bar frame. If you pull the fork or the crankshaft, you can likely verify the original color as people don't usually make it that far on spraybomb jobs. I don't know of any color at the time that would be close to a coppertone. Possibly a faded radiant red? It turns into a kind of red-amber.

I wouldn't put anything past Schwinn. They would have produced for you the bike you wanted.


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## cyclebuster (Apr 4, 2013)

well this is the 4th heavyweight early 50s hand brake balloon frame I have. Odd for a bike they never made. 
57 would not have those brakes. or alloy hub dated 54. It looks just like a 56 Tiger. It says tiger on it.


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## spoker (Apr 4, 2013)

*tiger*

yes,no uv protection back then,left in the sun candy red schwinns turn goldish,might just be the cangy under coat after red is burned off


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## GTs58 (Apr 4, 2013)

spoker said:


> yes,no uv protection back then,left in the sun candy red schwinns turn goldish,might just be the cangy under coat after red is burned off




X2...............An old Jag ballooner frame with only the gold base coat left. No such color as Coppertone in the years you posted.


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## spoker (Apr 5, 2013)

*coppertone*

its been speculated that coppertone was the same as 50s chev sierra gold,60s home appliances also came in coppertone,some painters have found alot of schwinn colors in automotive paint chip crossers


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## krankrate (Apr 5, 2013)

*Tiger*

As stated I don't Tiger' come out till 55, here's a pic of my 56, is it simular to this?


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## GTs58 (Apr 5, 2013)

spoker said:


> its been speculated that coppertone was the same as 50s chev sierra gold,60s home appliances also came in coppertone,some painters have found alot of schwinn colors in automotive paint chip crossers




Sierra Gold on GM cars was not even close to the Schwinn Coppertone. As far as the coppertone appliances in the 50's and 60's, not even close either and that would be closer to Schwinns Sierra Brown darkened up a quite a bit and a big splash of Schwinn Chestnut added. 

The bike in question sounds like it may have some non original parts on it.


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## cyclebuster (Apr 6, 2013)

Solid Gold!! 
C63417
Its Gold with red trim under the hideous house paint.
All the same color and trim on the whole bike. 
Says Schwinn Tiger and has the Tiger In Red on the gold and red pinstriped chain guard.
54 on the SA 3 speed aluminum hub, S7 wheels and rims. 
HEAVYWEIGHT Frame. Heavyweight Fenders 
Long arm wienemann brakes
I am guessing this was sold as a 3 speed ballooner, and converted. 
nice 3 rivet crash rail seat.
It appears some of the decals were white, and turned red or the underside was red to begin with. 

Its very possible this was red and faded to the gold primer

We loves it.


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## GTs58 (Apr 6, 2013)

If it is actually a ballooner frame with the rear brake bracket then I would guess it had to be a Jaguar with the Dec 53 serial number. Or, it was a 1957 Opal Red Tiger middleweight with the same serial number. Opal Red didn't last very long on the gold base coated frames and I've seen quite a few bikes were almost all the red has faded off leaving the bike gold. Decals protected the paint underneath and when they disappeared you'll see the name on the chainguard in the color the bike was originally painted. 

The dated hub would match the Jag and an S-7 laced up to it at some point, or the rear wheel could have been swapped out on the 57 Tiger.


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