# What do I have, here?



## hatz4katz (Oct 5, 2019)

Purchased this bike as a basket case from a friend.  Replaced the tires, tubes, chain and grips.  Lots of elbow grease and clean up.
Bike has Excelsior head badge, Schwinn chain guard and Schwinn serial number of 1953 date.  It looks pretty much original but I have a couple of questions:
1. Is this a Schwinn badged as Excelsior?  If so, what is the story on that?
2. Are the handlebars original?  They look pretty wide and swept back.  No markings or stampings on the bars.
3. The rims are wide like S2 but are not knurled or marked S2.  It looks like they are marked Lobell or something like that.  Anyone have info on these rims?
4. What bolt on kickstands were used in 1953?  It has a Miller kickstand but it needs to be replaced and doesn't fit all that great, anyways.
I still need to do some detail work on it such as adjusting the seat angle and rear rack and final cleaning, but after that, it will be a good beach cruiser.
Thank you in advance for your answers.


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## unregistered (Oct 5, 2019)

Very nice bike! All I can say is that it should be older than a ‘53, those dropouts are prewar. 

Schwinn badged/branded many different bikes for models and distributors. Excelsior is one of the more common ones. 

Enjoy!


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## robert bell (Oct 5, 2019)

1941 schwinn model BA97. original flat lobdel rims.want to sell, I'm your man!!


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## John G04 (Oct 5, 2019)

Looks like a 40/41. Beautiful bike! The lobdell rims are correct as the s2’s weren’t prewar. Lmk if you ever want to sell the rims my bike needs a better set!


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## barneyguey (Oct 5, 2019)

Beautiful bike!

Miller is the correct kickstand for your bike. Those grips are for a post war bike like a Panther or Phantom. You need the prewar black chubby Schwinn grips. Barry


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## Archie Sturmer (Oct 5, 2019)

1.  A common path of industrialists was parts, bicycles, motorcycles, and automobiles, then bankruptcy.  Such was the case for Excelsior when A&S bought the company - in order to dabble in motorcycles.  A&S did not need more Chicago bicycle manufacturing capacity and sold off what continued as Excelsior Cycle.  Both companies A&S and Excelsior used the name on their bikes.  And then there are the _English_ Excelsior cousins, from England.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Oct 5, 2019)

cool bike, my favorite color combination.

is that a proper rack for that bike?


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## robert bell (Oct 5, 2019)

41 only chainguard, late "H" serial number painted fender struts, 41 only springer. curious has no fork stop tube on frame for the springer that all original springer bikes had. even ladies bikes in 41 had frame fork stop tube/rubbers.


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## hatz4katz (Oct 5, 2019)

Evidently, I received incorrect info concerning the model year.  Serial number is H58044.
Thank you all for the information.  As far as I know, that is the correct rack for the bike.  I'll also change the grips to be period correct (I thought it was a '53).  What was the fork stop tube for the springer fork?  If it was made of rubber, it probably disintegrated years ago.  My understanding is that this bike sat in a garage for over 40 years.


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## hatz4katz (Oct 5, 2019)

John G04 said:


> Looks like a 40/41. Beautiful bike! The lobdell rims are correct as the s2’s weren’t prewar. Lmk if you ever want to sell the rims my bike needs a better set!View attachment 1073799



My rims looked like yours at first.  I soaked them in Evaporust and cleaned them with 0000 steel wool.  Not shiny but not rusty, either.


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## robert bell (Oct 5, 2019)

Fork stop tube metal with rubber inserts


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## GTs58 (Oct 5, 2019)

Sweet ride Hatz! 

That model didn't come equipped with a rear carrier and that's a generic piece. Here's my 41 B6's carrier.


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## barneyguey (Oct 5, 2019)

hatz4katz said:


> Evidently, I received incorrect info concerning the model year.  Serial number is H58044.
> Thank you all for the information.  As far as I know, that is the correct rack for the bike.  I'll also change the grips to be period correct (I thought it was a '53).  What was the fork stop tube for the springer fork?  If it was made of rubber, it probably disintegrated years ago.  My understanding is that this bike sat in a garage for over 40 years.



The fork stop kept the fork from denting the tank when you turned.


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## GTs58 (Oct 5, 2019)

barnyguey said:


> The fork stop kept the fork from denting the tank when you turned.




So a 41 model that wasn't equipped with a tank but had a springer did not get the fork bumper, right? My 41 B6 didn't have the optional springer fork but has a tank and it doesn't have the bumper either.


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## robert bell (Oct 5, 2019)

GTs58 said:


> So a 41 model that wasn't equipped with a tank but had a springer did not get the fork bumper, right? My 41 B6 didn't have the optional springer fork but has a tank and it doesn't have the bumper either.



Forget about that! Duh!


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## barneyguey (Oct 5, 2019)

GTs58 said:


> So a 41 model that wasn't equipped with a tank but had a springer did not get the fork bumper, right? My 41 B6 didn't have the optional springer fork but has a tank and it doesn't have the bumper either.



That's what I was told, but I've seen lots of tank models without the bumper? I think it really depended on which mechanic put it together. Ha Ha Ha
I have seen more of the bumpers on the fully equipped models.


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## Kickstand3 (Oct 6, 2019)

Ok
Not Sure are these the Correct Wheels? Probably War Time 








Nice match for one of those bikes 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## Goldenrod (Oct 6, 2019)

Black and the purpler blue are my favorite colors for Schwinns.


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## hatz4katz (Oct 6, 2019)

When did Schwinn change from skip tooth drive to regular / non skip tooth drive?  Also, who does seat recovering?
Thank you for your replies!


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## robert bell (Oct 6, 2019)

Don't recover that seat!! Nice survivor! Bob U. Does seats, if ya really want one recovered, will trade ya a more used identical seat to have done, could use yours on one of my 41 Schwinn's


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## GTs58 (Oct 6, 2019)

I say the 1" pitch drive train was completely phased out by 1955. They slowly started to phase out in 1953.


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