# What is the value in my 20” spitfire?



## 1937Zenith (Mar 19, 2021)

Picked up this 20” Schwinn spitfire, it is all original from what I can tell and it has the rare s-2 heavy duty rims from and rear. Gonna post it for sale but not sure what I should ask for it. Any tips would be appreciated thanks


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## BFGforme (Mar 19, 2021)

Cool little guy


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## SoBayRon (Mar 19, 2021)

HD looking little Spitfire. Sorry I can’t throw a number out with any real accuracy, but you sure do not see too many of these out there.


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Mar 19, 2021)

1937Zenith said:


> Picked up this 20” Schwinn spitfire, it is all original from what I can tell and it has the rare s-2 heavy duty rims from and rear. Gonna post it for sale but not sure what I should ask for it. Any tips would be appreciated thanks
> 
> View attachment 1375594
> 
> View attachment 1375595




Great bike, seems like 20 inch ballooner's are getting hot. What year is it? I have to imagine $300+, I could be wrong but I don't think far off. Take a look at sold section see if there is something comparable.


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## Xlobsterman (Mar 21, 2021)

1937Zenith said:


> Picked up this 20” Schwinn spitfire, it is all original from what I can tell and it has the rare s-2 heavy duty rims from and rear. Gonna post it for sale but not sure what I should ask for it. Any tips would be appreciated thanks
> 
> View attachment 1375594
> 
> View attachment 1375595




I am no expert on these older bikes, but I do not believe that is the original wheel set for that bike? Bikes of that era came with painted rims?


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## GTs58 (Mar 21, 2021)

That's a really cool little 20" but I'm totally stumped. The top tube decal is 1959 and later and so is the chain guard. I cannot find any specs on the 20" Spitfires but all the 26" versions during that time were middleweights with S-7 rims and the Spitfires had enameled rims. It appears your bike has balloon tires though. The seat post clamp looks like the earlier 50's piece. The balloon models were pretty much non existent after 1956 with just the Phantom and Wasp being the only balloon models left. What's the serial number and does if for sure have S-2s?


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## 1937Zenith (Mar 21, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> That's a really cool little 20" but I'm totally stumped. The top tube decal is 1959 and later and so is the chain guard. I cannot find any specs on the 20" Spitfires but all the 26" versions during that time were middleweights with S-7 rims and the Spitfires had enameled rims. It appears your bike has balloon tires though. The seat post clamp looks like the earlier 50's piece. The balloon models were pretty much non existent after 1956 with just the Phantom and Wasp being the only balloon models left. What's the serial number and does if for sure have S-2s?



The serial is p54871 on the rear drop out, I also posted pics of the s2 rims up close


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## 1937Zenith (Mar 21, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> That's a really cool little 20" but I'm totally stumped. The top tube decal is 1959 and later and so is the chain guard. I cannot find any specs on the 20" Spitfires but all the 26" versions during that time were middleweights with S-7 rims and the Spitfires had enameled rims. It appears your bike has balloon tires though. The seat post clamp looks like the earlier 50's piece. The balloon models were pretty much non existent after 1956 with just the Phantom and Wasp being the only balloon models left. What's the serial number and does if for sure have S-2s?


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## GTs58 (Mar 21, 2021)

Thanks for the added pictures and serial number. That pretty much clears things up. It's all original Schwinn, but has parts that are not original to the bike. 
Serial #P54871

03/11/1955 --- P53814 ----- P56739

So that little guy is actually a 55 balloon model. I also see the rear hub is a blue band 2 speed which is a plus, but the Blue band 2 speed came out in the mid 60's. I wish I could give you an accurate idea on what it's worth, but all I could come up with will just be a guesstimate.


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## 1937Zenith (Mar 21, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> Thanks for the added pictures and serial number. That pretty much clears things up. It's all original Schwinn, but has parts that are not original to the bike.
> Serial #P54871
> 
> 03/11/1955 --- P53814 ----- P56739
> ...



Thanks so much for the continued info! Still was wondering what you think about the paint on it? To me it looks original but I can’t find any 55 or 56 models that are all black usually they have the white/feather effect up front. Also I started doing some research about the 2 speed blue band which I know was on the early stingrays but the stingrays had the s-2 in the rear but had s-7 up front unless I read it wrong. If that’s the case where do you think the s-2 front rim would have come off of? Or maybe a re-lace onto an s-2 rim? I am tempted to try and get ahold of the guy I bought it off of to see if he had any more info. He did say that his dad was the original owner of the spitfire. I also got a 68 stingray deluxe, a 50s Schwinn meteor 26” and a 70s Schwinn Racer all from the same family. I live just outside of Chicago so these bikes pop up every now and then


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## 1937Zenith (Mar 21, 2021)

GTs58 said:


> Thanks for the added pictures and serial number. That pretty much clears things up. It's all original Schwinn, but has parts that are not original to the bike.
> Serial #P54871
> 
> 03/11/1955 --- P53814 ----- P56739
> ...



Also I realize the crank setup is 60s as well, seems like everything is minus serial number and the seat post clamp?


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## GTs58 (Mar 21, 2021)

The seat post clamp does look original. Short clamp with the AS D bolt? Crank looks period correct to me. Is that red paint or red oxide primer on the chain and seat stays at the left drop out? Front wheel may have been built up since most all of these 20" models had enameled rims. 

What I think is original. 
1955 Frame and fork. 
seat post and clamp
Stem and bars
Crank set and Kickstand
Possible repaint if that is red paint around the left rear drop out.


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## REC (Mar 25, 2021)

This one is a little older than yours, but is the same basic bike. price was less than what is stated in here but was bought 8/30/2018. Seat is floating around here somewhere. S2s on both ends, and is a 49 S/N. Definitely a repaint and currently under reconstruction. Still a cool old piece. Part of the always ongoing 20" binge.




Second thought here is one of these frames found - back on 4/15/2011 - advertised as '68 Sting-Ray frame. Paid '68 Sting-Ray frame price for it as well!! approx 75.00 dropped on the porch!!
my "68 Sting-Ray" find before: 


Not Quite a Sting-Ray after:



REC


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## REC (Mar 25, 2021)

The other red (red oxide primer) meat:



This one also has S2s on each end, and is also moving along the reconstruction path like the Juvenile.
I LIKE This bike! More of the 20" Binge process... Need to get the front fender off and reattached so I can fix the paint on the fender braces. (at the least!) This one is also a '55 model, thinkin' a WASP. Bought here on the CABE - 2/2020 and price paid included shipping. GREAT deal in my mind!

Before the above bike came along, this '54 popped up on fleapay:



And after some gentle messaging, ended up looking like this (and I did straighten the original guard, but it is on a shelf in the shop)









Picked up on 8/31/2013 for a nice price of 76.00 delivered to the porch. It cost a few more bucks to make it pretty, but I still think the deal was a good one.
REC


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## Jeff54 (Mar 26, 2021)

1937Zenith said:


> Thanks so much for the continued info! Still was wondering what you think about the paint on it? To me it looks original but I can’t find any 55 or 56 models that are all black usually they have the white/feather effect up front. Also I started doing some research about the 2 speed blue band which I know was on the early stingrays but the stingrays had the s-2 in the rear but had s-7 up front unless I read it wrong. If that’s the case where do you think the s-2 front rim would have come off of? Or maybe a re-lace onto an s-2 rim? I am tempted to try and get ahold of the guy I bought it off of to see if he had any more info. He did say that his dad was the original owner of the spitfire. I also got a 68 stingray deluxe, a 50s Schwinn meteor 26” and a 70s Schwinn Racer all from the same family. I live just outside of Chicago so these bikes pop up every now and then




Yeah, think U'r right for 55 nothing is correct. From that post 58-ish chain guard, fenders, bar decal, grips seat ya got a parts mix match with newer than 55  assembly.

You can start with the fenders where the white fenders tip pattern is , probably off a Wasp and I never seen a Wasp with the DX style frame.  Other Painted balloon juniors have a Chevron fender tip design... .

Those fender brackets are universal replacements. .

As far as Chrome S2s go, yeah there were plenty in the 50's (catalogs aint bibles) yet, before during and after  after the first sting-rats came out, us kids robbed em off everything U can get U hands on so, yeah duh U rarely see em and or know the difference. Only way kids, back then, could make best guess is; for better chrome and RxR tracks, (kurdeling) it was clean, thick and sharp. I mean B/C production on Junior models was so much lower on 20" rims, more older rims would usually be better than stinkrats.

Those fenders and Chrome rims would match 1954-64 , J-32, 20" Schwinn standard Wasp.

I haven't collected or messed with stink-rats since a kid, but had a Lime Super deluxe and it had S2 front.

No remember for sure but seems there were standard on a few.  Maybe it was optional er somtin.

I mean, back in the day, The S7 front was a mock-up style to resemble a dragster's narrow front wheel. Wit mid 50's Hemi engines, the drag scene was on fire hot! As Schwinn said "Sport cars" that's BS. "? I'm  tinkin that, B/C Schwinn was copying Huffy and  the word  'Dragster' might have been Huff's terminology. But, Huff or not, it was Dragsters kids were styling on, Before Stinkrats came out;  old Schwinn 20" balloon bikes in SoCal . So, many kids, especially at beaches like Huntington,  who were handy, preferred  cruising sand, beach, sidewalks,   dirt and hilly terrain with the  durability  of front S2's.

   I don't remember exactly, for sure, if A super deluxe were issued with em but many had S2's. I know I did on used stock lime Super Deluxe and any custom jobs.  Only time I had S7 front was because the bike was so near mint+ or mint-  I kept it stock B/C it was the closest to brand new I ever had, back then. . A little embarrassing but, so like new, proud to join the game/trend, fashion, : New.

Alternatively, we robbed em off 50's junior bikes and it was not limited to a cantilever Wasp frame, other types had em too. Just go dig up the city dumps in SoCal, U find those none cantilever frames, missing all chrome parts  there. . {grin] . Parts from used bikes were only, like, a quarter to best condition  50 cent. Springer's .50 to a buck. Hy-rise hand bar were also before the sting-ray. in good condition would get ya a buck too. It didn't take much to build em, pop bottle or lawn mower money. A nice Schwinn polo or Banana  saddle was prob the most expensive part. Otherwise, colored tape on a 25 cent banana seat sufficed. Huffy parts were not kool.

I mean, Schwinn copied Huff, but Huff copied the trend and, that trend preferred Schwinn parts vs. No offence meant Huff fans but,  comparably: weak rust bucket crap. .  I.E. with that set of rims and Bendix red stripe, U have a set of rims on an old school (For lack of a better catchy, trendy name)   stink-rat adding the fenders with canti frame  a Wasp. .

And those 20" hoops being the most valuable parts to fit front or rear sting-ray. Combined the 60's blue stripe 2 speed kick back, and stripped front hoop, probably , like, $300 bucks and scrap frame, fenders, like prob 100 bucks. It's worth 300 , maybe 400. bucks in parts and prob 200-250 as it sits.  I mean, Peeps are hunting stink parts and the rest goes to part scrapping where way less want to bother with selling/storing individual parts. Yet if U wanna nick-pick every penny out of it, for as long as it takes, squeeze water out of rocks,  actually get, like, 500 bucks when all is said and done. I.E. retail  sellers or working for an income parting  the whole gets 50% discount = $250. and if take out the hoops, and kick-back, interest goes down substantially.


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## Kidwood5 (Apr 25, 2021)

I like it, hardly ever see them. 300 easy, clean it lube it, and your good to go. I would like to come across one for the grandkids, finding them is half the fun. Thanks for sharing.


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## Jeff54 (Apr 25, 2021)

No forget the plus to wherever U wanna take a good o'l 20" ballooner, Dan, Bones, ebay bycyclebones has some recent repop tanks for 20"-ers Not  to be confused that, 26" frame, tanks are 20" whereas Junior tanks are smaller than 20" standard. So U could make U self a Black Phantom Jr without hunting for the tank, for freaken 20 years. They should fit in 24" Jr Schwinns too. Abet, gut luck try find a decal for dem tanks and any model of Jr. chain guard decals, prob have custom make them though.  I been looking for a 54 Jr Starlet chain guard  decal fo, long, long  time.


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