# ok 1946 schwinn heads....explain this one and find one?



## SJ_BIKER (Jan 9, 2019)

thought i had seen it all. Its in a 1946 catalog and its the ivory dart on top bar on the top bike that has me perplexed....carry over from the 1941 autocycle??  and naturally im curious to know if any one has an original paint example. The search is on.


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## Roger Henning (Jan 10, 2019)

As often happened in the Schwinn catalogs they just used a picture they had of a similar bike not necesarrily what was really being made at the time.  You see that happen many times in their catalogs.  Schwinn used the same pictures for the first 3 years of the Corvette model bikes even though there were changes made each year.  Again I will say as I always have the catalogs were for sales not bibles for future collectors to use.  Roger


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## schwinnlax (Jan 10, 2019)

Yes, especially in 1946, switching from war production to full bike production, seems highly likely they used pre-war pictures for catalog/advertising in the rush to get publicity out for the 1946 selling season.


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## Jeff54 (Jan 10, 2019)

schwinnlax said:


> Yes, especially in 1946, switching from war production to full bike production, seems highly likely they used pre-war pictures for catalog/advertising in the rush to get publicity out for the 1946 selling season.




That bar dart pattern has perplexed me for a bit as I have a 47 DX that accordingly, the original owner repainted with em.. So, 'why restore with the wrong pattern?, me wonders.

Regardless, the top photo does indeed appear to have front dropouts. That would not, could not be if the photo; 'standard auto-cycle' was prewar as, it's one of Schwinn's 1946 post war improvements. Cant make out if lower; BA 97-6 has front dropout or not nor, if either or both have the new welded kick stands too. .

{edit} Oh wait, I see the point now. I've never noticed how long that top bar dart is, on prewar before, but, it's Huge-a, in comparison:


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## ZE52414 (Jan 10, 2019)

I believe the tank models were the only models with the longer dart, but  Still doesn’t answer the question that was originally asked.


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## Jeff54 (Jan 10, 2019)

ZE52414 said:


> I believe the tank models were the only models with the longer dart, but  Still doesn’t answer the question that was originally asked.




Give a good look at the Ops catalog copy. It does not  have an V shaped rear drop-out like the photo I'd posted. And, the prewar frame has no place, nor space, to mount a rear rack.

From the catalog, specifications : "_Built-in Mud-guard and chain guard brackets_"

The Ops cat. 'Standard Auto-Cycle' photo has post war drop outs.   The BA 97-6 fender is mounted on the drop out vs axle too.


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## GTs58 (Jan 10, 2019)

I'm thinking that catalog image is another case with small detail misrepresentation. 

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1946-schwinn-post-what-you-have.117704/


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## GTs58 (Jan 10, 2019)

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/t...t-you-admire-or-own.69092/page-12#post-532226

*
1946 Schwinn, ground up restoration. *


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## StoneWoods (Jan 14, 2019)

I have a rough 46 BA-97. I bet that the front of the frame is prewar production with a new rear triangle added after the war. also, The art has to be postwar art as they have front facing dropouts.


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## bobcycles (Jan 14, 2019)

artists flub is all.   they were 'programmed' to draw the long 1940-41 dart for that style of bike ...
and couldn't get the image out of their heads when it came time to scribble something up for the 
catalog.  I've owned a good number of those early B107 postwar bikes...  Never a long dart on
the original bikes after the war.


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