# Prewar Schwinn from original owner



## Nickinator (Aug 16, 2015)

How cool is it when you can buy a prewar Schwinn from the original owner? We drove 400 miles yesterday to pick this one up, was well worth the drive. Needs a bit more maintenance then will be a great rider. It's my favorite paint scheme and colors, love it. Thinking it's a '41 DX, S/N is F66400. Feel free to chime in if you have any different thoughts. 

First two pics are of the original owner Dona, one as a little girl and one yesterday, she's in her 80's...story goes the Our Own Hardware in southern MN didn't have much to choose from when her parents took her to buy a bike, but I think she made a great choice. Her son told us that when they asked her recently if she wanted to sell the bike, she said she "probably wouldn't ride it anymore..." too funny. What a gal 

Darcie/Nick


----------



## Ozark Flyer (Aug 16, 2015)

Great bike and story!  Chain guard is 40 but I think the serial is 41.  Paint scheme is 41.  Could be a very late 40 build for 41 model year.


----------



## dfa242 (Aug 16, 2015)

Nickinator said:


> How cool is it when you can buy a prewar Schwinn from the original owner?...




I've never had that pleasure, but good for you guys - really cool.


----------



## fordmike65 (Aug 16, 2015)

Doesn't get any better than this! Proof that it's completely orig(Except maybe for grips and tires?)


----------



## OldSkipTooth (Aug 16, 2015)

This what we live for..amazing story.


----------



## Freqman1 (Aug 16, 2015)

Sweet azz ride! V/r Shawn


----------



## Nickinator (Aug 16, 2015)

fordmike65 said:


> Doesn't get any better than this! Proof that it's completely orig(Except maybe for grips and tires?)



Right Mike good eye, we put a nice vintage set of BF Goodrichs tires on, and the correct grips. Also still needs a lens for the 3 rib Delta, and a correct reflector for the rack, which I think we have around here somewhere. It's last tune up was in the early 70's. Other than that- front bearings were toast, brakes and rear hub needed some work, but nothing major. Nice survivor for sure.  

Darcie


----------



## REC (Aug 16, 2015)

Super nice bike, even better story!

Numbers look to '40 based on comparables on the list.

REC


----------



## catfish (Aug 16, 2015)

WOW! Great story! Great bike! I'm the third owner of a few of the bikes in my collection. But I've never been the second owner.   Catfish


----------



## rollfaster (Aug 16, 2015)

Great bike and greater story. Congrads on a really nice pick guys. Rob.


----------



## 47jchiggins (Aug 16, 2015)

That's incredible, what a great story. I have a couple (post war) but have only met the original owner on one of them.

I think we should start a 2nd/Original Owner Thread.

Todd


----------



## cyclingday (Aug 16, 2015)

Fantastic find and photographs!
 That is a really interesting paint scheme.
 I know that reverse paint fenders were an option, but reverse paint rack and chainguard is really unusual.


----------



## Nickinator (Aug 16, 2015)

47jchiggins said:


> That's incredible, what a great story. I have a couple (post war) but have only met the original owner on one of them.
> 
> I think we should start a 2nd/Original Owner Thread.
> 
> Todd




That would be an interesting thread. We have 3 original owner bikes (2 prewar 1 postwar), but only have pics of the actual owner on this one.

Darcie


----------



## schwinnguyinohio (Aug 16, 2015)

Wow nice bike cant believe a family member didn't want it


----------



## sleepy (Aug 16, 2015)

Beautiful bike, beautiful story!

What a genuine piece of history....the two pictures of the original owner are the icing on the cake.


----------



## bikeyard (Aug 16, 2015)

Great bike and story.  I've got an original owner bike.  Yours shows girls take better care of their bikes though


----------



## Nickinator (Aug 16, 2015)

here is another picture of her.
Nick


----------



## Dave K (Aug 16, 2015)

Such a cool bike and great story.


----------



## Artifex (Aug 17, 2015)

Wow!  That is an awesome story and the pictures really make it all that much better.  That bike is on my bucket list - it has everything going for it; while some tank bikes can look glitzy, this one looks artistic.   

Question, though; how do you get wind of a bike like that from 200 miles away?


----------



## bricycle (Aug 17, 2015)

How incredible!


----------



## bobdenver1961 (Aug 17, 2015)

Really good story. Love the photos. I would have drive 400 miles for that one also. Great find!

Bob


----------



## GTs58 (Aug 17, 2015)

That has to be the coolest buy of the year! Congrats on that very nice one owner DX. 

Now I want to hear the story about how long after Dona got the bike that she was really able to ride it.   The stand over height is up to her belly button and I think that chainguard has seen a foot atop it many times as somewhat shown in the pic Nick put up. And that ring sure must have made it really hard to pedal for that little thing. 

Anyway, that's what runs thru my mind when I see that little girl standing next to her new bike. She must have been a tough cookie with no fear and loved to make all the boys jealous.


----------



## Nickinator (Aug 17, 2015)

GTs58 said:


> That has to be the coolest buy of the year! Congrats on that very nice one owner DX.
> 
> Now I want to hear the story about how long after Dona got the bike that she was really able to ride it.  ....I think that chainguard has seen a foot atop it many times as somewhat shown in the pic Nick put up... She must have been a tough cookie with no fear and loved to make all the boys jealous.




Ha! Yep that's exactly what wore the paint off that chainguard! Great observation. Bars were really lowered and seat was at it's lowest...She was indeed fearless, her son said she wanted to take it for one last ride, but he talked her out of it ;-D

Darcie


----------



## whizzer_motorbike_fan (Aug 17, 2015)

This bike is really nice and it has a wonderful story. That's great she wanted one more ride. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## bobcycles (Aug 17, 2015)

Ozark Flyer said:


> Great bike and story!  Chain guard is 40 but I think the serial is 41.  Paint scheme is 41.  Could be a very late 40 build for 41 model year.





*Guard is 41'.  1941 was the year for the feather on these bikes.  I've owned dozens over the years...odd that it's white and not black.....killer bike, awesome story.  If it's for sale, hit up William LaRoque on here.......he's looking for a nice orig DX.
*


----------



## Spence36 (Aug 17, 2015)

Awesome find great story great bike congrats !!!! 


Cruising my Prewar Schwinn [emoji605]


----------



## TheDXjedi (Aug 18, 2015)

Awesome bike and a very cool story to go with it. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Nickinator (Aug 28, 2015)

After seeing the S/N in REC's list (great job on that database REC), it does appear to have been made (at least the frame was stamped) in 1940. Must have been done right at the end of '40, beginning of '41. Question- would this year's crank be dated?  

Darcie


----------



## Nickinator (Oct 8, 2015)

*Grand Finale*

Thought I would add one final picture, the icing on the cake- me with the DX winning the traveling trophy, the People's Choice award for 2015 at our annual fall ride. Sent a pic to the original owner Dona, who was thrilled to see her bike being ridden and enjoyed again. Awesome grand finale to a cool story. 

(Oh yeah- Nick's Crusty Clipper came in 2nd  )

Darcie


----------



## Tim the Skid (Oct 8, 2015)

Awesome bike, great story, love the old photos! Thanks for sharing this Darcie.


----------



## RustyK (Oct 8, 2015)

Nickinator said:


> After seeing the S/N in REC's list (great job on that database REC), it does appear to have been made (at least the frame was stamped) in 1940. Must have been done right at the end of '40, beginning of '41. Question- would this year's crank be dated?
> 
> Darcie




Hey Darcie, where is this database I can't find it


----------



## Nickinator (Oct 8, 2015)

RustyK said:


> Hey Darcie, where is this database I can't find it




Don't think it's a published database Kris, I'd pm REC directly. 

Darcie


----------



## WES PINCHOT (Oct 8, 2015)

Thanks for sharing!
Its a beauty!


----------



## Dave K (Oct 8, 2015)

Amazing clean up.  Really cool bike


----------



## Larmo63 (Oct 9, 2015)

We should compare serial numbers…..I've always thought this to be a '41……I like the welded on fork safety stoppers on the frame too!


----------



## Larmo63 (Oct 9, 2015)

Schwinn DXs rule….


----------



## Nickinator (Oct 9, 2015)

Larmo63 said:


> We should compare serial numbers…..I've always thought this to be a '41……I like the welded on fork safety stoppers on the frame too!




I noted our S/N in the first post, and according to the S/N info REC has complied, our S/N appears to be a very late 40- if I remember correctly there were just a couple 40's with a bit higher #s. This one obviously got some '41 parts- I know Schwinn wasn't waiting till the stroke of midnight Dec 31st to start using them lol  

What is your S/N?

Darcie


----------



## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Oct 9, 2015)

Larmo63 said:


> We should compare serial numbers…..I've always thought this to be a '41……I like the welded on fork safety stoppers on the frame too!



Yeah yours is 1941...

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


----------



## dave429 (Nov 5, 2015)

Glad you were able to give it a good home! Thanks for the great story and for sharing your find!


----------



## Larmo63 (Nov 14, 2015)

Sorry Darcie, I just saw this….

My serial # Is G70160

Oh, I just installed a Whizzer spring in the springer. WAY better!!!!


----------



## Nickinator (Nov 27, 2015)

Larmo63 said:


> Sorry Darcie, I just saw this….
> 
> My serial # Is G70160
> 
> Oh, I just installed a Whizzer spring in the springer. WAY better!!!!




Great idea, ours could use that too!

Darcie


----------

