# 1949 B6 Questions



## Freqman1 (Jul 31, 2013)

I am going to be restoring a 1949 B6. It will be cobalt blue/robins egg blue/red pins with the optional chrome springer, tailight, and dual drum brakes. My question is should the springer have the thin or thick truss rods? I plan on going with drop centers as I think these were still available and I believe the literature shows them for '49. Thanks fo rany help. V/r Shawn


----------



## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Jul 31, 2013)

Freqman1 said:


> I am going to be restoring a 1949 B6. It will be cobalt blue/robins egg blue/red pins with the optional chrome springer, tailight, and dual drum brakes. My question is should the springer have the thin or thick truss rods? I plan on going with drop centers as I think these were still available and I believe the literature shows them for '49. Thanks fo rany help. V/r Shawn




Ive had a green on light green 49 springer with skinny rods and a patent decal on the left leg.


----------



## Larmo63 (Jul 31, 2013)

Skinny rods, and I think drop centers were gone by '49.....

I have non-knurled ones on my '49. 

And, I'm not the expert here.....


----------



## Freqman1 (Jul 31, 2013)

Well I'm conflicted on the wheels and maybe one of the gurus will weigh  in here. If you look at the '49 catalog on the Findley site it shows the Deluxe Autocycle (B6) with what appear to be drop centers. Granted this is almost a comic book like illustration so it may have been just carried over? In Geoff Greene's book on heavy weight Schwinns he says that the drop centers were used in 46-7, by '48 they used S-2s without the knurling, and by '49 had both the S-2 stamp and the knurling. So what say ye Schwinn folks--drop centers or S-2s to be correct? More questions to come when I go to set the brakes up for this bike! V/r Shawn


----------



## Wayne Adam (Jul 31, 2013)

*49 b-6*

My '49 is unrestored, all original ( except tires), and
mine has knurled S-2 rims. I guess the truss rods are the skinny ones, not sure.
here are some pictures.............Wayne


----------



## island schwinn (Jul 31, 2013)

my 49 has knurled,non stamped S2's on it. my 50 has the smaller diameter strut rods on the springer.both bikes are original.


----------



## Larmo63 (Jul 31, 2013)

BTW, my non-knurled S-2's are stamped Schwinn S-2.....

Then again, there were the Lobdells too, don't forget....


----------



## Freqman1 (Aug 1, 2013)

Looks like any of the three rims good be used? Does anyone have an original '49 with drop centers? V/r Shawn


----------



## SJ_BIKER (Aug 1, 2013)

*wheels*

FYI schwinn Tubular wheels in the late 40s and early 50s are S2 not S-2 just so you know.


----------



## bricycle (Aug 1, 2013)

My 50 BA-107 had skinny rods.


----------



## REC (Aug 1, 2013)

*49 Schwinn*

Here is an original unrestored '49, right down to the factory air in the tires. S2s were the deal, and this was prior to cleaning the wheels / tires. The complete photo is after cleaning. I have got too take some better pictures of this!

Skinny trusses with fork they pass through

REC


----------



## Freqman1 (Aug 1, 2013)

Roland,
    I see the double knurling but are these marked S2 or S-2? Unmarked? BTW that is an awesome bike! I didn't even know those colors existed. How is it badged? Thanks, Shawn


----------



## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Aug 1, 2013)

Freqman1 said:


> Roland,
> I see the double knurling but are these marked S2 or S-2? Unmarked? BTW that is an awesome bike! I didn't even know those colors existed. How is it badged? Thanks, Shawn




Here's a question!...  Do the Rack legs sit on top or under fender braces? The above yellow bike shows that the rack legs are above the braces when mounted, but ive seen more of the opposite. So what was factory?.. It makes sense the way the yellow is set up. Those b6 fenders are very wide and the rack legs really put the pinch on em!


----------



## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Aug 1, 2013)

fatbar said:


> Here's a question!...  Do the Rack legs sit on top or under fender braces? The above yellow bike shows that the rack legs are above the braces when mounted, but ive seen more of the opposite. So what was factory?.. It makes sense the way the yellow is set up. Those b6 fenders are very wide and the rack legs really put the pinch on em!




Also here's another!... I always thought the seat clamps were cad plated, but again the yellow one looks,chrome with a cad cinch bolt?...


----------



## REC (Aug 1, 2013)

Freqman1 said:


> Roland,
> I see the double knurling but are these marked S2 or S-2? Unmarked? BTW that is an awesome bike! I didn't even know those colors existed. How is it badged? Thanks, Shawn




Shawn,
Bad photographer! I remember seeing the markings, but took no pictures of them. I SERIOUSLY have to take some better pictures of this. It deserves it.

This bike has a very interesting story - and a letter that backs the story, which was signed by Frank Schwinn. It was ordered special in the colors you see. 

I got goosebumps pretty much all the way through cleaning it, just knowing the last time the screws were turned was when it was assembled new. It came complete with 61 year old dust! Everything that was removed was put back as it was to begin with - just cleaner than it came off.

The only bad part is the seat has some marks on the top where somethig was left lying on it while it was spending many years in an attic. I have a Bob U. seat for it, but haven't had the heart to change it. The flashing is still on the very soft original tires, the bike was never ridden.  

REC


----------



## Freqman1 (Aug 1, 2013)

Its an incredible bike. Are the tires Goodyears? When you get a chance to check the rims out I would appreciate it. Thanks, Shawn


----------



## 2jakes (Aug 1, 2013)

Freqman1 said:


> I am going to be restoring a 1949 B6. It will be cobalt blue/robins egg blue/red pins with the optional chrome springer, tailight, and dual drum brakes. My question is should the springer have the thin or thick truss rods? I plan on going with drop centers as I think these were still available and I believe the literature shows them for '49. Thanks fo rany help. V/r Shawn




  I sending this with regards to the B6 . 
  From  my Schwinn bicycle catalog.









*Rims* Schwinn Built  S-2 Tubular  chrome plated.

Also on the opposite page is this illustration & it appears
that the rims are of the drop center style ! 





Good Luck !


----------



## greenephantom (Aug 1, 2013)

Something to note about the '40s and '50s catalogs is that sometimes images from previous years were re-used.  The most obvious one (at least to me) is Schwinn's (and Goodrich's) use of a pre-war CycleTruck graphic for a few years after the war.  I think Goodrich used it until 1950. You gotta figure that back then it took significant effort to produce the images and significant effort to change the printed page around.  Plus these items were just a step up from toys, and no kid was going to quibble about details, they just wanted that shiny new bike.
Cheers, Geoff


----------



## Talewinds (Aug 1, 2013)

fatbar said:


> Here's a question!...  Do the Rack legs sit on top or under fender braces?....




Now THAT'S a good question!!!


----------



## 2jakes (Aug 1, 2013)

greenephantom said:


> Something to note about the '40s and '50s catalogs is that sometimes images from previous years were re-used.  The most obvious one (at least to me) is Schwinn's (and Goodrich's) use of a pre-war CycleTruck graphic for a few years after the war.  I think Goodrich used it until 1950. You gotta figure that back then it took significant effort to produce the images and significant effort to change the printed page around.  Plus these items were just a step up from toys, and no kid was going to quibble about details, they just wanted that shiny new bike.
> Cheers, Geoff




Geoff,
You are so right about this. I believe this is one reason why
it is very difficult for all to agree.  Schwinn was not consistent
with some of their details.


----------



## Freqman1 (Aug 2, 2013)

I figured the pic with the drop centers was probably a carry over. I have also seen the page with the tubular rims but have never seen rims with that script on them? I'm thinking this was just a catalogue illustration and never made it to production. V/r Shawn


----------



## REC (Aug 2, 2013)

Freqman1 said:


> Its an incredible bike. Are the tires Goodyears? When you get a chance to check the rims out I would appreciate it. Thanks, Shawn




Well, the photographer wasn't as bad as I thought. I opened the full res photos, and the stamp is there in the bottom of the rims. I can't attach the full res photos here. You may also be able to blow the one up from the post.

I'll see if I can find the email for you, and I'll send the big pitcture!

Yes, those are Good Years

REC


----------



## Freqman1 (Aug 2, 2013)

REC said:


> Well, the photographer wasn't as bad as I thought. I opened the full res photos, and the stamp is there in the bottom of the rims. I can't attach the full res photos here. You may also be able to blow the one up from the post.
> 
> I'll see if I can find the email for you, and I'll send the big pitcture!
> 
> ...




You can send pics to Oldbikeguy1@hotmail.com  Thanks, Shawn


----------



## WES PINCHOT (Aug 2, 2013)

*Tires*

I can tell with assurance that those are 
deluxe goodyear all weather tires in the
photograph of the yellow unrestored b6.
I have photos of an original prewar unrestored
autocyle and the carrier braces are also 
on the outside of the fender braces.


----------



## Freqman1 (Aug 2, 2013)

Good to know. I have a beautiful set of Deluxe All Weathers ready for this one then! V/r Shawn


----------



## REC (Aug 3, 2013)

*Photos Sent*

Check your email Shawn. 
Sent the wheel pic two ways - plus a bonus pic of something black

REC


----------



## spoker (Aug 5, 2013)

*rods*

all the thick rods iv seen on og bikes were with the newer type sspringer,should have chrome s2s,stream liner had painted alot of the tyme,once again its hard to be consiatenr on bikes or cars that were inconsistent,not unusual to have 2 og bikes with conflicting parts


----------



## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Aug 5, 2013)

Freqman1 said:


> I figured the pic with the drop centers was probably a carry over. I have also seen the page with the tubular rims but have never seen rims with that script on them? I'm thinking this was just a catalogue illustration and never made it to production. V/r Shawn




If it was me, id go skinny rods and chrome s2s.... Then for paint id do a reverse style with the blue. Dark blue fenders robin egg frame . imo


----------

