# 1947 Schwinn B6 Rustoration questions??



## hcdsign

I am looking for some help from the Schwinn gurus.  I purchased this crusty 1947 B6 off of Craigslist Thursday.  The current plan is to do a rustoration on it.  Meaning going thru the mechanicals & massage the rust to bring back what's left of the paint, which isn't much.  

I have a couple questions after googling & cabeing for images.  1-it seems like the fender light belongs on a springer fork, not a truss fork? 2-This bike has New departure hubs, is that correct?  3-are drop center rims correct to this B6?

Also looking to find the approx. value of this sweet heart.  Other than being really crusty, it appears to be complete.  The horn tank & fender/light are solid & in great shape considering the outside.

Thank you for your input on the items above, or any other points noticed.


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## 56 Vette

Very cool find! From what I have seen in the catalogs and magazine ads, the train horn did come with both the truss rod and springer version. Other questions I can't be much help, but sure others will chime in. I'm putting together a 49 B6 currently but one of the previous owners removed the goodies, tank, rack and fenders. Best of luck, I'm having a blast putting mine back together! Enjoy and keep updates coming! Joe


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## 56 Vette

Here's a pic of one I found on nostalgia site.


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## island schwinn

I have a 46 that looked about the same when I got it.i gave it a good dousing of WD40 and just wiped it down.then a bath with dawn dish soap followed by a complete drying.then went through all the bearings.had to replace a couple.mine has flat lobdell rims,but dropcenters are also correct.as far as value,it's pretty subjective.i paid a couple hundred for mine and it has better paint.


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## Freqman1

The bike appears to be complete and correct. I think this one would be a good candidate for a wood bleach bath. Search the resto section here to find out more. As far as value goes if you like it then what its worth is not that important. You can probably find some comps buys searching through the sale section here as well as Ebay ended auctions results to get an idea. V/r Shawn


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## Ozark Flyer

*Nice bones!*

I agree, the truss rod models did come with a fender light as well.  It is likely the drop center rims are also correct.  They were in process of changing over to S2 rims but I think there were a few drop center models produced in 46/47.  New Departure hubs are normal also.  The sliding rail Mesinger seat is also an earlier model but consistent with the 46/47 (prewar-postwar) transition period features of your bike.

I would go buy a very large can of WD40 and a half dozen 3M gray scrubbie pads and start soaking and rubbing on it.  It's hard to tell from the photos how much original paint is under that rust but I bet there is some.  After taking the rust down to a nice patient, I like to use a medium Mcguires automotive polish and polimar wax to encapsulate and preserve the results.  Shawn is correct that wood bleach (oxcallic acid) is an option that works for rust removal.

Great pick!  I'm sure you will have it fun with it.


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## rollfaster

Very cool b6 man. Rob.


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## ballooney

1948 was a transition year for rims.  Schwinn moved away from drop centers and introduced the S2 (non-knurled) in 1948.  They also used up their remaining inventory of drop centers so those were used too.  Your bike looks correct to me.  Yes to the New Departure hubs as well.


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## greenephantom

Dude, great score. Looks wonderfully bone stock. Heck, I wouldn't even touch the rust. Just do the bearings and slap some fresh rubber on it. Re-do seat and pedals if needed.
Cheers, Geoff


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## WES PINCHOT

*Congrats on a nice find.*

CONGRATS ON A NICE FIND.
IT ALL LOOKS ORIGINAL AND ALL THERE.
AS WAS SAID BEFORE, THE SCHWINN B 6 MODELS ALSO CAME WITH THE TRUSS ROD FORK.
AND YOURS IS A LOCKING TRUSS ROD FORK!
IF YOU NEED HELP GETTING A BROKEN KEY OUT OR NEED A KEY, I CAN HELP.
WES PINCHOT
wespinchot@yahoo.com


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## hcdsign

*Keys?*



WES PINCHOT said:


> CONGRATS ON A NICE FIND.
> IT ALL LOOKS ORIGINAL AND ALL THERE.
> AS WAS SAID BEFORE, THE SCHWINN B 6 MODELS ALSO CAME WITH THE TRUSS ROD FORK.
> AND YOURS IS A LOCKING TRUSS ROD FORK!
> IF YOU NEED HELP GETTING A BROKEN KEY OUT OR NEED A KEY, I CAN HELP.
> WES PINCHOT
> wespinchot@yahoo.com




yes I could use a key.  The number on the lock is very faint.  It kind of looks like 25  46, or possibly 28  46.  How do I get a key when the number is questionable?





Thanks, Howie.


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

That might be an Automatic tumbler?....


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

hcdsign said:


> yes I could use a key.  The number on the lock is very faint.  It kind of looks like 25  46, or possibly 28  46.  How do I get a key when the number is questionable?
> View attachment 196839
> 
> Thanks, Howie.



Can you post a pic of the front of the fork?


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## hcdsign

Obi-Wan, I am not sure what you are looking for,  but here is a pic from the front.  If you need a specific shot or angle, let me know.  Thanks, Howie.


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## GTs58

Looks like the key code is 2s 46. That sure is a cool find.


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

GTs58 said:


> Looks like the key code is 2s 46. That sure is a cool find.



Anybody else notice that looks like a prewar fender?....


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## Ozark Flyer

Yep, long single indent.  I didn't catch that.


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## GTs58

Obi-Wan Schwinnobi said:


> Anybody else notice that looks like a prewar fender?....





From that picture it kinda looks like someone bent in the fender between the two indents. Hard to tell from here.


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

GTs58 said:


> From that picture it kinda looks like someone bent in the fender between the two indents. Hard to tell from here.



but chk the pin stripe... runs all the way through


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## Ozark Flyer

CK the pins at the very edge of the photo.  Touched up?


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## Ozark Flyer

Howie, there is red paint under there.


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## WES PINCHOT

OKAY Howie! 
SINCE THIS IS AN EARLY POSTWAR BIKE, SCHWINN USED SOME PREWAR CYLINDERS MADE BY AUTOMATIC LOCK.
THEY WERE MOSTLY USED BY SCHWINN MADE RANGERS, BUT SOME SHOWED UP ON SCHWINNS BEFORE AND AFTER THE WAR.
THE AUTOMATIC LOCK CODES ALL BEGIN WITH "2 S" AND THAT IS WHAT IT IS. UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T KNOW WHO HAS ANY INFO ON THE CODES FOR IT. 
I THINK BICYCLE BONES (DAN VENTURI) MAY HAVE A KEY FOR THAT CYLINDER NUMBER 2S 46.  CONTACT HIM AT sales@bicyclebones.com
MENTION MY NAME AND HE CAN LET YOU KNOW.
IN ANY EVENT, I HAVE ORIGINAL SCHWINN "AN" CYLINDERS THAT I CAN INSTALL FOR YOU.
WES PINCHOT AKA FENDER DOCTOR
wespinchot@yahoo.com
PS I AM PRETTY SURE THAT IS THE CORRECT POST WAR FENDER ON THIS BIKE.


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## hcdsign

I don't know what to say on the front fork/fender/light.  The patina seems to be the same over the whole bike.  If something was changed up, it had to be done very early in life.  Also the fender does have the long indent on the sides, with two smaller indents for the fork & the truss rod or springer.  They look to be factory made, not hand bent.  The fork fits well, however the truss rods sit way back in the smaller notch in front.  The pin stripes appear original as well.

If anybody wants better pics let me know, I can get them tomorrow.  (my shop space is also my garage parking space)


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## GTs58

hcdsign said:


> I don't know what to say on the front fork/fender/light.  The patina seems to be the same over the whole bike.  If something was changed up, it had to be done very early in life. * Also the fender does have the long indent on the sides, with two smaller indents *for the fork & the truss rod or springer.  They look to be factory made, not hand bent.  The fork fits well, however the truss rods sit way back in the smaller notch in front.  The pin stripes appear original as well.
> 
> If anybody wants better pics let me know, I can get them tomorrow.  (my shop space is also my garage parking space)




Sure sounds like the fender is post war and someone pulled it in between the two indents. Prewar was just one long indent right.


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

hcdsign said:


> I don't know what to say on the front fork/fender/light.  The patina seems to be the same over the whole bike.  If something was changed up, it had to be done very early in life.  Also the fender does have the long indent on the sides, with two smaller indents for the fork & the truss rod or springer.  They look to be factory made, not hand bent.  The fork fits well, however the truss rods sit way back in the smaller notch in front.  The pin stripes appear original as well.
> 
> If anybody wants better pics let me know, I can get them tomorrow.  (my shop space is also my garage parking space)



Can you take a side shot of the indent


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

WES PINCHOT said:


> OKAY Howie!
> SINCE THIS IS AN EARLY POSTWAR BIKE, SCHWINN USED SOME PREWAR CYLINDERS MADE BY AUTOMATIC LOCK.
> THEY WERE MOSTLY USED BY SCHWINN MADE RANGERS, BUT SOME SHOWED UP ON SCHWINNS BEFORE AND AFTER THE WAR.
> THE AUTOMATIC LOCK CODES ALL BEGIN WITH "2 S" AND THAT IS WHAT IT IS. UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T KNOW WHO HAS ANY INFO ON THE CODES FOR IT.
> I THINK BICYCLE BONES (DAN VENTURI) MAY HAVE A KEY FOR THAT CYLINDER NUMBER 2S 46.  CONTACT HIM AT sales@bicyclebones.com
> MENTION MY NAME AND HE CAN LET YOU KNOW.
> IN ANY EVENT, I HAVE ORIGINAL SCHWINN "AN" CYLINDERS THAT I CAN INSTALL FOR YOU.
> WES PINCHOT AKA FENDER DOCTOR
> wespinchot@yahoo.com
> PS I AM PRETTY SURE THAT IS THE CORRECT POST WAR FENDER ON THIS BIKE.



I'm not saying its not correct or og ..just trying to figure out why it is one long indent....


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## Ozark Flyer

I didn't mean to imply it was not original.  I think it is original.  I am interested to see how Schwinn transitioned their tooling after the war.  I think it was possible they were still staming out a few long indent fenders after the war until they retooled for the double indent.


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

GTs58 said:


> Sure sounds like the fender is post war and someone pulled it in between the two indents. Prewar was just one long indent right.



Except if the pins are original then why does it continue in between the fork and truss. Those style fenders with the built in light don't have the pin continuation postwar in that spot. Someone could have added the pin in that spot at some point I guess... looks kinda bent in..


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## Pantmaker

Looks like a 41 B607-1.


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## WES PINCHOT

*The fender and fork*

The post war truss rod fork requires an additional dent for the fork in the fender for a narrower 
width at the fork crown in the opening for the fender .  A prewar fender would not have the 
additional indent, because the fork blades have the same clearance thru the crown of the fork.

The one writer suggests that the flat spot may be from the fender having been 
shoved back and forth at sometime in the process of removal of the fender.  
I would concur that as a possibility for what looks like a flat spot.

And the frame is a post war frame.


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## hcdsign

I was able to get the fender bolt loose today.  Here are some better pics of the indents.  It looks like the fender is a bent up mess.  There are 2 indents per side, not one long one.  The distance between the two is tweaked up & rolled inward.

The fender fit to the fork is good, however the truss rod is pulled tight back against the indent.  Hopefully once the fender is brought back to proper shape, the fit will be better.

If anyone wants any more pics, or different views, please let me know!

Thank you, Howie.


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

Well isn't that interesting. .... appears to be a springer fender that someone put a screw in to plug the hole... ie why the fender has been mashed.. those dimpled forks take a special fender.
I think your bike is later then 47... what does the serial number start with. I thought the schwinn badge like that didn't come out tell after 47.... is the fender tip razor edge or rolled under? 47 springer fender should have a tombstone mount tab too...


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## bikecrazy

*Fender removal*

I ran into this problem about 5 years ago when I bought a frame fork combo at a swap meet.I could not get a fender to fit the bike's fork no matter what I did. I have the same fork you do. If you look at that fork you will discover that it is different then your run of the mill truss bar fork. The truss bars are secured at the top with a modern type bracket, not the usual truss bar plate. That is correct for that fork. The truss bars taper at the top to fit the fork braces. they will not interchange with other truss bars. The fork blades are narrower as they taper into the crown then other truss bar forks. I tried my best to modify one of my factory dimpled fenders to fit with no luck. I finally found what I needed from Sniderbike. This fork requires a fender designed specially for this fork. I was able to get a nos one so I know it was not bent to fit. I have never run into this again or heard mention of this untill now. I would like to hear any comments on this. thanks


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## hcdsign

The s/n looks to be D209355.  

I appreciate everybody scratching their heads on this bike.  Even though its not correct I am going to rustore this sweet heart as is with the train light.  The style of the light & the rack are the main reason I bought this bike, & well because it was crusty too!!  Once the fender is straight again, I will do a "best fit" to the fork & truss rods.  And for $250, it will be worth the time & enjoyment to get her rolling again!

Again, Thanks to all for your input!


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## hcdsign

Double posted.  sorry.


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## Ozark Flyer

Very few you find are 100% correct.  I'm looking forward to the after pics.


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## REC

check your "PM" box again please..
REC


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## hcdsign

CRAP!!!  I am a Dumb ass!!!!!!!!  After a little more cleaning the crust, its not a D, its a E, as in E209355

I am so sorry for putting bad info out there, I should have waited until the number was completely visible

Heres a pic, I hope you can decipher it as well


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## Spence36

Need a 47 plate ? I have one in the forsale section ? 


Cruising my Prewar Schwinn [emoji605]


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## REC

hcdsign said:


> CRAP!!!  I am a Dumb ass!!!!!!!!  After a little more cleaning the crust, its not a D, its a E, as in E209355
> 
> I am so sorry for putting bad info out there, I should have waited until the number was completely visible
> 
> Heres a pic, I hope you can decipher it as well
> 
> View attachment 197058




12/1/48 - Makes a little more sense to me now.

Thanks!
REC


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## GTs58

REC said:


> 12/1/48 - Makes a little more sense to me now.
> 
> Thanks!
> REC




That late 48 SN would make this a 1949 model. Howie, please post the crank casting date when you get it pulled out.


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## hcdsign

I don't see a date on the crank, all I see is AS&CO


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

Wouldn't be one on the crank


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## hcdsign

So if the fender is post war, and the fork has a prewar lock in it, I could find a crusty post war springer to put this fender in that fork and be correct.  Corrrect??


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

hcdsign said:


> So if the fender is post war, and the fork has a prewar lock in it, I could find a crusty post war springer to put this fender in that fork and be correct.  Corrrect??



Sure could... question. ..is there a little diamond shaped tab under the screw on the underside of that fender?..


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

hcdsign said:


> So if the fender is post war, and the fork has a prewar lock in it, I could find a crusty post war springer to put this fender in that fork and be correct.  Corrrect??



I've seen those locks on early postwar bikes too...... I mean obviously since you have a postwar fork with one in it..


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## hcdsign

Yes this fender does have the diamond where the mounting screw goes thru it, I would have to transfer the filler screw to the other location for proper mounting.  

Too bad it has all that tire wear, the pan from the light is in really good shape!


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi

hcdsign said:


> Yes this fender does have the diamond where the mounting screw goes thru it, I would have to transfer the filler screw to the other location for proper mounting.
> 
> Too bad it has all that tire wear, the pan from the light is in really good shape!
> 
> View attachment 197147



I see that on a lot of these fenders...no biggie....


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## hcdsign

After a quick scrub with some WD40, I found that there is still some paint left on this bike.  The initial scrub here was to remove the loose rust & dirt.  I plan to go over it again in finer detail once the weather warms up.  High temps of 3 degrees f doesn't make me want to spend a lot of time in a non-heated garage.


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## Ozark Flyer

There you go!  Looking very good.


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## hcdsign

The top of the frame looks nice after only minimal cleaning as well!

...and a pic of the kids head playing Atari...


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## Rivnut

Give those parts a 48 hour soak in an oxalic acid bath.  You'd be surprised what will come off and what will stay.  I did a chrome fork a couple of weeks ago.  Took off the surface rust (left the pits though) but it didn't even loosen the decals.

Ed


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## hcdsign

I had some time to scrub & straighten, & re-assemble.  The chrome came back better than I expected.  There also is a newly rebuilt & laced wheel set as well.  I am keeping the original seat, but have a rider on there for now.  I still have to go thru the light and horn to get them working properly to complete the deal.

Its still a lot rougher than I thought it would end up.  I may have to faux paint some red highlights in certain areas, and then hit the whole thing with some matte clear.

Thanks, Howie.


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## Ozark Flyer

I don't know how it's going to get better than what you have, Howie.  I am working the same issues on a C Model.   Despite the urge to touch up a bit of paint "here and there",  I cannot bring myself to disturb the original stuff.  I don't know what's happening to me.  I use to repaint everything.   I'm even starting to like ratty rusty rims.

Looks great.  Let it roll.


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## rollfaster

I think the bike looks great as is, but that's how I like an old bikes to look. Rob.


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## Madness7

I agree. Looks great to me,


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## hcdsign

Thanks for the input!!  Looking at the before & after pics, there is more color left there than I thought.  Now hopefully the horn and light wont be too much of a pain in the @$$


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## bikiba

Real nice cleanup! I'm jealous. 

rims look great. is that the same seat?

More of a question for everyone .. what do people think about touch ups on the white paint? Not a full restore, but filling in some of the blank spaces? I have seen this guys blog [ can't place the URL right now ] but he wld redo some old rust buckets and use a mixture of paint thinner and black paint and fill in some missing nicks and chips. It came out fantastic without doing a full restore and ruining it in my opinion.

**** EDIT ****
Here is the URL:
https://vintagebicycle.wordpress.co...oration-3-rene-herse-tandem-work-in-progress/


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## SJ_BIKER

Great rider you got there


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## SJ_BIKER

not sure but your crank looks bent.... if you need one i have a correct one for 20.00 shipped


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## Freqman1

Personally I wouldn't spray anything on it. If you want the paint to come out a little more consider the OA bath but otherwise I'd just ride it. V/r Shawn


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