# Is this prewar original?



## Hawthorne_Man (Feb 2, 2012)

I posted a thread in the general discussion a few days back trying to identify this bike.  I got it from my parents farm so its pretty crusty.  I was told that I had a prewar schwinn and now I'm trying to figure out what all its missing.  The serial number is C41560.  I don't seem to see a lot of prewar's with the frame shaped like this (with the top two bars staying parrallel with each other).  Can someone post pics of their prewars or help me figure out what I need to do to get this back to original form.  All help is really appreciated.


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## GenuineRides (Feb 2, 2012)

After quick glance this would be considered a prewar "Roadster" BA67, a basic model without rack or tank, lights etc. likely a '38 or '39.  It looks like it has tabs on the rear dropouts for a stand which might make it a BC67, considered the same Roadster with a little bit different paint scheme on the darts.

It appears like someone swapped out the front fork though to a non-Schwinn brand.  It should have a truss rod style.  It could be optioned with a cyclelock fork, spring fork, double duty fork, even forebrake.

Genuinerides


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## Aeropsycho (Feb 2, 2012)

*???? Schwinn*

It looks like a CWC Frame with deluxe prewar schwinn fenders to me... a better photo would help


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## markivpedalpusher (Feb 2, 2012)

Looks like a "double curved bar roadster" model BA67 circa 1938 mostly complete. It probably would have had a long spring Messinger seat and possibly cross braces handlebars. The rear fender has a lower fender brace vs. a "high" fender brace seen in 1938/39. With that said this bike could have been put together with a mix of parts from 38-40 i.e. rear fender with a lower brace, short spring saddle and wide handlebars legit from the factory. 

Regardless looks original to itself and mostly complete. Grease it up and ride


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## GenuineRides (Feb 2, 2012)

Aeropsycho could be right, closeups of the head tube, bottom bracket, seat tube binder area and rear dropouts might reveal this to be a CWC frame and fork with Schwinn fenders, crank, etc.  But with that serial number on the bottom bracket pegs it as a Schwinn from '38 to early '39 as Mark indicated.


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## Hawthorne_Man (Feb 2, 2012)

I've disassmbled the bike to start cleaning it up.  When I get home tonight, I'll post some more detailed pictures of it.  

I also noticed that above the chain guard, the back fender has an indention that makes it look like a larger chain guard was originally in place, or were all the fenders like that?  I appreciate all the information.


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## markivpedalpusher (Feb 2, 2012)

Aeropsycho said:


> It looks like a CWC Frame with deluxe prewar schwinn fenders to me... a better photo would help




Maybe this was 37 fleetwood's gandfathers bike. You know that brand X canti frame he is using to mock up his build LOL JK


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## 1959firearrow (Feb 2, 2012)

That serial number is the same way a CWC should be 1 letter 5 numbers where was the serial number and was there anything else to the right of it? If you're going to redo it hit the crank housing with a wire wheel and see what shows up.


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## RMS37 (Feb 2, 2012)

I'm inclined to throw in with Aeropsycho and go for CWC, 1938. better photos will tell but look at the internally lugged connection of the top tube to the head tube and tell me this is a Schwinn frame.


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## Hawthorne_Man (Feb 2, 2012)

1959firearrow said:


> That serial number is the same way a CWC should be 1 letter 5 numbers where was the serial number and was there anything else to the right of it? If you're going to redo it hit the crank housing with a wire wheel and see what shows up.




Number was on the bottom of the crank housing.  I didn't see anything else to the right of it.  I've read on here that the crank might have a ID number on it also?


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## dxmadman (Feb 2, 2012)

The bike looks like cwc,The fork doesnt look schwinn,You got indents on the front fender for a truss fork, Your fenders look schwinn, chainguard looks postwar. I own a few 3o's hawthornes, I mocked one up with schwinn fenders,they do fit. Your back fender with that chaingurd indent looks a looks a little high. Just my 2 cents.


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## markivpedalpusher (Feb 2, 2012)

Chain guard is prewar schwinn fo sho


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## Hawthorne_Man (Feb 2, 2012)

dxmadman said:


> The bike looks like cwc,The fork doesnt look schwinn,You got indents on the front fender for a truss fork, Your fenders look schwinn, chainguard looks postwar. I own a few 3o's hawthornes, I mocked one up with schwinn fenders,they do fit. Your back fender with that chaingurd indent looks a looks a little high. Just my 2 cents.




I'm fairly confident that the chainguard did not belong on this bike.  The back tail of the chainguard was bent upwards to make it fit.  Does the fork look like a CWC?


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## dxmadman (Feb 2, 2012)

Hawthorne_Man said:


> I'm fairly confident that the chainguard did not belong on this bike.  The back tail of the chainguard was bent upwards to make it fit.  Does the fork look like a CWC?




With out better frame pics it's hard to be accurate,the fork sticks out like a sore thumb,schwinns are known for a solid, Ashtabula style fork, Ive never seen a stacked fork on a schwinn,another notice is the seat clamp that does not resemble a schwinn. But I have seen schwinns in that style of frame, that frame style was popular with other makers as well.


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## Hawthorne_Man (Feb 2, 2012)

Got more pics, took a lot of different pictures.  Let me know if there is any other pictures that could better identify the bike.  The reflector says Schwinn so at least I know that's Schwinn.


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## Hawthorne_Man (Feb 2, 2012)

The crank has two markings.  One side says 6774B and the other side says E3, at least I think its an "E".


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## BlueTarp (Feb 2, 2012)

The frame is a Cleveland Welding frame and the serial number dates it to 1938. The fork is probably original to the bike. CWC used a number of different forks including a plate/crown design like this one. The CWC version is very similar to a Snyder plate/crown fork but from the examples I have examined, the bearing race sits on top of a riser on the CWC version whereas the race sits flat on the top plate of a Snyder fork. The crank is similar to some CWC units and may be original to the frame. Obviously much of the rest of the parts are from a Schwinn.


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## dxmadman (Feb 2, 2012)

If you notice the seat clamp is welded on top, that's a cwc trademark for sure.Another thing is the drop stand ears,what I understand or heard is schwinn stopped using em in 36 or 37. But are common on cwc till 42. Also there is endless differences in a schwinn compared to your cwc. And to add this is a very cool vintage frame, it is something to be proud of. I even prefer a double curved bar to a strait bar on any occasion.


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## Hawthorne_Man (Feb 3, 2012)

Thanks for the information, now I know how to go forward with it.


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## 1959firearrow (Feb 3, 2012)

Hey if you want to sell the crank setup(crank,bearings,hardware, and sprocket) let me know


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## Hawthorne_Man (Feb 4, 2012)

1959firearrow said:


> Hey if you want to sell the crank setup(crank,bearings,hardware, and sprocket) let me know




Don't think I'm going to part it out yet.  If I decide to, I'll let you know.


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