# '53 Schwinn Hornet or Spitfire? Nice survivor!



## Tim the Skid (Oct 3, 2015)

A friend of mine inherited this bike from his wife's grandfather. It has been hanging in a dry garage for decades. The paint is in amazing condition. We spent yesterday detailing and tuning the bike. The original red paint is stunning. It looks like Grandpa installed longhorn handlebars and an extra long seat post. What I'm confused about is the Spitfire head badge and the Hornet chain guard. The serial # on the frame dates it to 1953, and the front axle has a '53 stamp on it. The rims are S-2 tubulars. Check out the condition of the paint.


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## OldSkipTooth (Oct 3, 2015)

WoW...


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## GTs58 (Oct 3, 2015)

That is totally amazing! Looks like it just rolled out of the Dealers door. Over the years I've seen quite a few different models with a Spitfire headbadge and most were from this time period. Not sure why this was, but it appears to me that it was a normal Schwinn practice during this time when chainguard name decals starting appearing on _all_ Schwinn's models.


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## Jeff54 (Oct 3, 2015)

Amazing condition! what happened gramps got that bike 1 day before he got a car? Geez.. And, the goose neck, I can't see enough but it looks like the later cheaper Wald stem that Schwinn began using on lower end bikes about 59 through 64-ish. maybe he or somebody swapped him out of original bar and stem and yet, also forgot to ride it.


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## rollfaster (Oct 3, 2015)

Wow, that bike is mega clean. I'm confused about the crescent fenders used on a skiptooth postwar schwinn. Most hornets of this year used deep fenders.


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## greenephantom (Oct 3, 2015)

Interesting bike.  Looks more like a '54, though there are some inconsistencies.  The guard and fenders are '54 style, but the skiptooth drivetrain isn't consistent with the catalogs.  Front fender drilled for a light, yes?  The Spitfire badges were used for a few years on budget bikes in the mid-1950s.  I can imagine that this proved confusing to consumers and was thus dropped.  But the Spitfire badge of this era basically denoted a budget straightbar frame that did not have a built-in kickstand. Stem looks right, bars would have been the stubby boy scout style.  Great bike.
Cheers, Geoff


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## Tim the Skid (Oct 3, 2015)

Geoff, The frame has a November '53 serial # so could very well have been '54 production. And you're right the front fender has two holes for a Delta light. Rob, good call on the fenders, they almost look like middleweight fenders, but the rims are S-2 tubular. The sweetheart skip tooth sprocket and New Departure hub seem unusual also.


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## dboi4u (Oct 4, 2015)

I have the same year spitfire but looks like grandpa put on a tank and switched chainguard and as I far as I know the hornet had deep fenders








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## Jeff54 (Oct 4, 2015)

looks to me, it's got everything the 54 hornet came as stock. excepting of course, the handle bars, fender light and the who knows why spitfire badge. .

In other words, 71 years later, in that awesome condition; as good as it gets! 
http://schwinncruisers.com/bikes/hornet/#1952-hornet




NOW, take that poor bike out, give it the love it's been deprived of and USE IT!! [grin]


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## GTs58 (Oct 4, 2015)

I'll agree that's a 54 model. In my research on the year change over, I've noted the earliest change over was on serial numbers from November 16th. I believe Schwinn built certain models in batches so the actual change over date varies from model to model. What is the date associated with your serial number?


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## Tim the Skid (Oct 5, 2015)

Gary, The serial # on the frame dates 11/20 - 11/25 1953


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## Rivnut (Oct 5, 2015)

Jeff54 said:


> looks to me, it's got everything the 54 hornet came as stock. excepting of course, the handle bars, fender light and the who knows why spitfire badge. .
> 
> In other words, 71 years later, in that awesome condition; as good as it gets!
> http://schwinncruisers.com/bikes/hornet/#1952-hornet
> ...




It's only 61 years old.


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## Ross (Oct 6, 2015)

. 


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## TheDXjedi (Oct 6, 2015)

Great bike


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## GTs58 (Oct 6, 2015)

Tim the Skid said:


> Gary, The serial # on the frame dates 11/20 - 11/25 1953




Thanks for the dates! There's now no doubt in my mind your Hornet is a 54 model. The condition just blows me away and a few years ago I would be screaming repaint.


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## thericebunnycake (Jun 4, 2016)

Ross said:


> .
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Hi Ross! Do you have a copy of DB97xe model. thanks


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