Let’s see some late 70’s/early 80’s Cruisers and Spitfires

[Fifthcenturycheese]

If that is the black deluxe in the picture, I'm pretty sure it would be a 1980 date code. My cousin and a neighbor got one exactly like that for Christmas 1980. Happy Easter...

 

[Xlobsterman]

If that is the black deluxe in the picture, I'm pretty sure it would be a 1980 date code. My cousin and a neighbor got one exactly like that for Christmas 1980. Happy Easter...

80 & 81 were the only model years for the Deluxe Cruiser

 

[mrg]

Seems like most you see are early 80.

 

[hm.]

My early 80 with Dec. 79 MQ serial number and 0230 head badge code.

 

[mrg]

I have owned 5+ of them all Jan-Mar of 80, the one I'm selling is a AR frame with a Jan build date ( gum walls ) and the other ( WW ) was a BR with a Mar build date, I have one more that is a AR with a Feb build.

 

[Xlobsterman]

View attachment 1386614
My early 80 with Dec. 79 MQ serial number and 0230 head badge code.

Yep, the first run using up the leftover Spitfire frames!

Thats just how it is represented in the catalog.

 

[mrg]

I guess if you put it that way California Cruiser's where made from leftover HD or Typhoon frames.

 

[Xlobsterman]

I guess if you put it that way California Cruiser's where made from leftover HD or Typhoon frames.

Not really, the frames were all the same with them.

The 1980 Cruiser frames were different, and had a different part number in the dealer catalog.

 

[Oilit]

Not really, the frames were all the same with them.

The 1980 Cruiser frames were different, and had a different part number in the dealer catalog.


View attachment 1387280

Would that have been due to the different rear fender brackets? And it shows a frame number for the 24" Spitfire 5, I don't think I've seen one of those!

 

[SoBayRon]

Question for you Spitfire experts, please. Yesterday I was doing maintenance on the ’79 and noticed that the original pedals were made by Union, but one in the USA and one in Germany. Was this common? Did both Union factories make pedals for the Schwinn factory and the assembly folks at Schwinn had a parts bin that had both the US and German pedals mixed that were used for these bikes? Have you guys run into this before?