Pre '33 AS&CO Serial Number Project

[onecatahula]

Fantastic project, Josh.
Thank you for taking this on !
Here are two more for ya:

First,
Truss frame Schwinn, Serial 57387, purported to be 1917 (no crank to check)

 

[onecatahula]

Second,
Motorbike Schwinn, Serial 442733, purported to be 1927 (again, no crank to check). However, now referring to your hand-dandy chart, perhaps it’s a 1928 !

 

[OC_Rolling_Art]

I was working on this rig today, so I snapped a picture of the serial number for this thread.View attachment 1538812
View attachment 1538811
View attachment 1538810
View attachment 1538813
It’s hard to tell, but it looks like it reads, 630
The crank is dated, 1916, but that low turnover serial number suggests early 1917?

Way cool bike Marty, look at THAT serial number!

 

[markivpedalpusher]

1916 dated crank on this project

 

[cyclingday]

Thanks for posting your bike, Mark.
Our two bikes are a good example of the turnover period of 1916/17 when AS&Co. produced their one millionth bike.

At 961805, yours is just prior to the turnover.

At 630 mine is just after the turnover.
Both bikes are identical in construction technique, with one exception.

The drop stand/axel plate is interesting, in that it is just a scaled down version of what they were using on their motorcycles at the time.

Very unique drop stand.
If you’re missing this part, you’re in a world of hurt.

Here’s is where the pre one million 1916 type frames differ from the post one million 1917 frames.
The truss rods of the 1917 type frames were internally female threaded, and used bolts to secure them to the truss rod plate.

The trussrods on the 1916 type frames were external male threads and used jam nuts top and bottom the secure them to the truss rod plate.

Other than that, everything else about these two frames are identical.

Strangely, my frame had been painted Orange, before the Olive Drab color was applied.
It probably looked good when it was new, but after all these years, it sure makes for an ugly bike now.
It has been a real hurdle for me to wrap my head around, while working on this bike.

For some reason, only the frame got the Orange undercoat.

The rest of the bike looks to have been painted over bare metal.

 

[Stu Pitt]

This is my Edwards & Crist Cadillac. The catalog states it is Schwinn built and the frame and fork features seem to confirm it. It didn't have a crank when I bought it, so I roughly dated it 1933 using New Departure hub types; front SM (1933 last year manufactured) and rear model D small arm (1933 first year manufactured IIRC). The bike had been accessorized along the way and the rear wheel & hub might have been replaced. The serial numbers chart on page 4 and the serial number on my frame (390842) put it at 1927.

I built the wheels on it using the original hubs and added the chain guard, crank, and pedals. All else is as found and cleaned up.

 

[onecatahula]

1916 dated crank on this project
View attachment 1544725

Mark,
This looks like you, yes ? Model 207
(from the 1917 catalog)

 

[onecatahula]

On closer inspection, maybe not.
Catalog artist taking liberties ?

Catalog looks closer to Marty’s.
Frame size difference, perhaps ?

 

[dasberger]

Hey @onecatahula it's my pleasure to take this on! Really it takes a village and it's nice to finally see it come together. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge and projects. It's high time this period in Schwinn history gets a proper look. These are fantastic machines and still so solid after a century of use and abuse.

After an initial dive revealed so many motorbikes it's amazing to see all of these Truss and Double Arch bikes come out of the woodwork. I will update the list when I get a chance.

@Stu Pitt let's see that badge....

 

[New Mexico Brant]

On closer inspection, maybe not.
Catalog artist taking liberties ?
View attachment 1545182

View attachment 1545183

Was there a long head tube version and a short head tube version? Here are two Michigan City Excelsior motobikes with the exact same paint scheme; one has a long head tube, the other short, the battery tank with built in switch will fit both. Please note: These two Excelsiors are not Schwinn built but just being shown as an example of what was occurring at that time.