GTs58
I'm the Wiz, and nobody beats me!
The frame geometry matches that BC model perfectly. Standard roadster, no tank no nada
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Help ID prewar schwinn
- Thread starter MrMonark13
- Start date
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MrMonark13
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Alright! Thanks for the help!
MrMonark13
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Would this bike have had a chain guard from the factory?
mr.cycleplane
Riding my Motorbike
it is a 'c' frame. not because of the downtube but by the arrangement of the top tube and the spacing/geometry it has with the second tube. it will fit the 'c' tank but is too small for the 'b' tank-which is larger. as for the down tube-the next year/second production year there were 'c' models with curved down tubes. same with the 'b' framed bikes-the first year they come out with a straight down tube-then by design the improved curved downtube. both varied a year or two-don't worry about it. hands down its a 'c' frame. the 'c' is also unusual in that it had left over double diamond rears-adding to the confusion-but they came out in 37. the 'bc' is a 'b' frame with a motorbike shaped tank with no door-just a buzzer on the left side and a specific paint scheme-the arrowhead pattern. i am seeing the same literature most see also-that shows the 'c' model in the second year being called the 'bc' but this duplicates models when the real 'bc' shows up! the 'model 'bc' has appeared basically in schwinn sales literature in error. a 'bc' is a 'bc'! it duplicates the model 'c' and 'bc' as the same! tanks for the 'c' model (three 'levels') are a version that holds a battery and has a switch to power external electrical equipment. the 'c' also had a lesser version with a buzzer in the tank. and finally the 'c' also had a very economy version of the tank-basically a hanging baloney tank that merely filled the void between the top two bars. the 'c' model was one of schwinn's lower end equipped models. as much work schwinn tried to 'dress the pig' these weren't great sellers. many 'c' models show up years later with lesser/economy paint schemes or fork arrangements and equipment. its not unusual to see diamond framed 'c' models pop up years later into the 1940’s. These frames are schwinn quality built!
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mr.cycleplane
Riding my Motorbike
here is the first year sales literature of the 'c' model
MrMonark13
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Awesome! Thank you! Sorry, but I kinda don’t understand your other post fully. Just clarifying. The first year for the c model bikes was 1937? I presumed it was a c because of the 2 top bars. Different from the motorbike us what I thought. My bike has a 36 serial, so how does that work? Maybe frame produced before so they could send out for 37? I don’t know. Thank you for all your help so far!
mr.cycleplane
Riding my Motorbike
first off-i don't trust the serial number lists-way too many anomalies-exceptions-etc! it is widely known lists are not accurate-but besides the point....every year on the prewar schwinn has come under scrutiny-either when the model came out exactly or the serials are in dispute. a side note-not so much the model but the parts that appear on bikes 'when'. at the end of the year-the new model comes out and has that year's serial with the 'following' years features-this is widely known. we see this in our own automotive industry every year. be flexible when dating a prewar schwinn. by the time we get most of these bikes 'even those found undisturbed in barn' bikes. bikes have changed hands-half-baked repairs-wrong parts all add to the mix to confuse the research/restorations. your bike is a 'c' model in my humble opinion-they ran them for several years in various dressings. build to suit you and your research.
MrMonark13
Wore out three sets of tires already!
Thank you! I didn’t know that about the year/parts being like cars. I really do respect your opinion and I agree with it. I plan to leave the bike pretty much as is, except for fixing that fork!
GTs58
I'm the Wiz, and nobody beats me!
It is what it is. 
A model C................................but you have to use the number after the letter C to distinguish the model and frame type? Will the real model C please stand up! This is the model C67 with 18" frame. The one above that mr.cycleplane posted is a C97 with a 18" frame. Second number in the model name is the frame size designation. So C9 and a C6 model? Confusing? So there is no such thing as just a model C................right?
A model C................................but you have to use the number after the letter C to distinguish the model and frame type? Will the real model C please stand up! This is the model C67 with 18" frame. The one above that mr.cycleplane posted is a C97 with a 18" frame. Second number in the model name is the frame size designation. So C9 and a C6 model? Confusing? So there is no such thing as just a model C................right?
mr.cycleplane
Riding my Motorbike
this is also true! 'c' being the common thing amongst all the 'c' models is the 'lesser' equipment-most obvious being the narrow fenders. seems we are splitting the atom again! this doesn't mean the narrow fender means its a 'c' model. example.....narrow and wide fender motorbikes-equipped. ba107=wide fender version, b107=narrow fender version. not an exact 'science'! also a narrow fender 'd' model-first year w/ diamond frame. start with frame and 'build' out (equip)from there!
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