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Can I put firmstrong parts on a Cruiser 5?

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If your Cruiser 5 is from 1985, it may have been built in Tennessee. Schwinn had a two year contract with Murray to build the electro-forged bikes in Lawrenceburg after they closed down Chicago, after that they went overseas to Giant in Taiwan, sometime around 1985. You may want to double check which one you have.

i believe it was Tennessee, to my knowledge this means, the frame has the old style welds made with the original machines, but the other components were contracted out to murray. The new style taiwan frames did not use the original equipment and the welds look different. The one i have have the brazed looking weld although according to what ive read they were electro forged and ground down to have the smooth brazed look.

PS thanks everybody for the answers
 
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i believe it was Tennessee, to my knowledge this means, the frame has the old style welds made with the original machines, but the other components were contracted out to murray. The new style taiwan frames did not use the original equipment and the welds look different. The one i have have the brazed looking weld although according to what ive read they were electro forged and ground down to have the smooth brazed look.

PS thanks everybody for the answers
That matches what I've heard, so it sounds like you've got one of the last cruisers built in the U.S.A. I don't guess you've got any pictures? And the first two letters of the serial number and the 4 digit headbadge number would be interesting to know. I've never seen anything on exactly when they ended production in Lawrenceberg, so the actual bikes are probably the best evidence..
 
That matches what I've heard, so it sounds like you've got one of the last cruisers built in the U.S.A. I don't guess you've got any pictures? And the first two letters of the serial number and the 4 digit headbadge number would be interesting to know. I've never seen anything on exactly when they ended production in Lawrenceberg, so the actual bikes are probably the best evidence..
BV50909

ya, I looked up all that info when I bought it
 
[QUOTE="I don't guess you've got any pictures? [/QUOTE]
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20170717_111818.jpg

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0834 on the headbadge the other is on the headtube
For what it's worth, I'd call it 1984 ("R" was 1980, S,T,U,V = '81, '82, '83, '84, so BV = Feb. 1984, and 0834 is the 83rd day of 1984). But either way, it looks like it's survived in pretty nice condition!
 
My understanding is the serial numbers were stamped before the frames were welded up, the headbadge stamp dates the final assembly.
 
@Jay81 has a point. It's your bike, and it's not worth a truckload of money, but in 5 or 10 years, who knows? I don't know how many of these bikes are out there, but they only made them two years, so...
 
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