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1941 schwinn liberty super deluxe autocycle

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I was talking story with Bruce about this bike, and as near as he could tell, the serial numbers alphabet prefix is the letter G.View attachment 1147693
View attachment 1147694
The G serial number sequence, and the Chicago Cycle Supply, Liberty badge somewhat explains the early style spring fork and not having the fork bumper.
Bruce got the bike from Drew Rollins, who had Nostalgic Dave Stromberger do the restoration.
Drew got the bike from the original owners family.
It was still in as found condition, and a complete bike.
It was given as a graduation present in 1941.

Any questions about this bikes provenance can probably be best answered by @Dave Stromberger
Aloha Marty--mahalo mahalo mahalo for all your kokua for posting photos and info--any idea what it will take to make sense of the serial number????? a hui hou
 
Glad to be of some help, Bruce.
Unfortunately, deciphering prewar serial numbers isn’t an exact science.
At best, the alphabet prefix letter, G tell us, that your bike was issued either late 1940 or early 1941.
It is considered a 1941 model by the unmistakable features, that were only available for the 1941 model year.
What is puzzling though, is the earlier style first generation fork, and the omission of the fork bumper that most of these models came equipped with.
To my eye, these anomalies can be explained away, by the early serial number for that model, and the fact that the bike was originally sold through the Chicago Cycle Supply clearing house.
It’s well known, that CHICYCO bought and sold a high volume of Schwinn built bikes, that were considered surplus or special order models.
So, it isn’t that unusual to see odd or unusual features or paint schemes on CHICYCO sold bikes.
Possibly a way for the Schwinn factory to move some of the left over stock from the previous years production.
In the case of your bike, these anomalies only become a question, because the bike was refinished.
Anyone incurring the expense of a 100 point restoration would bend over backwards to make sure, that the telltale features of a 1941 Super Deluxe Autocycle, were present and accounted for.
Unless, that is exactly how the original bike was found.
Then the need to preserve the original specifications of that particular model become paramount.
Which as I understand it, is the case with the restoration of your bike.
Of course, some before and after pictures would be fantastic, so if those exist, now would be a good time to try and track those down.
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
A picture showing your bike in its original as found condition would certainly ease some of the concerns about its model year correct features.
 
aloha bikeway--sorry for the delay---God forbid Schwinn would put the serial number where it was easy to read--took photos while holding flashlight while lying on my back--which was a whole nother' nightmare --it looks to me as "G 68045"--have more photos if needed--please tell me there was some rhyme or reason as to why this is important--hoping you do not need a Captain Midnight Secret Code-A-Graph ring to decipher its meaning --would appreciate any kokua you could provide regarding this info--or from anyone else--mahalo and a hui hou
Marty answered the question of why I asked about the serial number. Thanks for providing it. V/r Shawn
 
First of all amazing bike with a top notch resto. I hope you find a great new home for it soon.

This discussion of the serial/provenance is rooted in silly hobby folklore that needs to die. I was once told the little bumper tube was a 41 only, deluxe autocycle feature. I took that as fact until I saw them on regular 41 B6s and DXs from 39-41, as well as some girls models. Not every springer and/or tank equipped canti or DX model produced got the bumper tube, some did and some didn't. This seems pretty obvious to me now from the mass of information we can all glean off of the interwebs.

IMO, that serial number would be smack dab in the middle of 41 production (I agree the small font 37-38 serials are a non-sequential mess but starting with the big font in 39 it gets pretty predictable). Given how little we actually know about ChiCyCo's procurement/production from Schwinn-made parts it seems like we all just kinda guess about the cool oddities we see from that jobber. But given what we do have (catalogs, etc) ChiCyCo did tend to occasionally run older parts (chainguards for example) on some models long after they disappeared from the Schwinn catalog. So like Marty says no big deal to see the earlier springer style, but I would agree with that statement even if it was Schwinn badged because I am not aware of any proof of when that change to the curve of the springer legs happened. I really doubt it was a hard stop/start from one style of fork to the other, there was likely overlap like we see with other changes in prewar Schwinn production. Seems like a gradual early to mid-year change to me based on observations - but that's a guess for now until evidence surfaces (blueprint drawing for instance).

What is well documented is that Schwinn made running changes to production that don't always coincide with a specific model year. The failure to understand or accept this concept is the cause of so much disagreement and the root of so much folklore.

Again, amazing bike. GLWTS
 
First of all amazing bike with a top notch resto. I hope you find a great new home for it soon.

This discussion of the serial/provenance is rooted in silly hobby folklore that needs to die. I was once told the little bumper tube was a 41 only, deluxe autocycle feature. I took that as fact until I saw them on regular 41 B6s and DXs from 39-41, as well as some girls models. Not every springer and/or tank equipped canti or DX model produced got the bumper tube, some did and some didn't. This seems pretty obvious to me now from the mass of information we can all glean off of the interwebs.

IMO, that serial number would be smack dab in the middle of 41 production (I agree the small font 37-38 serials are a non-sequential mess but starting with the big font in 39 it gets pretty predictable). Given how little we actually know about ChiCyCo's procurement/production from Schwinn-made parts it seems like we all just kinda guess about the cool oddities we see from that jobber. But given what we do have (catalogs, etc) ChiCyCo did tend to occasionally run older parts (chainguards for example) on some models long after they disappeared from the Schwinn catalog. So like Marty says no big deal to see the earlier springer style, but I would agree with that statement even if it was Schwinn badged because I am not aware of any proof of when that change to the curve of the springer legs happened. I really doubt it was a hard stop/start from one style of fork to the other, there was likely overlap like we see with other changes in prewar Schwinn production. Seems like a gradual early to mid-year change to me based on observations - but that's a guess for now until evidence surfaces (blueprint drawing for instance).

What is well documented is that Schwinn made running changes to production that don't always coincide with a specific model year. The failure to understand or accept this concept is the cause of so much disagreement and the root of so much folklore.

Again, amazing bike. GLWTS
Aloha GLWTS--First mahalo for your kokua--your advice on it being a middle of 41 production makes sense-since from what I can remember from talking to Drew, Drew told me from his discussions with the family of the original owner, that he got the bike as a graduation gift in the spring of 41, and that once he got it, rode it everywhere around his town, and that the family was rather affluent from owning several furniture stores--I really really do appreciate the kokua from you and others who are so akamai about these vintage bikes--except for this bike, all the bikes from my very modest collection are ridden almost daily--if I own it, I ride it, and I while I obviously know little to nothing about them, I enjoy learning about them, looking at them, but most of all, riding them in the Hawaiian sunshine along the ocean enjoying the scenic views--oh--was going to talk to Marty about this, but while we are here--Marty and you mentioned "BUMPER TUBES"--do not have a clue as to what you guys are talking about--but I do have this cool 41 BF GOODRICH STREAMLINER (original paint and original chrome)--with these two things sticking out--and this guy a long time ago told me that there were these rubber, eraser like (da kine) that attached to them, and their purpose was to protect the tank--so first, is this what you are talking about???, and second, any way to get replacement rubber stoppers??--hoping you catch good surf--a hui hou
 
Marty answered the question of why I asked about the serial number. Thanks for providing it. V/r Shawn
Aloha Shawn--happy to help--actually, other than getting the number , the akamai members, like Marty, did all the heavy lifting--truth be told, your question provided a valuable learning opportunity for me--glad so many were so gracious in sharing their knowledge--can really feel the Aloha in the room--its like Ohana at the CABE--a hui hou Bruce
 
Aloha, Bruce!
Yes, that little tube that is attached to the underside of the downtube on your 41 BFG Streamliner, is for the little rubber fork bumper stops.
If you have an Ace/Crown Hardware store in your area, check their Hillman fasteners supply, for rubber stops and bumpers.
They have a suitable replacement bumper that fits that bumper tube pretty well.
The original was a cylindrical shape with a cap type head on it, which unfortunately isn’t made any more.
The type that Ace/Crown sells, is more of the type meant to be pulled through a hole in a piece of sheet metal.
So not completely ideal, but once installed, they look the part, and serve the same purpose as the original intent.
I’ve shaped the part that presses into the tube with an Exacto knife just to improve the fit.
It would be beneficial for one of the grip/pedal block makers to reproduce these bumpers, but as far as I know, no one has.
 
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