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‘53 Deluxe Hornet

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Sandxssun53

'Lil Knee Scuffer
Hi guys,
I bought this baby a couple years ago in Tucson. It was already ‘restored’. For me, it is and will always be a daily driver, despite its looks. This was sold to me as a ‘54 Deluxe Hornet
Well, recently I started have problems with the forks so I ‘upgraded’ to Springer forks. They are now installed.
Here is my issue:
My original front fender no longer fits with the springer forks. So, I’ve been looking for a fender that does. The only ones I’ve found (for a reasonable cost), are ‘fat’ balloon fenders with the correct double notches for the springer. They are 3” wide at the notches. But my springer fork is 2 3/4”! Can I make the fork wider?
Or am I going about this wrong and just haven’t found the right fender?
Let’s say I get the front fender to fit, now it won’t match the rear fender- so will the rear fat fender fit?

Anybody have insight to this?
Thanks in advance for all your help.

Matt
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You are better off using a fender that fits. There are/were a few talented members here that have dimpled fenders to fit a springer, but I came up empty doing a search here for any such information. Making the original fenders fit between the fork legs and rods shouldn't be that difficult with some guidance and some simple tools.
 
Thanks, Gts58. After doing some further research and some measuring, my frame is definitely middleweight so balloon rims won’t work.

Can anyone out here give some tips on playing a middleweight fender for springer forks?


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Thanks, Gts58. After doing some further research and some measuring, my frame is definitely middleweight so balloon rims won’t work.

Can anyone out here give some tips on playing a middleweight fender for springer forks?


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Well 1st off, ya got the year wrong. serial might be of the sets used more than once B/C ain't no such thing as a 53 middleweight and cantilever hornet wasn't used til 57. 2nd is that springer is 1955's "New Style" which was the type Schwinn continued from then on. Ur lucky fo that B/C say, if it was wide like Phantom? The new repops from 1995 don't mount on that springer. What You're gonna need is, also, a special sized fender just slightly wider than a middle weight yet smaller than wide ballooner. You gotta hunt down any 1955 to about 57 (57 might be ballooner) hornet deluxe flat bar or canti front fender. IDK if Schwinn made another painted fender on them other than the Hornets but prob so, which just means ya might fit one from any springer or Deluxe 26" bike out too about 64. And if ya gots S-2's on it, they're wrong, that bike came out with S-7's. Only the flat bar deluxe hornets had wide balloon S-2 rims. Kind off a mix-match, or, the flat bar hornet deluxe that is, a 'Transitional', Middleweight type frame wit Ballooner wheels. Regardless No ballooner wheels for U. [wink]

Oh an 1 more thing. I didn't notice your springer all painted and stuff plus what you said; . U up-graded to a springer? Only Deluxe Hornets had springers. If it didn't have one when you got it, then,, It was not a Deluxe too. Heck now all painted and stuff, who knows when that springer was made and if newer used then, just get ya any ol'fender off the newer Schwinn springer bikes 1995, except Phantom, too now and paint it red.

Wait, your chain guard type wasn't made till 59 too. IDK but for all that shinny paint, that's prob a decal on it. If so, the chain guard could be a up too 1969 or so too.

But screw all that, this is prob what it should look like, 1959 and 60: https://bikehistory.org/bikes/deluxe-hornet/ and that'll fit ya plenty different, as said above, fenders. Plus IDK fer sure B/C I have 55 flat bar ballooner, S-2 rims, deluxe hornet an it's got indented fenders for springer, but, from Schwinn's illustration (below) I don't even see any indentations special for springer on the fender. Just a regular middleweight front fender. U sposta have middleweight Schwinn 1.75 tires, (S-7 1957-60) not balloon 2.125's. (S-2, 1954-56)

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Hi Jeff,
Thanks for all that great information!

Ok, a small correction. It was sold to me as ‘53 Deluxe Hornet. But a check of the serial # on the rear of the frame says it was made Aug ‘54.

I started to suspect a while back that this might be a mix and match. Thanks for the info about the chain guard! Yeah, who knows what this was originally...

By the way, does anyone know what pedals were used on schwinns in the 50’s?


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And yes, I’m pretty sure the rims are S-7. They’re painted too so it’s hard to tell. But they are s-7 size....


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In the '59 catalog, the Hornet has the standard fork and the Deluxe Hornet has the Springer fork. The part number for the fender for the standard fork is 5102, the part number for the Springer fork is 5103. For your middleweight frame w/ springer fork and S7 rims w/ 1-3/4" tires, you're going to need that unique 5103 front fender.
 
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for all that great information!

Ok, a small correction. It was sold to me as ‘53 Deluxe Hornet. But a check of the serial # on the rear of the frame says it was made Aug ‘54.

I started to suspect a while back that this might be a mix and match. Thanks for the info about the chain guard! Yeah, who knows what this was originally...

By the way, does anyone know what pedals were used on schwinns in the 50’s?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Some of the Aug 1954 serial numbers were also used in 1956. It's possible that was one of the first middleweights with a 54 serial number, and if that's the case, it is/was not a Hornet. If it is a 1956 frame, then it could be a standard Hornet. For 1956 there was a Deluxe Hornet which was a Ballooner and the standard 1956 Hornet was a Middleweight. What's the serial number?
 
Take a look at the catalogs. In 55 and 56 both the Hornet and Deluxe Hornet were made on the larger Schwinn "balloon double bar frame" with the straight lower cross bar, and S2 rims.

In 1957, the catalogs introduce the new "feature packed" middleweight cantilevered frame; both on the Hornet and the Hornet Deluxe.

Your bike has the cantilevered frame. To be a true hornet with a cantilevered frame, it has to be a 57 or later. Or you may have a Frankenschwinn on your hands. 59 and later chain guard and two tone seat. The rear rack on the Hornets was the painted steel 9 hole rack and remained that way through 61. After 61, the Hornet did not come with a rack. The chrome wire rack also appeared with the 59 Hornet Deluxe. From what I've read and seen, your bike appears to be a 59 or 60 Hornet Deluxe sans fenders (painted) with a Delta Rocket Ray headlamp.

Did you ever post a picture of the serial number? You might let someone else take a look at it.
 
Take a look at the catalogs. In 55 and 56 both the Hornet and Deluxe Hornet were made on the larger Schwinn "balloon double bar frame" with the straight lower cross bar, and S2 rims.

In 1957, the catalogs introduce the new "feature packed" middleweight cantilevered frame; both on the Hornet and the Hornet Deluxe.

Your bike has the cantilevered frame. To be a true hornet with a cantilevered frame, it has to be a 57 or later. Or you may have a Frankenschwinn on your hands. 59 and later chain guard and two tone seat. The rear rack on the Hornets was the painted steel 9 hole rack and remained that way through 61. After 61, the Hornet did not come with a rack. The chrome wire rack also appeared with the 59 Hornet Deluxe. From what I've read and seen, your bike appears to be a 59 or 60 Hornet Deluxe sans fenders (painted) with a Delta Rocket Ray headlamp.

Did you ever post a picture of the serial number? You might let someone else take a look at it.


Good point! I didn't scroll up so wasn't paying any attention to the picture of his bike. Guess the bike wasn't a Hornet if the SN is from August 54.
 
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