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1943 Schwinn Wartime New World - 23" large frame w/ lots of black out parts

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It’s interesting that there appears to be a distinct transitional Defense model between the prewar fully optioned New World and the fully rationed Victory/War model.
The Defense model only seems to have been built during the 1st quarter of 1942.
All of the prewar options were still available except for the items imported from England.
The most notable difference on the Defense model from the prewar model is the use of the Standard Schwinn headset, instead of the newer precision 1940 type.
I don’t see why this change would’ve been made unless the supply ran out.
The only blackout parts used during this period was the bottom bracket cup/hardware and the wire fender braces.
Otherwise it was full chrome as usual.
It seems like sometime in April or May, that the decisions were made to ration the materials, or enough time to run out the existing supply of prewar production materials, had been made, that the limitations and rationing began to occur.
1461880

Probably an early/pre blackout 1942 catalog entry.
 
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It’s interesting that there appears to be a distinct transitional defense model between the prewar fully optioned New World and the Spartan fully rationed Victory model.
The defense model only seems to have been built during the 1st quarter of 1942.
All of the prewar options were still available except for the items imported from England.
The most notable difference on the Defense model from the prewar model is the use of the Standard Schwinn headset, instead of the newer precision 1940 type.
I don’t see why this change would’ve been made unless the supply ran out.
The only blackout parts used during this period was the bottom bracket cup/hardware and the wire fender braces.
Otherwise it was full chrome as usual.
It seems like sometime in April or May, that the decisions were made to ration the materials, or enough time to run out the existing supply of prewar production materials, had been made, that the limitations and rationing began to occur.
View attachment 1461880
Probably an early/pre blackout 1942 catalog entry.
That is interesting! I can see how ball bearings could be restricted early. The 8th Air Force raids on Schweinfurt were to attempting to knock out German ball bearing plants, and the bomber crews paid a high price for those attempts.
 
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