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1948 or 1950 Continental with Cycle Lock!

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IDK fo

IDK for sure Harpo, but what I do know is; these earlier bikes were painted with a metallic paint, just like yours. And from your photos it's either original or there's no paint under it. I think, unfortunately; for a lack of interest during that big collector's run for heavyweights in the past 30 year, not many have figured out what the metallic colors were or are in earlier lightweights . Regardless, you can see it in this photo; that paint is tight, aged as you should expect too, and it's just like the earlier metallic paint. There's no previous color left or it hasn't been repainted.

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Wow. You may be right! Cool if it is, but crazy that every single decal is gone, maybe intentionally by an owner. And I just found the color offerings on a Continental in 1948: Maroon, Royal Blue, Brewster Green or Black; Opalescent colors in Blue, Green and Red

The only issue I have, though, is that the entire chainguard was painted, not just the inner areas like on my 1946, and the paint is peeling off as you can see. Even the rear screw holding it in place is painted over. I don't know what to think...but I hope that you're right!
 
Yes it's really tough to say 'it's an actual Schwinn painted bike'. I mean, ya wouldn't expect to find paint on the key cover and a screw but, I'm not up to par with these, don't know just what to expect. Yet, that paint is so tight, it looks right. Otherwise it would have to have been acid dipped to get down to the metal that far. Albeit, disclaimer, in the 60's, that's what I did to Schwinns, Acid dipped, [grin] however I expect those I did it too, [stingrays] are all rotted to spit by now. B/C, once it got into the tubes, after all these years, even that I used red lead primer and Schwinn paint, forgetabout it. b/c you'd never get the acid completely cleaned out and neutralized, inside the tubes .
 
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Here's my blue '46 Continental. Totally different color blue.

And now that I've begun work on it, the paint is original...but something was done to repaint the chainguard to try and match the original color. This will now have me working removing some of that paint...

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The frame has been repainted. The key cylinders were never painted nor was the plug in the right side of the kickstand tube. ;)

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And almost forgot about the painted BB oil port.

Rats! You're right!! :(

I was looking closer last night and saw the paint around the lock and knew that wasn't correct. I forgot about the oiler cap and HAD seen it. To bad. Well, this has now turned into a larger project. Euphoria one day, dismay the next. But it does explain the complete absence off all decals.

Removing paint from the chain guard will be easier because it's all chrome. And from the chipping, it appears that a primer wasn't used. Maybe I'll find the original color beneath. It not, I'm pretty sure it will be on the fork tube when I remove it.
Also, I can't find any markings on the rims. I wanted to see if they're chrome, or stainless steel like my '46 has.

I'll be going back and forth between this bike and the 1958 Schwinn Hornet I bought along with this (photos in All Things Schwinn).
 
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GT is correct - the bike is re-painted. It looks like someone made a rough guess at matching the original paint and sprayed the bike down. Your other Continental displays the correct color blue.

But the bike was still a good buy, considering what you received. I'd be inclined to strip that over-spray blue and see what's left underneath. Worst case scenario, strip the bike and re-paint. You already have a good one with original paint, so maybe do a color of your choice for this one. The frame is certainly worth the work - it's old-style Schwinn straight gauge Cro-Mo. They're really nicely made bikes. Opal Green would look nice.
 
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