HARPO
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
I picked this one up this morning out on Long Island. Here I am trying to sell a few bikes to make room, and this turns up. Aye Carumba!!! But love the story that went with it.
The niece of the original owner (gentleman who is 98 years old!) was selling it for him. She told me that he had purchased the bike brand new in 1948 for his wife, and had kept it all these years. She had passed away, but he refused to sell it...until now. Unfortunately,though, the last year was spent in the niece's shed. Not in the house where it had been kept since new, so the rust got a bit worse she told me.
With the exception of the grips and tires, the bike is all original. Even the lens cap is still there, but I haven't looked inside the light yet! I was afraid to take off the seat cover, fearing the leather was toast. But I was amazed at the condition of it.
This will quite a bit of work, but I'm up to the challenge. The serial number under the bottom bracket is E202801, indeed making it a 1948 year. But according to the 1948 Schwinn Catalog, it should have a Skip tooth crank and it doesn't show rear carrier on the photo. It does state, though, that the chrome rims were an extra charge.
So, if anyone out there knows differently, please let me know.
And as I always tell you guys my purchase prices...$60...not bad for a 76 mile round-trip drive early this morning. Check out the photos as I unloaded it from my SUV.
The niece of the original owner (gentleman who is 98 years old!) was selling it for him. She told me that he had purchased the bike brand new in 1948 for his wife, and had kept it all these years. She had passed away, but he refused to sell it...until now. Unfortunately,though, the last year was spent in the niece's shed. Not in the house where it had been kept since new, so the rust got a bit worse she told me.
With the exception of the grips and tires, the bike is all original. Even the lens cap is still there, but I haven't looked inside the light yet! I was afraid to take off the seat cover, fearing the leather was toast. But I was amazed at the condition of it.
This will quite a bit of work, but I'm up to the challenge. The serial number under the bottom bracket is E202801, indeed making it a 1948 year. But according to the 1948 Schwinn Catalog, it should have a Skip tooth crank and it doesn't show rear carrier on the photo. It does state, though, that the chrome rims were an extra charge.
So, if anyone out there knows differently, please let me know.
And as I always tell you guys my purchase prices...$60...not bad for a 76 mile round-trip drive early this morning. Check out the photos as I unloaded it from my SUV.
