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1949 New World with Stainless S-6 Rims

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Oilit

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
Reading some of the threads on here got me interested in the Schwinn New Worlds, and then this one showed up on Ebay, so you can guess the rest. I paid full retail, and then I spent as much again taking Amtrak to go pick it up, so I'm already in the hole on this one, but luckily I've still got my day job. Going by the hub, this one dates to 1949 which looks right, but I was surprised to see the rims, which are Schwinn Stainless S-6's. I've seen pictures of stainless S-2's, but this is the first time I've heard of stainless rims for the lightweights (although when I went looking, @HARPO mentions that he's got stainless rims on his 1946 Continental).
The pre-war lightweights used Schwinn Superior rims, and there's a good picture halfway down page 4 in this thread:
But others in this thread have painted or rusty rims, which leaves me with questions:
Is the bead seat diameter of the Superior rims 597 mm? I've read somewhere that some Schwinn lightweights used 599 mm rims, but I don't know if this was the Superiors or some Schwinn bought in. Come to think of it, I don't really know if Schwinn made the Superiors or had them made by somebody else.
I'm guessing that the S-6 and S-2 rims were introduced at about the same time (late '40's) and stainless was an early experiment that was soon dropped, but there are people on here who have seen more of these than I have. Any observations to contribute?
I know that I'm obsessing over details and 99.99% of the world couldn't care less, but that's why I come to the CABE!

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SNW - 12.jpg
 
Looks pretty much original. That's a very short-lived, uncommon shifter unique to that period. At the very end of the New World run, for the last few years, they went from quadrant to the finger shifters. That solid, silverface shifter is right for 1948-49. It looks pretty much unmolested. It's hard to say what a very original bike like this is worth, because it's much more original than most that you find.

I'm not sure when they converted from 599 to 597, but for our purposes today, you use the same reproduction tires - 597mm. The 599 is usually close enough to get by with the 597. I use the Kenda reproductions for Schwinn S6/597mm. The 2mm has only mattered, in my experience, when you've got rims with extremely high sidewalls (I've seen a couple sets, but the Schwinns haven't been a problem for me). What will not work are the 590mm English pattern tires. But if those are marked S6 and date to 1949, I'd guess 597mm.
 
I saw that one on ebay as well. It's a nice one. You should try taking a magic eraser to the decal very lightly. I think you will get it to come back some. And I mean...very...very lightly. I did it to one of my NW decals and it really helped out a lot.

SS S-6 should be correct - https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1940s-schwinn-new-world-300.133626/
Don't think all pre-war NWs had script superior rims. @Miq '41 has S-6s - https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/41-schwinn-new-world-question.162015/#post-1095204. I have three '41 NWs and they all have superior rims though.

Bead references -

It's great to obsess over the details. Also great you jumped on board from following various posts on these on here.
I always liked that shifter. More uncommon than the quadrant on the NWs. You see those all the time. And as @SirMike1983 stated, you don't see them as clean as that. They pop up from time to time on feebay but are usually beat up pretty bad.
 
Also, what you paid for that bike I think was fair and maybe a little under what I would consider the value. One thing going for what you paid for it is the original condition. You don't have to source parts and spend a bunch of time getting it back to original parts condition, if that was the intent. I really like that your brake and shifter lines are original and in decent condition. For someone that sweats the details, tracking down a good set of these is hard and you pretty much have to buy another bike just for those parts. I would personally be concerned with putting too many miles on the saddle. Those don't hold up well. What I do is just have the original saddle to complete the look but then a riding saddle. To each their own.

For instance this one was out there for $100 and may have sold. Not many parts are correct on there. You would spend a ton of money to get that back to original parts condition. I would rather pay up more for a complete bike.

NWs seem to have an ebb and flow in supply. For the longest time I was seeing none of them. Late 2018 and early 2019 I didn't come across many, then all of a sudden on feebay there were tons of them. Finding ones with the pin striping, decals and seat tube decal still intact and in good condition are always the best option as they are more desirable.

Also, as far as NWs go, because they really didn't change much over the years I never really saw a difference in value if it were an earlier one or a later one. The main thing, like all bikes, is condition, how original and equipment (as @SirMike1983 says, NWs were platform bikes so you could build them however you want with the available parts of the time. So if they were decked out at the time then today they are worth more than ones that were built on a budget (obviously)). And I guess with the NWs if you find a large frame, 23", those are much, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more uncommon so I think valued quite a bit more.
 
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Thats a sweet one! Stainless rims really make it rock. Yours are S-6 @ 597 BSD. Doesn't matter what the other stuff is unless Schwinn did something weird with the early rims? Measure one when you get a chance.
 
NICE FIND @Oilit Be ever so gentle in your detailing to preserve what has lasted all these years. Many is the time I became overzealous to get it done and ruined something, like a decal...pin striping...paint on a badge, etc. But, boy, will that little puppy shine like new when you're done! :cool:
 
@Oilit Great to see another well preserved New World being revived by capable hands.

My 41 has S-6 rims with this stamp inside:
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When I was looking into it, the 1940 Parts Catalog mentioned these New World Chrome Wheels:
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I realize your bike is not prewar, but part number 4172 is similar to your configuration.

1948 Catalog @ bikehistory.org shows the regular shifter but is really close.
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I can't wait to see how the gold pin stripes look. Sweet bike!
 
Are the handlebars correct? I thought all NW bars bent straight back. Those look taller, don't bend forward, and flare out.
 
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