When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1955 Schwinn Corvette

-

chopperMil

Look Ma, No Hands!
New to this site. Lots of great info much appreciated. Got my Medicare card last month so you know how old I am. I found this '55 Schwinn Corvette - U07467 - born on 11/02-04/1955. It's just a few weeks younger than I am. Always loved the Schwinn Stingrays and hung out at PeeDee's in North Kansas City when my Dad could take me. My parents couldn't afford a Stingray so one Christmas I got a Western Flyer Buzz Bike. It was cool, but it wasn't a Stingray! So now in my old age I can afford to have some fun.

Back to the Corvette. The pics are of the bike before any cleanup. I know the seat is wrong, as are the handgrips. What about that rear reflector. Is the teardrop the correct reflector? I suspect the pedals might be wrong as well, but the frame looks good as does the front rack. Any thoughts on how much further I should go on restoration? I paid $90.00 for the bike and intend to hang on to it.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions appreciated.
IMG_1024.JPG


IMG_1029.JPG


IMG_1025.JPG


IMG_1026.JPG


IMG_1027.JPG


IMG_1028.JPG


IMG_1030.JPG


IMG_1031.JPG


IMG_1032.JPG


IMG_1033.JPG


IMG_1034.JPG
 
Nice early Corvette. I don't see any screws holding the rubber blocks on the pedals, so they are probably from a later bike. Not a big deal though. I also wouldn't spend time and money searching for an original seat - they were not good looking or comfortable seats at all. The rear reflector looks like the correct one. It really appears to be a very nice mostly original bike that you got at a very good price. Clean it up as best you can, put some fresh grease on the bearings, maybe spring for some new tires & tubes and enjoy riding it!
 
Welcome to the Cabe @chopperMil . Looks like you got a good deal on your Corvette, and it's in great shape. I take it Pat did it again with his serial number look up on his site. The dates associated to the serial number is the stamping date, not a build date, frame or otherwise. I'm really curious what the date is on your rear hub since the front carrier looks like a 1956 and later issue Mayweg.
One thing I would change is the location of the cable pulley to get that shifter cable off the chain guard. Those pulleys were normally attached to the bottom of the seat tube just above the crank on the step thru bikes. Someone may have replaced the shifter cable at some point and purchased one that was too short so they rerouted the cable.
Here's the thread I started after I picked up my step thru 1955 Corvette. The reflector details are posted there. I'd really like to see a shot of your hub date. ;) Schwinn's normal model year change over started with November serial numbers but it's not unusual to see some with October serials.
 
Welcome to the Cabe @chopperMil . Looks like you got a good deal on your Corvette, and it's in great shape. I take it Pat did it again with his serial number look up on his site. The dates associated to the serial number is the stamping date, not a build date, frame or otherwise. I'm really curious what the date is on your rear hub since the front carrier looks like a 1956 and later issue Mayweg.
One thing I would change is the location of the cable pulley to get that shifter cable off the chain guard. Those pulleys were normally attached to the bottom of the seat tube just above the crank on the step thru bikes. Someone may have replaced the shifter cable at some point and purchased one that was too short so they rerouted the cable.
Here's the thread I started after I picked up my step thru 1955 Corvette. The reflector details are posted there. I'd really like to see a shot of your hub date. ;) Schwinn's normal model year change over started with November serial numbers but it's not unusual to see some with October serials.
 
Thanks to GTs58 for the info on the serial number. Goes to show this old dog can learn new tricks. Here's a shot of the rear hub.

IMG_1037.JPG
 
Here's a picture of how to route the shifter cable to get it off the chainguard
bl corvette 6.jpg


I have a question for the experts. On these early middleweight bikes is it correct for the rear fender braces to be inside the frame?
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the tip! I see the piece for the shifter cable on top of the chain guard has broken off. I can also see wear on the cable where the cable was probably routed. Love this site. Learning so much! Thank you to all!
 
Also, your grips are '59 or later, when they went to the "new" logo. I think that's when they started the teardrop reflector too.
 
Back
Top