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.

Gramp’s 1941 New World - Trying to get it running as a rat rod bike

-
I know the Monogram S seat that Gramp's put on the bike is likely from the 60's. I'm not super interested in getting an expensive prewar saddle so I'm gonna rock it for now.

I've been checking out the handlebar/grips/stem to see if I could identify them in the 1940 Parts Catalog. All the advertising says this bike should have a "Boy Scout" handlebar.
IMG_0128.jpg

I found that in the catalog part number 795:
1940 CATALOG PG 42 HANDLEBARS Edit.jpg


IMG_0126 Edit.jpg


The stem has the Wald stamp on it I think:
IMG_0130.jpg


It's hard to see in the pic above but below the W is the number 3 sideways. This corresponds to info on the 1940 catalog page with the stems. Wald #3 is "photo" #403
1940 CATALOG PG 43 Handle Bar Stems.jpg


Part Number 860:
1940 CATALOG PG 44 STEMS GRIPS POSTS Edit.jpg


I originally thought the grips were not original. After looking at some other pics of vintage New Worlds and finding the "Black Finger Grip" Photo #422 part number 822 in the catalog. I'm pretty sure they are original. Wish they didn't feel like stone.
1940 CATALOG PG 44 STEMS GRIPS POSTS Edit2.jpg
1940 CATALOG PG 45 GRIPS Edit.jpg

422 - Flat end with three finger ridges.
 
I'm no expert on these models, but your stem, bars and grips seem to be the most prevalent type that I've seen on these prewar lightweights. The boy scout bars seems to be the least popular judging from what's still around today. Schwinn always stated you could equip these lightweights just about any way you wanted, at extra cost. Here's a nice original girls 41 if you haven't come across this thread yet. Probably the only one I can remember seeing with the boy scout bars.
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/‘41-schwinn-bfg-new-world.132408/
 
@GTs58 thanks for pointing me to that thread! I can't believe how well preserved that bike is. Even the saddle is like new. I hope someone is giving that bike the love it deserved. It looks like it has been ignored for the past 78 years. :)

So if the girls bike in the thread above has the "boy scout" style bars, what is the name of the more common bar style used on my Gramp's bike? Is it just "World" handlebars?

The boy scout bars look like they make a 90 degree bend when they drop.
1941 Girls New World w boy scout bars.jpg


The more common World bars have an organic curve that looks different from every angle and changes as the bars are adjusted.
IMG_0126 Edit.jpg


The grips are interesting. I see them both ways in the 1941 advertising.
Here's the ball end grips on the boy scout bar:
1941_01 edited.jpg


But here's Rita Hayworth with her New World with the curved World bars and black finger grips:
1941_cc_013 Rita Edit.jpg


This page shows the "World" bars called out. Grips are the ball end ones though...
1941 Schwinn New World Catalog Page.jpg
 
The bars on Gramp's bike look the same as the bars I have on my 1955 Corvette, at least the bends and rise do. I've seen some lit where Schwinn called them "latest Continental type, reversible for drop bar position", but I've been calling them Tourist.

1955 Girls Corvette Opal Green 015.JPG


1955 Girls Corvette Opal Green 019.JPG
 
@GTs58 @rollfaster Thanks guys! I like the idea of calling them World Tourist handlebars, makes sense.

@Autocycleplane Thanks for the correction. It's not totally clear since the 7167 part number is not associates with any "photo" in the catalog. Schwinn Oval is a fitting term. Nice.
 
Back
Top