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Help identifying a Schwinn tandem
- Thread starter EXP Jawa
- Start date
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You may try Richard Schwinn at Waterford. IDK what archives he may have, but, it's worth a shot.
Late 40's
Looks like a late 40's tandem built for a mens racing team, or special order for some other club. A look through the 1946 catalog I have shows the tandem with the lady-back frame that was standard on all Town and Country models. Your's of course has the standard male frame geometry on both front and back. It looks to have the same braze on mounts for missing chain guards that a standard T&C tandem would have and exhibits the A&S&CO chain ring found on most tandems built before 1950. It also has holes in the rear deopouts normally used to mount fenders.
It's an odd duck for sure but doubtful that it was a Paramount as there doesn't appear to have any era correct Paramount parts. A search through my 1941 Parts catalog which includes the new world and paramount models didn't turn up any quote "tandem" parts so I'm not convinced it is any earlier than 1946 at best. The AS&CO chain ring does appear in that catalog as standard on ALL New World models for 1941 but again no mention of tandems.
Cool bike. hope you locate the parts to make it complete.
Looks like a late 40's tandem built for a mens racing team, or special order for some other club. A look through the 1946 catalog I have shows the tandem with the lady-back frame that was standard on all Town and Country models. Your's of course has the standard male frame geometry on both front and back. It looks to have the same braze on mounts for missing chain guards that a standard T&C tandem would have and exhibits the A&S&CO chain ring found on most tandems built before 1950. It also has holes in the rear deopouts normally used to mount fenders.
It's an odd duck for sure but doubtful that it was a Paramount as there doesn't appear to have any era correct Paramount parts. A search through my 1941 Parts catalog which includes the new world and paramount models didn't turn up any quote "tandem" parts so I'm not convinced it is any earlier than 1946 at best. The AS&CO chain ring does appear in that catalog as standard on ALL New World models for 1941 but again no mention of tandems.
Cool bike. hope you locate the parts to make it complete.
EXP Jawa
Look Ma, No Hands!
Well, I'm not saying it is a Paramount, per se. It isn't badged "Paramount", as later Paramount Tandems were, but rather just as "Tandem". I'd sooner say that it is, essentially, the forerunner to the Paramount Tandem line.
It seems to be constructed much the same as the later Paramount Tandems (fillet brazed, chromoly tubing), and the fork is a Paramount design; the same basic fork is shown the 1938 catalog as an available part, and is distict from the Superior or New World forks. The AS&CO chainring appears in '38 as standard on the Superior, and available for Paramount touring models. Also, from what I've found the X003 format serial number seems to fit in with serials of roughly that same time, but it does seem more likely that this serial is for a unique series, and not intended to fall into the mainstream production numbers. You're right, it does have mounts for chainguards (but may have never actually had them) and for front and rear fenders.
At this point, my best guess is similar to your suggestion - that it was a custom order, for a racing tandem built to Paramount/Superior specs rather than, say, Town & Country. It could be that because of orders like this that Schwinn eventually decided to add a tandem to the Paramount line. But doesn't lead me any closer to a build date.
It seems to be constructed much the same as the later Paramount Tandems (fillet brazed, chromoly tubing), and the fork is a Paramount design; the same basic fork is shown the 1938 catalog as an available part, and is distict from the Superior or New World forks. The AS&CO chainring appears in '38 as standard on the Superior, and available for Paramount touring models. Also, from what I've found the X003 format serial number seems to fit in with serials of roughly that same time, but it does seem more likely that this serial is for a unique series, and not intended to fall into the mainstream production numbers. You're right, it does have mounts for chainguards (but may have never actually had them) and for front and rear fenders.
At this point, my best guess is similar to your suggestion - that it was a custom order, for a racing tandem built to Paramount/Superior specs rather than, say, Town & Country. It could be that because of orders like this that Schwinn eventually decided to add a tandem to the Paramount line. But doesn't lead me any closer to a build date.
jgrome
On Training Wheels
Good idea as to what this is
I was doing some research on another schwinn tandem project and saw this post. In my research I discovered that schwinn had plans to build a bike they were going to call a lightweight tourist tandem. I have pictures of it from a trade magazine. It was to come in two versions men's men's and men's ladies. After a bunch of research I could find no evidence that it went into production. The prototype men's ladies had a curved seat tube like the t and c. Also had a deraillieur system like a cyclo twin wire.
Jeff Groman. Classic cycle www.classiccycleus.com
I was doing some research on another schwinn tandem project and saw this post. In my research I discovered that schwinn had plans to build a bike they were going to call a lightweight tourist tandem. I have pictures of it from a trade magazine. It was to come in two versions men's men's and men's ladies. After a bunch of research I could find no evidence that it went into production. The prototype men's ladies had a curved seat tube like the t and c. Also had a deraillieur system like a cyclo twin wire.
Jeff Groman. Classic cycle www.classiccycleus.com
jgrome
On Training Wheels
Paramount headbadge
The paramount tandems did not use the classic headbadge til later. We have what we believe is the first paramount track tandem built and it is around 1947-48. We have a team tandem from the 60's that uses the same. Schwinn tandem badge. Our team tandem from the mid 50's has no badge or drillings but has twin boob tubes connecting the bottom brackets. They are 1" diameter. Our early bike uses paramount singles gear hubs eats but the later one has the larger paramount tandem specific hubs with the heavy gauge spokes. They got better in the 12 years between 48 and 60. Pics are up at the museum section at www.classiccycleus.com.
Jeff
The paramount tandems did not use the classic headbadge til later. We have what we believe is the first paramount track tandem built and it is around 1947-48. We have a team tandem from the 60's that uses the same. Schwinn tandem badge. Our team tandem from the mid 50's has no badge or drillings but has twin boob tubes connecting the bottom brackets. They are 1" diameter. Our early bike uses paramount singles gear hubs eats but the later one has the larger paramount tandem specific hubs with the heavy gauge spokes. They got better in the 12 years between 48 and 60. Pics are up at the museum section at www.classiccycleus.com.
Jeff
