My Wife Loretta, wants to share her bike too

[billygoat!]

Owned from about 1977. The first show we took it to, was the Indian Summer Bike Meet at Macungie Park,
founded by the very kind & wonderful Art & Kay Bransky. It was the best day of our lives, before or since.
Met so many nice people, including parts dealer (the late) Don Dotson and his beloved wife. I rode my Mark-II Jaguar alongside Loretta's Panther, many miles on the paved park trail & roadway. Until that time, we never knew that there were vintage bike shows. Saw a green Phantom for the first time and fell in love with the look. 33 years
later, I now have one. It was built Oct 27/28, 1954. Discovered a few hours ago, that the Panther was made four
days later!!! AMAZING. They were likely in the Schwinn warehouse together!!! All photos taken today. Thank
you, CABE, for allowing us the opportunity to share our passion, with so many friendly members. Never hear of
CABE until yesterday. Note photo of my Dad's Schwinn store below. About 1967/68 (Brooklyn)

 

[blincoe]

super clean!

 

[spitshineschwinn]

Super nice Panther, and your new Phantom is awesome! Where in Brooklyn was your Dad's bike shop? Looks like Bensonhurst!

 

[billygoat!]

She couldn't wait for someone to admire it! So thank you! -'Lil Knee Scuffer Billygoat! (Just love these names

 

[billygoat!]

Super nice Panther, and your new Phantom is awesome! Where in Brooklyn was your Dad's bike shop? Looks like Bensonhurst!

Lorettalamb thanks you for the compliment. Dad's shop was in East Flatbush @ 417 Remsen Avenue (off Kings Hwy/Linden Blvd.) He bought the
business from Jack Gutman in 1959.

 

[Tikibar]

That has to be the greatest bicycle stand ever built! Does it light up?

 

[billygoat!]

Built two of them about 30 years ago, with intensions of lighting them. Heat was the issue, at that time. Now we have LED's so
may light them someday soon. Thank you for the compliment. It was 100% my own design.

 

[bobcycles]

She couldn't wait for someone to admire it! So thank you! -'Lil Knee Scuffer Billygoat! (Just love these names

WOW 2 Metallic paint dream bikes! Condition is incredible... The metallic paints faded faster than the older
solid enamels it seems! I've always loved the 1954 Schwinn line....last hurrah for the Panther model and
last of the deluxe accessories for the Phantom....and 1st year for the metallic range on those two models.

A month or so back I finished this restoration of a 1954 Blue Panther. All original parts and NOS WW Typhoon tires
even + the locking fork option. A super fun build and the coolest Panther I have ever restored out of quite a few
over the years. Currently in a private So Cal collection and one of those too nice to ride bikes in my opinion.
Although restored bikes have fallen out of favor among many collectors recently, the biggest enjoyment for me
in all this is essentially 'recycling' junk parts and bikes in to factory like new show room examples that hopefully
if the human race is around in 200 years....people will look back on the stuff we collect as true national treasures or artifacts.
This particular bike started out as a pile of years of sourcing parts, that were rough as found, but nice enough to bead blast
paint, plate and build.

Love the 2 bikes you posted and what better place could there be for them to reside? Congratulations!
I'll dig up the NOS Emerald green tank 1/2 and shoot you a pic.... was a 'keeper' but happy to give it a
new journey with an opportunity like your bicycle as a future home.

some pix of a 54 blue loaded

 

[billygoat!]

Hi Bob, You are one very unique and incredible person. The work you perform is beyond astounding. Simply cannot get over it. Thank you so much for sharing, and caring. When my Dad was selling a Schwinn, he would explain why it would last a lifetime. Now, we all know how wrong he was. Many lifetimes is more like it. Your interest in these bikes, is preserving the Schwinn legacy for centuries to come. I just hope that our country, and the world,
will be civilized enough to appreciate what you've preserved. What you do, is like a wonderful dream. Will someone "pinch me please".

Oh yes, thank you for your kind words about our bikes!

Regards, 'lil knee scuffer billygoat (formerly on training wheels)

 

[Hammerhead]

Very nice! Ohh what a pair. Must look great riding together. Enjoy them fully.
Hammerhead