Odd sports tourer on ebay

[Schwinn499]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/401356657914

The head badge really throws me off. There are a bunch of other random things that are odd as well. Seat tube decal. The fork is chrome. Sierra brown wasn't a option in 73. Any thoughts?

 

[GTs58]

Definitely. Check out the back of the seat tube decal.

Someone dun been messin wit da bike!

 

[Metacortex]

I think the seller means well but appears to have very limited knowledge of these bikes. Except for the much later wheels it appears to be a custom creation made from leftover parts in a bike shop around 1974. The frame is dated March '73 but many of the components are '74 or later. The Sierra Brown color wasn't offered on any Schwinn after '72 so it has to be a repainted frame. The decals and badge are a selection from other Schwinn models from around that time, the rear derailleur is a GT-400 from a '74 Le Tour, the brake levers are '74 issue but the stem is '73 and earlier, wheels are much newer replacements and it has an incorrect freewheel/spoke protector and a replacement chrome fork. Another clue that is a custom assembled creation is the TA crankset was assembled improperly, the "clocking" of the arms on the chainrings is incorrect, which would never have happened on an original bike: 1972ish Lambert Super Sports

My guess is that in 1974 some bike shop ended up with a Sports Tourer frame and decided to paint it and build it up with parts they had on hand. The only parts that don't appear to be period correct are the wheels so they may have been changed later from how it was originally built up. If it were $100 less I'd consider rebuilding it with all 1974 period correct Sports Tourer parts (wheels, freewheel, stem, derailleur, etc.) and list it as a "factory custom order for a Schwinn excecutive" for $1,500. LOL