Red Phantom aka "old crusty" will be my new rider

[2jakes]

Wow that is really sweet , cool idea !

I got the idea at the local Market Square where a guy set up a small table
and would carve name initials on brass rings in no time.

 

[56 Vette]

Very nice! There is just something about the red and green Phantoms I like, here's a 52 I had a while back, traded it for a campus green Mini Twinn for the kids. You will be rolling in style for sure! Joe

 

[OZ1972]

Very nice! There is just something about the red and green Phantoms I like, here's a 52 I had a while back, traded it for a campus green Mini Twinn for the kids. You will be rolling in style for sure! JoeView attachment 892210

Your right about the red and green ones , sweet red one in the picture !

 

[2jakes]

I believe the Red phantom came in two "types" of
reds.
My 1955 Red phantom is a shimmering color.
It is faded but I can tell it was not a solid red.
Same with the '54 Western Flyer Deluxe X-53.
The red is mettalic or opalescent red.
On the other hand, I have a '52 Green Phantom
and the hue is a solid green, although I've seen
other green phantoms in a shimmering green.
I believe that in the mid 1950s....shimmering
opalescent colors was very popular.
But this is all guess work.
I would like to hear from members who know more about early 50s and mid 50s Schwinn
color schemes. Thanks

 

[hawkster19]

I believe the Red phantom came in two "types" of
reds.
My 1955 Red phantom is a shimmering color.
It is faded but I can tell it was not a solid red.
Same with the '54 Western Flyer Deluxe X-53.
The red is mettalic or opalescent red.
On the other hand, I have a '52 Green Phantom
and the hue is a solid green, although I've seen
other green phantoms in a shimmering green.
I believe that in the mid 1950s....shimmering
opalescent colors was very popular.
But this is all guess work.
I would like to hear from members who know more about early 50s and mid 50s Schwinn
color schemes. Thanks

I do believe everything you said to be 100% correct except one small terminology usage used by Schwinn. I believe the red you're speaking of as metallic is termed "radiant red" by Schwinn. I think. My Red Phantom is that radiant or metallic red. Then Schwinn termed the other brighter, non-metallic red as opalescent. At least that's the way it was explained to me many years ago. They used that opalescent paint a lot on Speedster and Collegiates and it had no metal flake to it. Both of those colors were different than the red used on Typhoons and Jags, etc.

I had a Speedster I sold a few years ago that I wish I had an image of to explain what I'm talking about.

I'm attaching a couple of other colors Schwinn termed "opalescent".

 

[Freqman1]

The early red and green Phantoms were solid colors. In 1954 they introduced the "Opal or Opalescent" colors. I believe the middleweights saw the introduction of the "Radiant" colors. "Opalescent" may have been used later as well but it wasn't the same as used on the early bikes. Surely one of the Schwinn gurus will weigh in and set us straight! V/r Shawn

 

[2jakes]

I believe both of you explained it very well.
I've seen the word, “Opalescent” in Schwinn ads to describe a specific color scheme.
I just don't have the specific ad on hand right now.