Schwinn Continental Clubman Project

[WillWork4Parts]

After flipping this bike over to find out that it had a CM Clubman Stamp next to its serial number, I figured it was worthy of documenting its cleanup and repair. I'll post pics along the way with any parts that may be questionable...since this will be my first early lightweight project, I imagine there will be a few of those, especially since I understand there's not much documentation on the Clubmans.

Picture with the Yellow tag on the seat I can only assume came from the auction it was in. I think the guy I got it from said the auction was in Indiana...front fender has since been removed. I've got a pair of stainless fenders I'm going to rob from my rough Clubman project. Yeah...in the middle of figuring out just how jumbled my other one was, this one came along and has taken precedence over the ugly one.

 

[WillWork4Parts]

The first thing you'll notice about this bike is its Opalescent paint. It's not Red and it's not the later more Purple "Opal" like the Stingrays, but I'm not sure I've seen a catalog list a "Magenta" color either. So, I'm going to stick with calling it Opalescent Violet for now. Here's a pic of it next to a 52 World Traveler's Opalescent Red.

And some better lighting thrown across the tubes...

 

[Vicious Cycle]

Great color, all my Continentals are Blue, The red pop's. Still haven't found a Clubman version.

 

[WillWork4Parts]

Great color, all my Continentals are Blue, The red pop's. Still haven't found a Clubman version.

I guess the pictures aren't doing the color justice...I'll have to find a better way to point out that it's not Red. Lol

 

[GTs58]

Have you ever seen the color that Schwinn called Opal Green Gold? Here's the paint options for 1950.

There were two different Opal Reds being used during 1953-54 and maybe 1955. One being a fine metallic and the other being a candy over the silver base.

 

[WillWork4Parts]

Have you ever seen the color that Schwinn called Opal Green Gold? Here's the paint options for 1950.

There were two different Opal Reds being used during 1953-54 and maybe 1955. One being a fine metallic and the other being a candy over the silver base.

View attachment 1569760

I have in fact had the liberty of putting eyes and laying hands on a Green Gold Girl's Superior. Say that 3 times fast. The same person I got this Clubman from had posted it for sale here, I think it was identified as a 1950. Believe me, that bike was S.H.A.R.P! It took me some time to find a scratch on it and I wish now I had taken a picture of the scratch and what it showed underneath...before it shipped off to California. The best I could tell, it was a Coach Green base coat with transparent yellow(possibly coppertone?) overcoat. Beautiful original paint!

I'll say it again though...this bike is Not Red. The white painted over Opal Red frame I have next to it's headtube is the candy over silver...as you might be able to tell from this pic. Sorry, poor lights in the project room.

Here's one of the ugliest parts of the Clubman....where the cables wore through the paint and shows it's silver base coat.

Do those frames I have side by side really not look like 2 different colors?? I mean, I know I'm due an eye exam....but on my screen they still look different tones/shades.

The verdict is still out for the year of this bike since the serial doesn't show up in the S/N chart. It's a 49 or 50 though I believe....it has what seems to be a 49 Brampton rear hub...and we know hubs can be off by months from the date the frame was stamped......

Since this bike was hand brazed throughout, how far of a leap is it to think it was done in the same shop as the Paramounts? And possibly painted in the same place? I think that's my next search.....Paramount colors.

This Clubman business is Murky Waters I tell ya!

 

[GTs58]

I haven't come across any other Opal color name that would describe this color. The Violet color on the 1955 and later pieces is nothing like this. I'm thinking this might be a one or maybe two year only Opal Red. It's definitely not a Red Red but it does look Red in certain lighting. Another thing that strikes me as odd is they shot that over a silver base where all the other metallic Opal Red bikes didn't have the silver base. Maybe we should name this Flamingo Red?
FYI, that Lemon Lime Superior Girls was a very nice repaint that was shot over the Coach Green.

 

[WillWork4Parts]

NOT Red and I'm sticking to it!

Here's the kicker too...the fork is lacking silver base coat, but the fork dart is silver on top of the same transparent violet.

 

[Jim sciano]

Perhaps this is a green gold?

 

[WillWork4Parts]

Front end is greased, polished, and reassembled. Upper crown race is octagonal like the Phantom, but loose ball, and the frame cups are slightly slimmer diameter than a regular Schwinn. Headtube is smooth bore except oblong hole for locking fork pin.

Has this sweet little Veeder accessory odometer!

Started in on cleaning the front wheel and realized the grease is the shellacked on type that a stiff bristle brush won't touch. Decided to de-spoke for a thorough cleaning.

Note: the Dural(alloy) hub is 1/2" dia in the middle where the standard steel script hub is 5/8".

Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture, that will come after the cleanup, but the hoops are stamped Schwinn Stainless S6 and are 26".