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Schwinn info!

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The fender you need is on Ebay right now... That's my tip... Just the tip

Hey! Are you talkin about the one that's like a reddish brown color ? Cause that's the only one I can find. I think I'm Gona need to find a black original painted fender if possible to keep all original. I'm not Gona be painting it.
 
If you read what was printed in the 48 catalog you might save yourself some money, unless you really want to rebuild your bike as a B 607 “Equipped” and then with your choice of optional factory or dealer installed accessories. As it sits now it’s a 507 with some incorrect parts but it has the optional springer.

The B 507 Unequipped, is a B 607 without the tank & horn, rear carrier and fenderlite.
The B 607 “Equipped” came with the tank & horn, rear carrier and fenderlite.
The B 607 “Equipped” along with other models could be ordered with the optional additional accessories such as the springer fork, cycle lock, front or front and rear expander brakes.
Both models came standard with the truss rods.
 
If you read what was printed in the 48 catalog you might save yourself some money, unless you really want to rebuild your bike as a B 607 “Equipped” and then with your choice of optional factory or dealer installed accessories. As it sits now it’s a 507 with some incorrect parts but it has the optional springer.

The B 507 Unequipped, is a B 607 without the tank & horn, rear carrier and fenderlite.
The B 607 “Equipped” came with the tank & horn, rear carrier and fenderlite.
The B 607 “Equipped” along with other models could be ordered with the optional additional accessories such as the springer fork, cycle lock, front or front and rear expander brakes.
Both models came standard with the truss rods.

My thoughts exactly! I took the entire bike apart tonight down to every nut and bolt and have them all soaking to get rust off.
I'm Gona sell all the parts off the bike that are not original to help fund a little towards all original parts.
The rear rack had a manufacture sticker on it. Says schwinn spitfire. Arnold schwinn co. Pretty cool rat trap rack. I'm not exactly sure what the front fender went to but I believe it was an autocycle of some sort. Well I guess I'll have too see how it goes
 
i recently sold a rear rack like that,sometimes referred to as a briefcase rack,for 75 bucks.cleaned up,you should be able to get around the same.
 
Nice! Then I will clean it up and hope for the best! :)

So there's a few things I have been researching that I'm close to knowing the answer too but still not 100% sure.
- catalogs says one hub they did use was bendix! Well my rear hub is bendix but a Mexico 86 bendix. So does anyone know if this is correct cause I will sell if not?
- my saddle is a troxel is this correct? I see that most are mesinger/deluxe. I will also sell if not correct.
- a lot of photos I look at don't have the exact type rear reflector I have. What is this one I have called deluxe? Just wondering.

Other than those few questions I'm pretty sure I can start getting this slowly built back up with correct rims,hubs ect. Thanks for any info you guys may have.
 
I'm surprised Geoff (greenphantom) hasn't chimed in yet. He wrote the book, literally, on post war heavyweight Schwinns. As you state the catalog does indicate either New Departure or Bendix but the majority of the early post war bikes I've ever seen have the ND. I believe the early Bendix brake arm is different than later ones and could be a little difficult. The Bendix will stop better than the ND though. I can tell you the Mexico hub (or at least the arm) is incorrect. The seat should be a Mesinger and I think '48 still had the sliding rail seat. I didn't look at your reflector but it is probably a standard Stimsonite reflector. V/r Shawn
 
Chime!

Got to be a busy week. Glad someone finally picked up that bike off the CL so I wouldn't have to be tempted with it. If the rear hub is a Bendix 86, then the wheels were switched out at some point, as that hub is from 1986 or later. Correct Bendix hub would be a smooth shell style. New Dep would also be correct, but I've never been a big fan of those, but some folks like them. And the issue with both of these hubs is that the cogs are screw-on, and after 60+ years they don't really like to un-screw, should you want to change the gearing. My 2 cents on this bike, take it for what it's worth, would be to do a resto-mod on it. Which is to say, find the correct cosmetic parts (front fender with fenderlight, etc) to make it "correct" and then update the drivetrain with modern stuff. My current favorite set-up on these oldies is a Nexus 7 coaster in the back paired with a modern alloy Sturmey drum brake up front. And if you don't have the original hoops, and don't feel like dropping good money on questionable used S-2 rims (and dang, there's plenty of them lurking out there) then rock out some modern alloy hoops. And then drop some Bontrager Hank tires on it (fat, light, fast) and then ride the hell out of it. If you're planning on doing the full repaint / rechrome thing, then sure, keep it a single speed. But if you're keeping the original paint, then you might well want to consider updating drivetrain if you plan on riding it much. Again, just my 2 cents.

It's a nice enough bike to start with, that's for sure. What did you end up having to give for it?

Cheers, Geoff
 
You could get the Morrow coaster brake upgrade I think still or rear drum that year as,well. As for the reflector, that is the deluxe style and correct. I do have some lobdell hoops painted white I would sell. Stronger then the s2 but same look and possibly found up to this year but I might be wrong.. :/
 
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Chime!

Got to be a busy week. Glad someone finally picked up that bike off the CL so I wouldn't have to be tempted with it. If the rear hub is a Bendix 86, then the wheels were switched out at some point, as that hub is from 1986 or later. Correct Bendix hub would be a smooth shell style. New Dep would also be correct, but I've never been a big fan of those, but some folks like them. And the issue with both of these hubs is that the cogs are screw-on, and after 60+ years they don't really like to un-screw, should you want to change the gearing. My 2 cents on this bike, take it for what it's worth, would be to do a resto-mod on it. Which is to say, find the correct cosmetic parts (front fender with fenderlight, etc) to make it "correct" and then update the drivetrain with modern stuff. My current favorite set-up on these oldies is a Nexus 7 coaster in the back paired with a modern alloy Sturmey drum brake up front. And if you don't have the original hoops, and don't feel like dropping good money on questionable used S-2 rims (and dang, there's plenty of them lurking out there) then rock out some modern alloy hoops. And then drop some Bontrager Hank tires on it (fat, light, fast) and then ride the hell out of it. If you're planning on doing the full repaint / rechrome thing, then sure, keep it a single speed. But if you're keeping the original paint, then you might well want to consider updating drivetrain if you plan on riding it much. Again, just my 2 cents.

It's a nice enough bike to start with, that's for sure. What did you end up having to give for it?

Cheers, Geoff

I ended up paying $175 for the bike and thank you for all your knowledge. I would like to keep it all original! It is cleaning up real nice. There was just a slight bit of light rust over the whole bike so it's not bad at all.
- but I do have a question. There are a few spots here and there the white ivory isn't the best like the pin striping on the rear fender ect. Also the red pin striping is here and there as well. So would it be bad to clean the whole bike up and have the white and red pin striping touched up to look nice again? Again only really were it needs it
 
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