Schwinn SPEEDWAY and LIBERTY

[petrohead]

Does anyone know how to date a Schwinn Liberty or Speedway? I have a girls 26" speedway that looks to be 1940's and a men's Liberty that seems to 40's as well but can't find info on dating these (date codes do not match up to regular Schwinns.

Speedway

Liberty

 

[partsguy]

I was born in Louisville, Ky! Thats cool!

 

[cyclingday]

Based on the serial numbers, both bikes appear to be 1941 models.

 

[petrohead]

Very cool. How do you get to that number? Can you decipher or are there charts somewhere? Thanks!!! Now do I keep them, sell them, Trade Them? Sorry, just thinking out loud.

 

[Talewinds]

That Liberty is KILLER!

 

[cyclingday]

Rough guess of the serial numbers for prewar Schwinns.

There is a compilation serial number chart for prewar Schwinns that was posted here on the Cabe awhile back, and I just took it from there.
Large regular spaced digits in the same style as post war Schwinns,
1939 A00100-C10999
1940 C11000-E53499
1941 E53500-H99999
1942 I00100-I98189
As for keeping the bikes versus selling the bikes. It just depends on how much you love them. I'm sure that there are many people here that would like to have them if you should decide to let them go.

 

[okozzy]

Post a link please

There is a compilation serial number chart for prewar Schwinns that was posted here on the Cabe awhile back, and I just took it from there.
Large regular spaced digits in the same style as post war Schwinns,
1939 A00100-C10999
1940 C11000-E53499
1941 E53500-H99999
1942 I00100-I98189
As for keeping the bikes versus selling the bikes. It just depends on how much you love them. I'm sure that there are many people here that would like to have them if you should decide to let them go.

Can you post a link to the chart for those of us that are new to the site?

thank you,
Okozzy.

 

[Xcelsior]

That compilation is not very accurate just to let you know. I have had A 38's D 39's and F 40's... All by dating the crank (original to the bikes) and other characteristics. I would start there when dating prewar. Some people say that earlier dated cranks can be found in later bikes like a 38 crank in a 39 dx for example which is true but seldom found. Your H is most likely a 41 and the F maybe 40.

 

[cyclingday]

I agree,

The number chart is to be taken with a grain of salt.

Use the features of the bike as well as the chart, and you still have a very loose idea of when the bike was made.

I just finished detailing a 47 tapered kickstand B6 that still had its original sales receipt, and it was dated sold on March 26th 1948

It is said that the tapered kickstand was strictly a 46 feature.

So from the time it was actually manufactured to when it was sold, you're talking somewhere around two years.