Show us your KLUNKER 5, SPITFIRE 5 or CRUISER 5

[TRUEBLUE1981]

good job on your proof providing... thebicyclejungle...
this should educate some people!!

 

[Oilit]

Here's a Cruiser 5 that I believe was built by Murray in Lawrenceburg, TN. The serial number dates it to late in 1983, probably for the 1984 model year. The forks don't have the fender tabs that the Giant built bikes had, and the head-stock to frame tube joints look just like the Chicago bikes, but the chain stay to bottom bracket joint is different. The front fender is aftermarket, and somebody drilled and tapped the fork to attach the stays. And I think Chicago used Schwinn rims right to the end, but these are probably Murray production items.

 

[hernandez.rob66]

My 1979 schwinn spitfire five speed cruiser

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Metacortex]

Here's a Cruiser 5 that I believe was built by Murray in Lawrenceburg, TN. The serial number dates it to late in 1983, probably for the 1984 model year.

That's definitely a Murray built frame. There was no Cruiser 5 in '83, so it should indeed be an '84 model. What is the 4-digit number stamped in the headbadge? That will indicate the day the bike was built, which is much more accurate for dating a bike than the serial number as that only indicates when the headtube was stamped before it was even welded into a frame.

Here's the '83 catalog page:

Here's the '84 catalog page (Cruiser 5 again available

 

[Tony M]

Here's a Cruiser 5 that I believe was built by Murray in Lawrenceburg, TN. The serial number dates it to late in 1983, probably for the 1984 model year. The forks don't have the fender tabs that the Giant built bikes had, and the head-stock to frame tube joints look just like the Chicago bikes, but the chain stay to bottom bracket joint is different. The front fender is aftermarket, and somebody drilled and tapped the fork to attach the stays. And I think Chicago used Schwinn rims right to the end, but these are probably Murray production items.

View attachment 424075

View attachment 424076

View attachment 424077

View attachment 424078

View attachment 424079

I really like those gum wall tires

 

[GTs58]

If anyone is keeping records on the dates the 81 Cruisers had rear calipers, here's one with all the date info.
One sure fire way to tell an 80 from a 81 is there were no Spicy Chestnut 80's and only the 81 models had the surfboard fork dart.
About two years before I started the Corvette 5 speed Registry I was keeping tabs on all the 5 speed Cruisers and Spitfires that sold on eBay. There were 1980 models equipped with rear calipers, but not near as many seen as the 81 models. Something to think about if in doubt about the 1980's never having a rear caliper. Why would Schwinn install the flat bracket on all the 80 Cruisers when all the 78 Klunkers and 79 Spitfires had the radius bracket?

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335809022&icep_item=162399889568

 

[Metacortex]

About two years before I started the Corvette 5 speed Registry I was keeping tabs on all the 5 speed Cruisers and Spitfires that sold on eBay. There were 1980 models equipped with rear calipers, but not near as many seen as the 81 models.

Can anybody show an original 1980 Cruiser 5 caliper brake model with frame and badge date codes? I started looking at and saving links to them a couple years ago and found many '81 models but the only "1980" models I've seen were actually incorrectly identified '81 or later models like this one: http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1980-schwinn-cruiser-5-spicy-chestnut.62829/

Something to think about if in doubt about the 1980's never having a rear caliper. Why would Schwinn install the flat bracket on all the 80 Cruisers when all the 78 Klunkers and 79 Spitfires had the radius bracket?

For greater manufacturing flexibility (the flat bracket can mount fenders and/or brake, the radius bracket is fender only), with fewer frame SKUs.

 

[Jeff54]

Can anybody show an original 1980 Cruiser 5 caliper brake model with frame and badge date codes? I started looking at and saving links to them a couple years ago and found many '81 models but the only "1980" models I've seen were actually incorrectly identified '81 or later models like this one: http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1980-schwinn-cruiser-5-spicy-chestnut.62829/

Can anybody show an original 1980 Cruiser 5 caliper brake model with frame and badge date codes? I started looking at and saving links to them a couple years ago and found many '81 models but the only "1980" models I've seen were actually incorrectly identified '81 or later models like this one: http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1980-schwinn-cruiser-5-spicy-chestnut.62829/



For greater manufacturing flexibility (the flat bracket can mount fenders and/or brake, the radius bracket is fender only), with fewer frame SKUs.

For greater manufacturing flexibility (the flat bracket can mount fenders and/or brake, the radius bracket is fender only), with fewer frame SKUs.

I don't have a 5 but standard Cruiser, black 1980 ( sold my spicy 1981, 5 some time ago) so, it is coaster brakes, but, they sure gots the right flat calipeir and fender bracket for em, without drilled fork for front brake. The deluxe models I've seen which, incidentally, seem to be the rarest of the 3 versions, have flat as well.

BTW the top bar decals that Bones made are too dam long! [grin]

Alternately, now that it's been brought up, I hadn't given a concern regarding the rear fender/brake bracket GT points out, , but, now I sees.

And a quick search revels more So, here's another point. 1980 Schwinn cruiser 5 with old style round fender bracket. It hints that, by design Schwinn must have began the Cruiser 5 with old bracket, virtually the Klunker/Spitfire frame requiring atom brakes and switched to flat bracket some time in 1980 in order to have the option for atom or caliper brakes. Price/money warranted change.

So, surely there's some factory stock, without atom brake by mid 1980 but, just too rare to catch. . In the mean time, this adds another dimension for the 'must have' collector, the 1980 bikes have two different frame set ups. . http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1980-schwinn-cruiser-5.20443/

 

[Metacortex]

So, surely there's some factory stock, without atom brake by mid 1980 but, just too rare to catch.

Without any credible examples yet being offered up I still believe the drum was standard throughout 1980, however I'd be very interested for somebody to prove otherwise with a real documented example (both frame and badge nos required on an original unmolested bike).

In the mean time, this adds another dimension for the 'must have' collector, the 1980 bikes have two different frame set ups. . http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1980-schwinn-cruiser-5.20443/

Interesting, from what I can see of the badge on the bike in that topic it appears to be a first month '80 model, unfortunately no frame date is shown but it is very likely from '79. So far it appears the frame brace transitioned in (early?) '80, but the use of the drum continued into '81.

 

[Danny the schwinn freak]

Hi all. I've been following this thread for awhile and it has got me thinking. I really like these bikes and want to put one together from parts, since finding a complete original is out of my price range. I went and dug through my stuff and found a frame that was originally candy red, in fact still is, but the paint is shot. It has the slightly curved (I believe, but will confirm tomorrow in the daylight) brake strap in the rear. My frame is dated DT, which I believe makes it April of 1982. Is this possibly one of those frames? Is it a Chicago built frame for sure? It's definitely wider in the rear section than the middleweight frames I compared it to. There are no special tabs for cable guides or anything. Is this maybe just a single speed frame? Not sure, I just want to identify it and possibly use it on my build. Wondering what else to look for to help figure out what it is. I can provide pics of anything you want to see that may help. Thank you in advance for any info, Danny