So I have this imposter in my shop...

[Bikehaus]

Does the Serieal number lend any info to the model? It is Serial B123734. The 'Model No' in the 1961 series for the Wasp started with B12... but it does not have the stainless steel or chrome fenders. It does have the built in kickstand, but does not have the chrome lugs on the fork.


I had a 1960 Sport Model Sears Flightliner in my shop as well, but the frame was a left over 1959 that they stripped all the fancy stuff from and sold it as a lighter weight cheaper model. Did stores back then swap things around if something was broken in transport?

 

[bloo]

It didn't work like that. B12 is a coincidence, and the Wasp is a balloon tired bike, the only one Schwinn still made in 1961. "B1" means February 1961, and B123734 had it's dropout stamped on February 9. See here:

https://thecabe.com/serial-numbers/schwinn-serial-numbers-1952-1969/

Nailing down what model is almost impossible as Schwinn used the same frames and forks for several models.

If you go through the catalog, it is possible to narrow it down, at least if you make some assumptions based on the Schwinn parts that are still present. It is probably not possible to narrow it down to one model though.

Here is a thought, Schiwnn had special frames and forks for bikes with caliper brakes. Both your frame and your fork are the "no caliper" version.

Now that might not mean that much with the frame, because if a rear caliper was not needed because someone ordered a coaster brake Schwinn could have used the "no caliper" frame, regardless of what "model" it was.

There is also a 90 degree bolt thingamabob made by Weinmann, who also made a bunch of Schwinn approved calipers, that lets you put a caliper on a non-caliper frame. Schwinn may have had those in their bag of tricks. I don't think they used them very often at the factory though, if at all.

So, the frame proves nothing, but it argues for a model that did not have a rear caliper.

Your fork is the one for no caliper. It is often referred to as "undrilled", but it is really a different forging to have enough meat to drill the hole. The blades of the "drilled" fork are longer too, and once you see that you can't miss it. That pretty much means if the fork is original, it was a model that came with no front caliper. The only way to get one would be to use the old Schwinn cantilever setup that clamps to the fork, and I feel pretty confident the factory didn't ever do that in 1961.

If the front fender is 1961, I believe it has to be Corvette to be stainless, but if it is Corvette, It would have not come with that non-caliper fork because Corvettes have front calipers. Furthermore, it would have had an L-bracket riveted on it to reach up to the caliper bolt, because the caliper-type fork is longer. Either the fender or the fork is wrong.

I am guessing the fender is wrong and it isn't a Corvette. The frame with no brake bridge and the chainguard with no chrome add a little support to that idea.

Corrections welcome.....

 

[coasterbrakejunkie1969]

It didn't work like that. B12 is a coincidence, and the Wasp is a balloon tired bike, the only one Schwinn still made in 1961. "B1" means February 1961, and B123734 had it's dropout stamped on February 9. See here:

https://thecabe.com/serial-numbers/schwinn-serial-numbers-1952-1969/

Nailing down what model is almost impossible as Schwinn used the same frames and forks for several models.

If you go through the catalog, it is possible to narrow it down, at least if you make some assumptions based on the Schwinn parts that are still present. It is probably not possible to narrow it down to one model though.

Here is a thought, Schiwnn had special frames and forks for bikes with caliper brakes. Both your frame and your fork are the "no caliper" version.

Now that might not mean that much with the frame, because if a rear caliper was not needed because someone ordered a coaster brake Schwinn could have used the "no caliper" frame, regardless of what "model" it was.

There is also a 90 degree bolt thingamabob made by Weinmann, who also made a bunch of Schwinn approved calipers that lets you put a caliper on a non-caliper frame, and Schwinn may have had those in their bag of tricks. I don't think they used them very often at the factory though, if at all.

So, the frame proves nothing, but it argues for a model that did not have a rear caliper.

Your fork is the one for no caliper. It is often referred to as "undrilled", but it is really a different forging to have enough meat to drill the hole. The blades of the "drilled" fork are longer too, and once you see that you can't miss it. That pretty much means if the fork is original, it was a model that came with no front caliper. The only way to get one would be to use the old Schwinn cantilever setup that clamps to the fork, and I feel pretty confident the factory didn't ever do that in 1961.

If the front fender is 1961, I believe it has to be Corvette to be stainless, but if it is Corvette, It would have not come with that non-caliper fork because Corvettes have front calipers. Furthermore, it would have had an L-bracket riveted on it to reach up to the caliper bolt, because the caliper-type fork is longer. Either the fender or the fork is wrong.

I am guessing the fender is wrong and it isn't a Corvette. The frame with no brake bridge and the chainguard with no chrome add a little support to that idea.

Corrections welcome.....

Didn't they offer a coasterbrake Corvette?

 

[bloo]

They did! I don't know if they deleted the rear caliper when they did. Probably. I'll bet they didn't delete the front caliper, and that is the crux of the problem with it being a Corvette. The front caliper needs a whole different fork.

https://waterfordbikes.com/SchwinnCat/flschwinn_1961_1970/

Lets start with the first cantilever frames in the book (page 6 or 1961_05)

Looks like Mark IV Jaguar and Corvette both had stainless fenders. They also both had front calipers. They also are pictured with northroad handlebars, and some chrome on the chainguard.

Panther III it shown without a front caliper, but still has chrome on the guard and northroad handlebars.

If you could still see the shadow of "Schwinn" on the top bar that would be a clue. Corvette would have it, Panther III and Jaguar IV probably not because they have tanks.

Tiger is looking promising, painted guard, no front caliper, steerhorn bars. Next page, Speedster looks good for the same reasons as Tiger.

Streamliner and Hornet too, but they had tanks, so no Schwinn script on top bar. Streamliner pictured with northroad bars, Hornet is pictured with boy scout bars. Hornet also mentions painted rims, so if the wheels are original, Hornet is out of the running. Spitfire is pictured with boy scout bars and painted rims. It has the wrong type of chainguard altogether, so it is out. Nothing else in the catalog has a cantilever middleweight boys frame.

If we assume that there are no mistakes in the catalog, and Schwinn changed nothing after it was printed... LOL, a very bold assumption it is either:

If the Stainless fenders are original, it's a Mark IV Jaguar or a Corvette that was built with a coaster brake, and the fork is wrong among other things.

Or, It is a Tiger, Speedster, Streamliner, or Panther III. If the steerhorn bars are original, and I am not completely convinced, then it's a Tiger or Speedster.

 

[GTs58]

Didn't they offer a coasterbrake Corvette?

Yes they did. The bike in question here most likely was a Speedster or Tiger. Even if a Corvette was built as a coaster it would still have the frame with the flat brake/fender bracket. This was normal since the beginning of the middleweight. If a certain model had an option for gears, it had the flat brake bridge whether it used that option or not. So a non geared Corvette still had the flat bridge and maybe even a drilled fork. My 55 Corvette is a coaster and it has a drilled fork and it has the flat brake bracket.

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

"at this point what difference does it make?"

I'd add a Schwinn badge to the bike then put the Shelby Badge on my Huffman-Monark-JC Higgins-Frankenbike, take the fenders off, add a brooks seat and ride it like a madman.

 

[Bikehaus]

"at this point what difference does it make?"

I'd add a Schwinn badge to the bike then put the Shelby Badge on my Huffman-Monark-JC Higgins-Frankenbike, take the fenders off, add a brooks seat and ride it like a madman.

Because he wants his bike to look like it did when his brother rode it... who died two years later at the age of 16 in 1963.

 

[bloo]

He wants it to look like 1961?

Int that case, The hanlebars might of might not be original, but the style is right. Stem is fine, headset is fine, forks are fine but should have standard Schwinn darts on them (the short ones). Crank and chainwheel look fine. Pedals are newer than the bike, but a very similar style. You can probably get decals to replace the missing silkscreening if the flames will clean off the current paint job. I'm on the fence about whether it could be original paint or not. If it is original you might be able to see some ghosting of the model name on the chainguard under a bright light. Also look for the shadow of a tall checkerboard decal on the seat tube. Tiger had it, Speedster didn't.

Whats gotta go:

The saddle. You need a color matching "S" saddle, it was probably the juvenile version with single springs and no rail. The original one probably had rivets in the side, but you will have an easier time finding one without rivets, and it looks real close. There is also one with "mattress" type construction that looks real close.

The fenders. They need to be 1959-61(62?) Schwinn painted middleweight fenders in matching color (radiant red?). Earlier ones wont fit the frame and later ones are too narrow to look right. They should have white pinstripes and darts, one dart at the leading end of the front fender, and one dart at the trailing end of the rear fender.

The tires. Those are some Kendas that may have been the only thing available for S-7 rims at one point. I read in a CABE thread the other day that Schwinn even put their name on the Kendas once. Not in 1961 though. Original Schwinn "Westwind" tires in 1961 had brick tread. They were a little wider than the Kendas, and also much better looking. They may be available in reproduction. There are also newly made 26x2x1-3/4 "small brick" tires for S7 rims that are yet a little wider than the Schwinn originals. I'd get those. They look great. The tread is like original, they're just a little fatter. The bike probably came with blackwalls when new.

 

[GTs58]

Because he wants his bike to look like it did when his brother rode it... who died two years later at the age of 16 in 1963.

So someone modified this bicycle after the young original owner passed away, or did he do all this?

Here's the 1961 Catalog.

Schwinn catalogs, 1961 - 1970

Here is @rollfaster 's 1961 Speedster.

 

[Bikehaus]

So someone modified this bicycle after the young original owner passed away, or did he do all this?

Here's the 1961 Catalog.

Schwinn catalogs, 1961 - 1970

Here is @rollfaster 's 1961 Speedster.

View attachment 1590210

Yeah, that is where it gets weird. He says he knows tge seat and badge are wrong, but that they bought it new from a local bike store then with this paint job and bobbed rear fender... im going to replace the seat and I'll use light on the chain guard. I just really wanted to answer the "what model is it" question