The Facts About A Schwinn Serial Number

[bikemonkey]

I have enjoyed the relevant and mature comments of this resurrected thread.

I would suggest critical thinking in these types of threads is an important key for teasing out what are "facts" and what is "opinion". But, ultimately your reality is whatever is left in your head. Ad hominum attacks add nothing to the conversation but are just a huge turnoff.

 

[spoker]

Only in your mind!

a very credible place

 

[GTs58]

Okay, it looks like the establishment has edited this thread, hopefully just deleting all the somewhat sarcastic posts. I couldn't find my copy of the Schwinn Reporter I had in here that shows the making and serial number stamping of the head tube. The process of stamping a serial number on a bikes component before that part was used to build a frame started in the prewar years when the actual serial numbers were machine stamped. I recent came across another interesting detail where a supposed 1938 New World has a hand stamped 1935-36 serial number on the bottom bracket. This would indicate that Schwinn was hand stamping the serial numbers on the bikes component prior to using that piece to build a frame.

Here's the Schwinn Reporter. And if you ever had a 1970 and up head tube stamped serial number where it's upside down and on the top left side, blame Jamie for inserting the head tube in the stamping machine upside down.

 

[GTs58]

Here's a prewar bike where the serial number was machine stamped on the BB before it was used to built his bike. Looks like an I serial but the BB shell has no EF seam. Not a 41 model bike?

This is a Tandem where the 2nd set of seat stays were welded on to the pre stamped drop out. Courtesy of Curtis Lindgren

 

[Brutuskend]

They still do this today. The serial numbers are stamped in the b/b shell before the frame is even welded together. So the serial number really just tells you the bottom bracket date of STAMPING.