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The Facts About A Schwinn Serial Number

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And all this time I was telling folks that I own a 1946 truck...

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but lately , I'm not sure if that is the case.

These specific models were built from 1941 to 1946.

Does it really matter...well , perhaps not.

But I get asked all the time..."what year is it ? "

Would I come across as " obtuse " if I answered with...
Does it matter ? :rolleyes:


title indicates ownership but not the actual build date.
 
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I really don't get the point of this thread. Just a bunch of pissing and moaning about a serial number not being a absolute drop dead date on a bicycle. If you ask me the serial number is the best way to date a bicycle if the basic information on the serial number structure is there. Seems like you guys wont be satisfied unless you can jump in a time machine, go back in time and be the judge of when a bike was actually built. I say get over it. Just my 2 cents, hope no one takes this personally.
 
I really don't get the point of this thread. Just a bunch of pissing and moaning about a serial number not being a absolute drop dead date on a bicycle. If you ask me the serial number is the best way to date a bicycle if the basic information on the serial number structure is there. Seems like you guys wont be satisfied unless you can jump in a time machine, go back in time and be the judge of when a bike was actually built. I say get over it. Just my 2 cents, hope no one takes this personally.

If all you got is a bunch of pissing & moaning then you are correct...
perhaps you are missing the point.

There's many positive input from Cabe members.

If you find it tiresome ...there is always this on the top right side.
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Just my 2¢...nothing personal ! :cool:
 
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The point is, there are more people dumb to this subject than there are people who know or think they know. I'm confused, I didn't see anyone pissing or moaning.

There is a seller on eBay that is trying to sell his Schwinn for $1300 and he doesn't even know what year the bike is, even though he has the serial number. He claims it's a 1961 model since it has a 1961 serial number and nobody can convince him otherwise. He's the third owner and he paid around $1200 for the bike a little over a year ago. The bike is in fact a 1962 model with a 62 dated crank and the original owner told me at the time he was selling it that he was given the bike on his Birthday in August of 1962. There are still long time collectors and bike sellers out there that don't know squat about the details of a serial number. It sometimes takes a lot more to date a bike's build period then just looking up a serial number and then believing that is when the bike was built. Yall say it's close enough? Then in some cases you could be a few years off dating your bike. When unknowledgable collectors are paying up to three grand for a bike that isn't really all that rare or old they really get disturb when they find out their 69 Krate has the wrong parts on it, but it's really a 1970 model with the correct 1970 parts.
 
The point is, there are more people dumb to this subject than there are people who know or think they know. I'm confused, I didn't see anyone pissing or moaning.

There is a seller on eBay that is trying to sell his Schwinn for $1300 and he doesn't even know what year the bike is, even though he has the serial number. He claims it's a 1961 model since it has a 1961 serial number and nobody can convince him otherwise. He's the third owner and he paid around $1200 for the bike a little over a year ago. The bike is in fact a 1962 model with a 62 dated crank and the original owner told me at the time he was selling it that he was given the bike on his Birthday in August of 1962. There are still long time collectors and bike sellers out there that don't know squat about the details of a serial number. It sometimes takes a lot more to date a bike's build period then just looking up a serial number and then believing that is when the bike was built. Yall say it's close enough? Then in some cases you could be a few years off dating your bike. When unknowledgable collectors are paying up to three grand for a bike that isn't really all that rare or old they really get disturb when they find out their 69 Krate has the wrong parts on it, but it's really a 1970 model with the correct 1970 parts.

I recently acquired this Schwinn bicycle:
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serial number: T-31370
((stamped on rear drop-out)

In the Schwinn Serial Numbers Listing
this is the date:
Oct. 01 to Oct. 11, 1955.

If the above is not the time the bike was built,
but just the frame only.
What then would be the next steps to determine the time the
bike was completely assembled ?
Thanks .
 
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There really is no way to tell when a Schwinn was made until the build date was stamped in the headbadges. I have a Registry for a Schwinn model that was produced for less than 18 months. All the L numbers that were recorded on the 27th were the next years models and most of the owners also verified the cranks had the next years cast date. I have a May 61 serial number on one of mine and it has a 27-62 crank. My decals did not match the other two May serial numbered bikes either. I'm still trying to figure out the build date on that 1 owner bike but I'm pretty sure that will be impossible. With the later Schwinns that I have collected info from the shortest time span from SN date to build date was just over a months time, 32 days I believe. There are to many varibles to accurately pin point build time after the SN was recorded but my guess is from a month to three months on average. Here is the data on one of my lastest projects.

Details:

Frame Serial Number CQ577905 March 1979
Head Badge # Build Date 1229 May 2, 1979

Stem stamped……79
Crank #…… …… SA 6 4 79
Bars…………….. Schwinn 7836 14 79
Rear Derailleur… Positron II
 
Looks like you've done some research !

I have to agree with you that it's almost impossible to find the year
the bike was assembled.

Next best thing is when I'm asked, " What year is your bike ?"

I'll refer only to the year the frame was built or stamped. That's as
close as possible , but even then, the stamping could've been done
at a later date...:p

Thanks for sharing your info !
 
Are there any differences between the 55 and 56 Phantoms? Chances are your Phantom was actually built sometime in November 1955 and could have been shipped to the distribution center then to a retailer and sold for a 1955 Christmas present.

I purchase a new 1964 Schwinn in the summer of 64 and at that time the dealer still had an outdated 1963 model on his showroom floor. If a model is unchanged for the new year nobody would ever know or care if they got a bike that was left over from the previous production year. In this case, that 63 model was an outdated model and I wonder if they ever sold it.
 
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Are there any differences between the 55 and 56 Phantoms? Chances are your Phantom was actually built sometime in November 1955 and could have been shipped to the distribution center then to a retailer and sold for a 1955 Christmas present.

I purchase a new 1964 Schwinn in the summer of 64 and at that time the dealer still had an outdated 1963 model on his showroom floor. If a model is unchanged for the new year nobody would ever know or care if they got a bike that was left over from the previous production year. In this case, that 63 model was an outdated model and I wonder if they ever sold it.

When you say outdated 1963 model...from the new 1964 Schwinn model.

How did you determine the differences ?
What did you look for ?

Not having a 56 Phantom to compare...the next best thing is hope that someone will
have one & we can share comparisons .

BTW:
I have '52 & '53 Phantoms ( based on the frames)
And one thing I do know is this:
When it came to the "pin-striping" (done by hand)
on the forks & around the tank...there is not much consistency
from one year to the other ! :p
 
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When you say outdated 1963 model...from the new 1964 Schwinn model.

How did you determine the differences ?
What did you look for ?

:p

The model I purchased was a 64 Varsity, even though the Sting Rays were the rage of the day. In four years I never ran into a Sting Ray owner that could beat my distance doing a wheelie. :) The Radiant Red 63 was different in every aspect other than frame design, seat post/clamp, chain, crank and the hoops. And to cover some SA, spokes, bearings and the like are not taken into consideration.
 
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