Withdrawn The old Schwinn is back! What I had been told was a pre-war bike it now appears that it is an early post-war, 1946 to 1950 bike.

[MMorris923]

I’ve held onto this old Schwinn since 1978, I always wanted to do a restoration, life was always in the way. Now it is time to try and find someone else for that project. I received the complete bike badly rusted, the wheels were shot, I saved the hubs, frame, fork and parts pictured in the group shot. There were no fenders or chain-guard. I had the crank, sprocket and head tube bearing cups in a box that unfortunately was lost in a one of our moves. ​

The frame has a damaged right rear-drop-out, it will hold an axle but not safe for riding. There is a threaded rod in the group picture to protect the frame during shipping that is bolted into the drop-out. I have a replacement drop out from a restoration shop in the early 1980s. ​

All the parts came from the same bike, I have no reason to doubt they were all original. The bike was pulled out of a diary pasture in what is now Cerritos, California. The frame has the chain-guard tabs. There are no visible serial numbers on the bottom bracket or the left rear drop-out. I've tried looking inside the bottom bracket but I don't see anything; due to the vintage it is not on the head-tube. Estimated vintage is based on frame and paint design. The fork is somewhat unique in that the right blade has an axle-whole and the left a slot. I'm told the paint scheme is close to an early post-war, around 1946 to early 1950 scheme. The drop-out direction and the electro-forged frame with a visible "seam" ridge on the bottom bracket also move the bike to post-war instead of my original understanding of pre-war. Both hubs are stamp "Germany."​

Description:

• Frame: Straight bar, balloon tire frame, has bottom bracket bearing cups, one bearing cup is stamped “Schwinn.” Non-painted seat post binder bracket with stamped “AS” binder bolt.
• Fork: Locking springer fork with key lock, no key—includes the head locknut and upper head adjusting cup. It has the cylinder key code of AN54. The head tube bearing race cups have been lost. I had the fork key, head bearing cups, crank and sprocket in a marked box that was lost in one of our moves. Unique fork drop-outs, the left side is a slotted drop-out, the right is a hole. Springer Yoke bolts are stamped, “AS.” The truss rods are missing. Threaded rods are protecting frame and fork spacing for shipping.
• Schwinn aluminum head badge, with one original screw—in the head tube.
• Front and rear Schwinn Approved hubs stamped, “Germany” amazing chrome. Rear hub has swivel zerk cap.
• Rear single speed coaster brake arm marked Schwinn Approved, with original frame clamp.
• Rear hub sprocket marked 20 tooth
• One frame bracket that may have been for a rear rack.

Additional Notes:
• Frame and fork retains original black paint and white striping, the frame does not have tank tabs. Frame appears to be straight, solid with no visible cracks. Original paint, no repainted sections. I have measured the O.D. tubes, the straight bar measures 7/8" whereas the the other tubes are just a little over 1". The top tube to the center of the bottom bracket, that measure 17.25". The frame head-tube measures 5-3/8;" which is the same as the fork's tube length. I disassembled the bike in 1978 to begin cleaning it.
• Right rear dropout has corrosion that would need to be replaced for a frame restoration. I have a replacement drop-out, that I was told is correct for replacement. See the photos showing corrosion and replacement drop-out part.
• The bottom bracket has no visible serial number, it may have been a lightly stamped number that was lost in cleaning of rust years ago. Pictures of bottom bracket available.
• The German hubs have excellent chrome, a ten out of ten. For many years I used the rear hub as a paper-weight on my desk to showcase the beautiful pre-war German craftsmanship.
• I have 49 pictures available showing various details.
• Great candidate for restoration or collectors needing specific original pre-war Schwinn frame and fork components. I would love to see a picture of the this old Schwinn restored.
• Additional pictures available on request.

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[WillWork4Parts]

I'm told the paint scheme is close to an early post-war, around 1946 to early 1950 scheme.

It seems you have been misinformed again. Like I said before, the smaller 7/8" diameter middle tube makes this bike a 1950 through 57 model. That paint scheme was used for many years, from roughly 1940 through 1959 on various other models. Without a serial number, the year cannot be pinpointed though.

 

[MMorris923]

I don't mean to sound disrespectful, you sound very knowledgeable--certainly more than I am. I'm just going on what I'm seeing and reading on-line. One thing I've learned in my research without a serial number it is difficult to pin-point closely a year. I've read that even the serial number charts have discrepancies. There is no number on the drop-out and no evidence of a serial number on the bottom bracket. I did lightly sand rust off the bottom bracket but I didn't remove a serial number unless it was basically just stamped paint-deep. I know the number was stamped during manufacture on an unpainted frame. I understand sometimes the number stamp was light, but I expect it would have been deep enough during manufacturing that a light sanding wouldn't have been able to remove it. I understand it isn't unheard of to have a missing a serial number, even though unlikely. I wish I could find a number. I guess my vintage range will be grounds for controversy without a number for some.

 

[Michigan Picker]

I don't mean to sound disrespectful, you sound very knowledgeable--certainly more than I am. I'm just going on what I'm seeing and reading on-line. One thing I've learned in my research without a serial number it is difficult to pin-point closely a year. I've read that even the serial number charts have discrepancies. There is no number on the drop-out and no evidence of a serial number on the bottom bracket. I did lightly sand rust off the bottom bracket but I didn't remove a serial number unless it was basically just stamped paint-deep. I know the number was stamped during manufacture on an unpainted frame. I understand sometimes the number stamp was light, but I expect it would have been deep enough during manufacturing that a light sanding wouldn't have been able to remove it. I understand it isn't unheard of to have a missing a serial number, even though unlikely. I wish I could find a number. I guess my vintage range will be grounds for controversy without a number for some.

Don’t believe what you see and read online

 

[byke!punk]

.

 

[fordmike65]

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[Schwinn Sales West]

Post retracted.

 

[GTs58]

I've seen many cases were someone couldn't find their serial number and most of the time it's because they weren't looking hard enough, or some previous owner tried to remove it. A Schwinn never would have left the factory without a serial number. If it's not on the bottom bracket, it will be on the left rear dropout. If not, some evidence of it being removed or damaged would be visible.

 

[blue72beetle]

As obliterated as those dropouts are, I bet it was there.

 

[Freqman1]

I don't mean to sound disrespectful, you sound very knowledgeable--certainly more than I am. I'm just going on what I'm seeing and reading on-line. One thing I've learned in my research without a serial number it is difficult to pin-point closely a year. I've read that even the serial number charts have discrepancies. There is no number on the drop-out and no evidence of a serial number on the bottom bracket. I did lightly sand rust off the bottom bracket but I didn't remove a serial number unless it was basically just stamped paint-deep. I know the number was stamped during manufacture on an unpainted frame. I understand sometimes the number stamp was light, but I expect it would have been deep enough during manufacturing that a light sanding wouldn't have been able to remove it. I understand it isn't unheard of to have a missing a serial number, even though unlikely. I wish I could find a number. I guess my vintage range will be grounds for controversy without a number for some.

Like Will Work said dating this frame has nothing to do with the serial number or paint scheme. In this case the construction of the frame with the smaller 7/8" bar tells you this is a later frame and not "early post war". In my opinion that frame is a wall hanger or yard art and not worth fixing.