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Wartime Schwinn New World Bikes - We Know You Have Them - Tell Us About Them!!
- Thread starter Miq
- Start date
Miq
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
For sure @3-speeder ‘s bike was a spark. Before that however, @GTs58 and I had been having personal conversations about the New Worlds and what we might be able to learn from collecting data about them. I wanted more info on my Gramp’s 41 New World since I was ratstoring it. He really encouraged (convinced) me to start the thread and explained what construction techniques/bike details he was interested in. I was keyed into the mudguard brace changes already and wanted to included that.
Its fun to look back now, but the common thinking when we started was that Schwinn “didn’t make bikes during the war” except maybe cycle trucks. But some people knew about these New Worlds with blackout parts and Q4 1942 dated hubs
The other thing that we used to hear was that you can’t figure it out because the records were destroyed in a fire. My thinking continues to be, thankfully the fire didn’t destroy all the bikes that were built. The bikes can help us understand the Serial number vs year vs construction, we just need to keep collecting the data. It takes time and effort but it can be done to some extent. We continue to prove it here. I need to note this would have been a ton more difficult without starting with @Djshakes serial vs year list.
Some personal highlights over the past 63 pages have been things like:
@vincev ’s evolving Serial number letter
@SirMike1983 ’s generous contributions of knowledge about lightweights
@HUFFMANBILL and @cyclingday posting the Wartime New World adds. Hard to argue with that.
Realizing the correlation between the smaller 3 piece crank hub and the whacky hand stamping serials.
Learning about post war New Worlds and Worlds beyond our list from @rennfaron
Getting to see all the prewar rear fork New World racers
They are just damn cool.
And being a focal point to a large number of CABE members. With each bike submitted I’ve gotten to start or continue conversations with all of you. It’s made me feel an increased sense of community and I have a better appreciation for your posts in other threads. Its hard to figure people out, harder in an online environment, but over time, like this list, trends develop. We keep coming back here because the people and the conversations are constructive.
I look forward to learning more about the bikes and the members here in the next 63 pages.
Its fun to look back now, but the common thinking when we started was that Schwinn “didn’t make bikes during the war” except maybe cycle trucks. But some people knew about these New Worlds with blackout parts and Q4 1942 dated hubs
The other thing that we used to hear was that you can’t figure it out because the records were destroyed in a fire. My thinking continues to be, thankfully the fire didn’t destroy all the bikes that were built. The bikes can help us understand the Serial number vs year vs construction, we just need to keep collecting the data. It takes time and effort but it can be done to some extent. We continue to prove it here. I need to note this would have been a ton more difficult without starting with @Djshakes serial vs year list.
Some personal highlights over the past 63 pages have been things like:
@vincev ’s evolving Serial number letter
@SirMike1983 ’s generous contributions of knowledge about lightweights
@HUFFMANBILL and @cyclingday posting the Wartime New World adds. Hard to argue with that.
Realizing the correlation between the smaller 3 piece crank hub and the whacky hand stamping serials.
Learning about post war New Worlds and Worlds beyond our list from @rennfaron
Getting to see all the prewar rear fork New World racers
They are just damn cool.And being a focal point to a large number of CABE members. With each bike submitted I’ve gotten to start or continue conversations with all of you. It’s made me feel an increased sense of community and I have a better appreciation for your posts in other threads. Its hard to figure people out, harder in an online environment, but over time, like this list, trends develop. We keep coming back here because the people and the conversations are constructive.
I look forward to learning more about the bikes and the members here in the next 63 pages.
Last edited:
Oilit
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
@Miq,For sure @3-speeder ‘s bike was a spark. Before that however, @GTs58 and I had been having personal conversations about the New Worlds and what we might be able to learn from collecting data about them. I wanted more info on my Gramp’s 41 New World since I was ratstoring it. He really encouraged (convinced) me to start the thread and explained what construction techniques/bike details he was interested in. I was keyed into the mudguard brace changes already and wanted to included that.
Its fun to look back now, but the common thinking when we started was that Schwinn “didn’t make bikes during the war” except maybe cycle trucks. But some people knew about these New Worlds with blackout parts and Q4 1942 dated hubs
The other thing that we used to hear was that you can’t figure it out because the records were destroyed in a fire. My thinking continues to be, thankfully the fire didn’t destroy all the bikes that were built. The bikes can help us understand the Serial number vs year vs construction, we just need to keep collecting the data. It takes time and effort but it can be done to some extent. We continue to prove it here. I need to note this would have been a ton more difficult without starting with @Djshakes serial vs year list.
Some personal highlights over the past 63 pages have been things like:
@vincev ’s evolving Serial number letter
@SirMike1983 ’s generous contributions of knowledge about lightweights
@HUFFMANBILL and @cyclingday posting the Wartime New World adds. Hard to argue with that.
Realizing the correlation between the smaller 3 piece crank hub and the whacky hand stamping serials.
Learning about post war New Worlds and Worlds beyond our list from @rennfaron
Getting to see all the prewar rear fork New World racers
And being a focal point to a large number of CABE members. With each bike submitted I’ve gotten to start or continue conversations with all of you. It’s made me feel an increased sense of community and I have a better appreciation for your posts in other threads. Its hard to figure people out, harder in an online environment, but over time, like this list, trends develop. We keep coming back here because the people and the conversations are constructive.
I look forward to learning more about the bikes and the members here in the next 63 pages.
I've been kicking around the idea of starting a thread to figure out the serial numbers on pre-Raleigh Hercules bikes. If you have enough examples, there's got to be some kind of pattern, and the internet gives you a way to see more examples than you'll ever see in person. I still need to get some pictures together to establish a starting point, but if I take this project on, it's because I saw what you did with this thread, and what Phil Marshall did with CWC serials. You've proven what can be done.
Here's my New World single speed as I got it. Serial #D11434 puts it into late 1940. Lucky eBay find just as the prices started to skyrocket. Prior owner found it in the trash. I bought it for $40 but gave the guy $80 as I knew what it was and he deserved credit for rescuing it. No reason to be proud of taking someone for the sake of a few dollars. Fork is twisted or was never straight to begin with just like all of them. Needs a trip to the alignment table. Paint should come back with a whole lot of elbow grease. Top tube cable clips are black. Don't know it they're original.
... 
Not many of these were optioned with a freewheel rear hub and I think the cable clips may be original.
Nothing about the reflector says it isn't original. The bike is hard to ride with the twisted fork so I doubt it saw much use. I also have a '47 Superior Ladies 3-speed in green that has great paint. I'll pull it out and do some photos soon. I have plans for both bikes that will make most of you hate me. I hate heavy rusty steel so most components will be replaced with period-feasible hot rod parts. Not getting rid of any of the original stuff so it could be put back together as-was if the next nutjob owner insists.
SirMike1983
Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
The glass "Schwinn" stimsonite type reflector with white metal housing would be a correct option for a pre-war New World. I had a couple of those over the years. Be careful not to break the lens on the glass ones. They're expensive now.
Those slope-shouldered forks often show up twisted or bent. They are generally fixable with the fork jig and frame/fork arm tools.
Those slope-shouldered forks often show up twisted or bent. They are generally fixable with the fork jig and frame/fork arm tools.
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