For a while now I have been looking for a 1962 Racer (year of birth bike), but this one crossed my path and I ended up bringing it home today. I'm still looking for a '62, I may have found a frame but we'll see how it works out.
I have a few ideas for this but I haven't even torn into it yet and one of them has been ruled out due to a "hey, that'll never work" moment, so I'll wait to post anything until it's happening.
According to one database, the serial number was stamped into the frame on 6/26/56, which I think makes it the first year of production for a Racer? If I'm reading the catalogs correctly, this was the only frame size available at first. I was worried it would be too small, but now that I've had my grubby hands on it I think it will work. The next size up would probably be better but this is close enough for what I do with bikes! (And the '62 frame I'm eying IS the next size up...)
Not a great picture, but when I was putting it in the stand I noticed it has a "Schwinn" script on the seat post. I hadn't seen that before, but this is earlier than most of the bikes I've worked on in the past so I'm sure there will be a few things I learn along the way.
I thought this was a fix for a broken kickstand when I first saw it...
...but when I look at it closer, there doesn't seem to be any damage on the frame where a welded one would have broken off? Plus, the stay for the fender looks pretty factory issued to me. Did these not come with a welded on kickstand? I thought they all did. I've asked about it on the Schwinn forum. I'm still keeping my eye open for a busted off kickstand mount to weld onto here just in case.
I'll be honest. One big draw to the bike was the front fender style. A '62 would have this detail also. I could have bought a later bike in better shape for what I paid for this... but it would have a smooth fender. Gotta have the fin!
A later bike also wouldn't have the cool graphics! (Though this will likely get repainted eventually)
The rear fender has taken a beating. I hope I can work these out. I think I can.
I'm not sure how many pictures can be on one post so I'll post this and add the rest in the next post.
![Racer_6523.JPG](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/a30/a307f454e5df7ae49733e3770d1b9aab.jpg)
I have a few ideas for this but I haven't even torn into it yet and one of them has been ruled out due to a "hey, that'll never work" moment, so I'll wait to post anything until it's happening.
According to one database, the serial number was stamped into the frame on 6/26/56, which I think makes it the first year of production for a Racer? If I'm reading the catalogs correctly, this was the only frame size available at first. I was worried it would be too small, but now that I've had my grubby hands on it I think it will work. The next size up would probably be better but this is close enough for what I do with bikes! (And the '62 frame I'm eying IS the next size up...)
Not a great picture, but when I was putting it in the stand I noticed it has a "Schwinn" script on the seat post. I hadn't seen that before, but this is earlier than most of the bikes I've worked on in the past so I'm sure there will be a few things I learn along the way.
![Racer_6525.JPG](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/786/786735a96cd6b1aa901209d475fd690a.jpg)
I thought this was a fix for a broken kickstand when I first saw it...
![Racer_6527.JPG](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/514/51475aaa9a9205ff7c8b114e42d52981.jpg)
...but when I look at it closer, there doesn't seem to be any damage on the frame where a welded one would have broken off? Plus, the stay for the fender looks pretty factory issued to me. Did these not come with a welded on kickstand? I thought they all did. I've asked about it on the Schwinn forum. I'm still keeping my eye open for a busted off kickstand mount to weld onto here just in case.
![Racer_6537.JPG](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/b86/b86ce3ef05ff0407bef31009b1b0c535.jpg)
I'll be honest. One big draw to the bike was the front fender style. A '62 would have this detail also. I could have bought a later bike in better shape for what I paid for this... but it would have a smooth fender. Gotta have the fin!
![Racer_6529.JPG](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/c44/c44bc755d3f6e339f8ab6196af16081c.jpg)
A later bike also wouldn't have the cool graphics! (Though this will likely get repainted eventually)
![Racer_6530.JPG](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/902/902303bfdaf625e02360ee6df9a2d2ea.jpg)
![Racer_6531.JPG](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/ede/ede97e2f9653e0ccf280ae2fa6a57dee.jpg)
The rear fender has taken a beating. I hope I can work these out. I think I can.
![Racer_6532.JPG](https://proxy.imagearchive.com/e26/e264b9b9808acaa58d70ee76d538ab28.jpg)
I'm not sure how many pictures can be on one post so I'll post this and add the rest in the next post.