Help w/Schwinn ID

[dos cruiser]

I have an old Schwinn I can't quit ID the code #s are C59491. I've looked at the Schwinn codes and I get
(6-20 - 6-27 of 52) then I find (11-3 - 11-4 of 53) and I also find (5-3 - 5-22 of 57). How do I determine the correct year.
This bike looks like a Black Phantom, but I'm not sure of that because when I bought it, it had no fenders, front drum brake or tank. It does have the nice pedals and you can see some scratches were a tank might of been on it at one time. Any help?

Thanks, Dos

 

[user 135]

Pics needed. There was crossover on serial numbers and pics help to ID.

 

[Wildcat]

On the inside portion of the cranks should be a 2 digit number, if those are the right cranks for it. That would be the last two digits of the year of manufacture. This one is a 63.

 

[dos cruiser]

Thanks cman, I don't have a camara to take a pic with right now.

Wildcat your right, I need to take it apart and check that date, it should be close.

Thanks for the input. I'll let you know the date when I take it apart.

 

[Wildcat]

You're the 3rd person in the last couple months to have a bike with the serial number within that 3 year confusion. I wonder if the serial number charts are right. Or they inadvertently used the same numbers all three years, strange because all the other numbers were kept in sequence.

I'd like to find out what the other 2 found out about the actual year of their bikes, that might shed some light on it.

 

[NLCTVWguy]

We have the same problem. It does seem that Schwinn inadvertently ran into some duplicate numbers as they changed and revised their serial number system a couple of times over the years. The early 50's are the most common place for this confusion.

It's important to note where the serial number is on the frame- the earliest bikes have it under the crank and the 52-on bikes have it on the left rear dropout.

I have a 1946-47 ladies Schwinn with the number below the crank, and it's earlier than the numbers on the list, so I've guessed at the date. Nothing else on the bike yielded a date- the crank is simply stamped AS & CO.

We have a Black Phantom, a nice restoration from just a frame and springer fork (with original black and orange paint) when we started. It could be 52 or 53 given its number. It would be nice to know but there's no sure way to tell without some other part to confirm the date.

Good luck with yours, it'll be cool either way!
--Rob

You're the 3rd person in the last couple months to have a bike with the serial number within that 3 year confusion. I wonder if the serial number charts are right. Or they inadvertently used the same numbers all three years, strange because all the other numbers were kept in sequence.

I'd like to find out what the other 2 found out about the actual year of their bikes, that might shed some light on it.