Excelsior??

[rich7659]

I just got this bike and I recognized the chain ring as Schwinn but the head badge is missing....any help would be great.
Here's what I see, the bb has W85017 stamped on it, The wheels are probabally from a western flyer(not skip tooth), not Schwinn. the crank is skip tooth. I can't wait to clean up the taillight!

 

[jalopyjimmy13]

oh baby! :shock:

 

[Rustinkerer]

It's a prewar Schwinn alright. Schwinn didn't start making their own rims until 48, I think, so those could be right although they look too clean! :lol: The chainguard is aftermarket. I think the curved downtube would make it 40-42, 39s had drop stand 'ears' on the dropouts, and I think earlier frames had a straight down tube. Pre -1948 serial numbers were lost in a fire, so it's all relative. -Adam

 

[B607]

It's a prewar Schwinn alright. Schwinn didn't start making their own rims until 48, I think, so those could be right although they look too clean! :lol: The chainguard is aftermarket. I think the curved downtube would make it 40-42, 39s had drop stand 'ears' on the dropouts, and I think earlier frames had a straight down tube. Pre -1948 serial numbers were lost in a fire, so it's all relative. -Adam

nit-pik, nit-pik, nit-pik. Adam, I just looked at my prewar Schwinn catalogs, I have '37-'41. Schwinn had curved and straight downtubes, depending on the model, in this time frame. From '37 on, the catalogs show the frames with the clips for the drop stand. No frame is shown with built-in ears on any model from '37-'41. Some '39 models of 26" bikes had dropstands, some had the Miller kickstands. By '40, all 26" bikes had Millers and only the 24" and 20" bikes had dropstands. I'm not saying this is set in stone, only telling you what the catalogs state.

The bike in the original post could be as old as '37. The locking fork came out in '35 or '36 so it's probably not older than that if original to the bike.

Schwinn had switched to wartime production by the summer of '41 (even before the war started on Dec. 7, '41) and there was no regular bike production of a '42 model. Their 6 monster Conematic (still in business) screw machines were cranking out 20mm anti-aircraft shell casings by the thousands instead of the usual bike parts for the next 4 1/2 years. Gary

 

[rich7659]

I've seen other people suggesting pulling the crank and looking for a date code stamp, would a date code be stamped on this one?
Thanks, Rich

 

[rich7659]

I've seen other people suggesting pulling the crank and looking for a date code stamp, would a date code be stamped on this one?
Thanks, Rich

I pulled ( and greased) the crank it was stamped 37....

 

[Scruffy49]

Looks a lot like my late 30s Henderson with different handlebars. Rims are correct for the era, mine wears the factory originals. Canted steering lock makes it post-36. Mine is a drop stand, still has the clip on the rear fender.

Here's mine as a reference, parked since the 50s... has been in the wife's family forever.

 

[B607]

Your bike looks right at home in that barn. 8) Gary

 

[Nickinator]

I WANT THAT LIGHT, AWESOME Bike.

 

[Outlaw90]

It looks like it to me man... The headbadge shape looks like Excelsior to me.

 

[Scruffy49]

I'll have to get the old guy to ride it this weekend. My father in law put thousands of miles on that old rust bucket. He can't remember if he bought it in 37, 38 or 39... I cut him some slack, he's 86 years old. It will be a rider tomorrow night. Ugly as sin and missing the truss rods (off to be sanded and painted), but ridable...