1953 Schwinn Panther w/ drum+ Liberty + Spyder 500

[Fisch]

So on a family summer vacation in Indiana last week, my father in-law says I am welcome to the old bikes he has out in the old chicken house! Score!

1953 Schwinn Panther, even has the front drum brake option! S2 rims. Cable and handle bar lever are missing, but it still works when I move it by hand. My bro in-law painted it when he was 8 years old (he is 49 now). Not sure what I am going to do with it, restore or rod, but I am psyched! Dad in-law tried fixing it up a few years ago, thus the wrong grips and pedals. The seat is wrong too, but he did that back in the 70's I think. I am honored to have this one. I am leaving it in Indiana to have something to work on on our next visit.

The right crank arm seems bent (pedal not level), and when applying a lot of pressure, there is a weird noise, as if the skip tooth chain is stretched and not quite sitting right with lots of pressure. Fine under light pressure. Could that be?

 

[Fisch]

Second score is this Liberty cruiser. It was so crusty coming out of the chicken house, but cleaned up well! I bobbed the fenders a new front rim and whitewalls, and greasing everything, all else is original as found, and this is a sweet riding bike. Schwinn seat? It was on there already.

What is the story on liberty? Says it was made in Chicago, I read that some schwinn's had a liberty badge, but this badge is a bit more modern than those I have seen. Love any info y'all have, the net seems pretty uneducated on this make. Any idea of age? I am guessing 60's?

 

[Fisch]

Finally a Sears Spyder 500 girls bike. It actually does have the proper 24" front wheel, just not on it because it was flat, so there is a little 20" on there now. The cool thing about this bike is I am customizing a boys spyder 500, and i guess this would be the match though it doesn't have the 5-speed!

 

[SimpleMan]

Great finds... :mrgreen:

 

[Markm]

Cool......where in Indiana?... :mrgreen:

 

[SimpleMan]

I think he said La Porte :shock:

Cool......where in Indiana?... :mrgreen:

 

[Markm]

:lol: :lol:

 

[deorman]

Going by the rear drop-outs, the "Liberty" is probably a Murray, it's definitely not a Schwinn. :| '60's is probably right.

 

[Fisch]

Thanks for the info guys! I was in Terre Haute In. But now am back in MA.

 

[Markm]

Thanks for the info guys! I was in Terre Haute In. But now am back in MA.

I meant the bike :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[B607]

The boys Schwinn is not a Panther. If it was, it would have the rack with one strut on each side and the rear fender would not have the ducktail. If the parts on that bike are original, it could have been a BA-107. That's the same bike as the B6 only with a straight bar frame. Since your front fender doesn't have a built in fenderlight, your bike may have also come without a tank. In that case it would have been a BA-97 or similar number for the stripped down version. Nice find and a solid start to a nice restoration.
Gary

 

[Fisch]

Wow Gary! Thanks for the info! I had a hard time iding the bike for sure, the panther is the closest I could come. I thought it was odd too there there was no provision for a fender light.

I really appreciate the info. So could you get the BA-97 with the drum brake? (Could you get it for any Schwinn?)

 

[purple]

Great score my friend! All I came up with last week was 6 free beat up kids bikes to fix up for my boys.

 

[B607]

Wow Gary! Thanks for the info! I had a hard time iding the bike for sure, the panther is the closest I could come. I thought it was odd too there there was no provision for a fender light.

I really appreciate the info. So could you get the BA-97 with the drum brake? (Could you get it for any Schwinn?)

You could buy a new bike from the Schwinn dealer and then get any part you wanted added for a few extra dollars. Front brake, rear rack. Unlike the department store bikes, Schwinn offered service and parts. If you had the money, you could outfit your bike any way you wanted and have the parts installed by the dealer.

Something else unusual about your bike. B models came with a 1/2" pitch chain, not a skip tooth with a sweetheart ring. The Panther would have had the skiptooth so who knows what parts have been switched.
Gary

 

[Fisch]

Thanks again Gary! Looks like I have a mutt here! But a Schwinn mutt.

Purple if I had half the bikes you do! You are the king of the score.

Next on my quest is to make a baloon tire roadbike! The Brimfield Antique fair is back, maybe I will try to find some fodder there!