20" Schwinn "double straighbar"

[ratina]

I forget what this frame style is called (if it even has a name) I've only seen one 20" like it on this site, I had to buy it. Got it off the bay locally. Someone turned it bmx at one point, All I want is the frame, crank/sprocket, headset cups and seatpost/clamp. Rest is up for grabs. The stem is stamped schwinn, is it a bmx stem from the late 70's? Gonna make it a stingray w/ a solo polo, squareback sissy bar and apes. Also need a wingtip guard. Would this have been a tornado? Original red paint is underneath, next year ill see what it looks like. Already has an old RRB sticker on it! haha
Sorry for the crappy cell pics my camera is dead.

 

[user 135]

Tornado had that for 1 or 2 years.

 

[ratina]

Thats what I thought. I know this frame was only made for a year or two, around 61 or 62 I think. The serial number is full of paint but it looks like it starts with A.

 

[CCR]

59 tornado

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1951 ... 59_11.html


i want to say there was a 20" skipper with that frame too maybe, i could be wrong though

edit - im wrong, skipper would have been a canti frame. :roll: silly me

 

[ratina]

59 tornado

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1951 ... 59_11.html


i want to say there was a 20" skipper with that frame too maybe, i could be wrong though

edit - im wrong, skipper would have been a canti frame. :roll: silly me

Thanks for the link, I want to strip the blue off and see what the original paint looks like, but ill have to wait until its warm next year. Then I will be able to see the serial number as well. Wasnt the first Skipper a straight bar?

 

[user 135]

When it turned to a BMX bike, the little dude must of bent his first stem. Those stems came out during the initial bmx craze along with the fork with Ashtubla cast down the side.

 

[Wildcat]

My friend in ND has a 61 Skipper with the double straight bar. 26". The original paint, although nearly gone, was there enough to ID it from a catalog. The white head tube was the giveaway. I also found photos of other skippers, some had the twin straight bars end at the seat post, others were integral all the way back to the dropouts. They also had the kickstand that bolted on instead of the usual Schwinn built in kind.

 

[user 135]

The frame is a little different on the Skipper as the twin tubes go all the way to the rear dropouts(cantilever).

 

[MBblue6]

Those rims on the original posters bike seem nice. What are they? Yes your bike is a tornado. Nice find. Matt

 

[Bicyclerick]

Its a tornado, they were made in 59-60 and came in 20" 24" and 26". Heres what they looked like, my 59 24"

 

[ratina]

Those rims on the original posters bike seem nice. What are they? Yes your bike is a tornado. Nice find. Matt

There mis-matched, the front is a heavy duty rim, straight, ill see if I can find markings on it. Rear has no name, slight hop, with bendix 76 hub. both for sale if your interested.

Its a tornado, they were made in 59-60 and came in 20" 24" and 26". Heres what they looked like, my 59 24"

Cool! Thanks for the pics! Mine was originally red also.

 

[Wildcat]

Tornado all right, it was the only bike with that frame before 1960. The Skipper didn't come out until 1960 in 20" and 1961 in 26" size. and then only until 63. I read where the Typhoon was offered with that frame in 63, but I've never seen one. Here's one of Crassley's I found.

 

[Rustinkerer]

I read where the Typhoon was offered with that frame in 63, but I've never seen one.

This has been widely debated. The Typhoon was introduced in 62, and most Schwinn fans insist it was the only frame that had the twin straight bars go all the way to the dropouts. Wildcat's friend's Skipper blows that theory outta the water! The Tornado was intro'd in late 57 as a new 58 model. There may have been a couple 58-9s with the Flying Star name. I believe the Skipper was 61-3, but the 63 model (as well as 63-up Typhoons) had the standard canti frame w/built in kickstand. ~Adam

 

[CCR]

as far as the 62 typhoon canti straightbar frame, i believe ive seen a tornado, skipper and a flying star (all usually 61's) just as rustinkerer says with the "62 typhoon" frame. i think it was really just meant to be the new "economy" bike frame and got used wherever they wanted in the begining, and then they must have realized they could just stick a canti frame on any bike and it would sell the same :lol: