A Little Help on a Serial Number...

[brett4christ]

Picked up this Schwinn cantilever a couple weeks ago and I have some cool ideas for a mild custom cruiser. I’ve been slowly cleaning it to ready it for stripes and clear.

Can anyone help me with dating the serial number!

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[RustyGold]

Look up tool returns...
Congrats! Your bike is an original Chicago Schwinn.
Built: 06/01 of 1959.

Jason

 

[brett4christ]

Thanks Jason! I was hoping late ‘50’s!!


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[Wildcat]

June 18, 1958.
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/allday101/SchwinnCodes3.html

 

[brett4christ]

Do I hear ‘57?!?!


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[RustyGold]

June 18, 1958.
http://www.angelfire.com/rant/allday101/SchwinnCodes3.html

...which is why I put the source, as I got four dates for my straightbar. One off the lookup tool, and three different dates off the angelfire page

Jason

 

[RustyGold]

...and mine ranged from '52 to '60 for a straight bar, so your pattern looks a little tighter

Jason

 

[Fv2]

Do I hear ‘57?!?!


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Why not.

I'll say it's a June 57.

 

[Wildcat]

Those late 50's numbers are complicated to figure out, they change from one letter to the next but keep the number sequence. They start and cutoff at odd numbers also.
The 1959 list shows E939xxx to F942xxx on Jun 1st. Same type thing for Jun 1st on the 59 list. The computer must have thought it started the Fs at 0 and went to 942xxx, so it put your number there. That'a a lot of bikes in one day.
The June 18th 58 numbers match up much better. No other F number with 6 numbers comes close.

But it would be the same frame either year.

 

[brett4christ]

Thanks guys!!


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[RustyGold]

...and the F8 being month and year (June 58), cements it. I just ran with the easy 'type in the # and get the result'...which has now spit out two bad dates in the last two attempts. I think I'll stop using it .

Jason

 

[brett4christ]

Thanks guys!!

Here’s some before and after shots of the cleanup...

Another quick question...did Schwinn typically paint the cream or green first on this style bike in 1958?

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[Wildcat]

I think the green went first, it's showing on the inside of the head tube.

 

[brett4christ]

I think the green went first, it's showing on the inside of the head tube.

Kinda what I figured...just odd that I can’t get rid of the rust stain on the down tube. I may try to touch the cream up a bit then satin clear over it.

Thanks!


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