It's not important, I just want to know: 1976 Coppertone canti?

[Purzell]

Earlier this summer I picked up a Schwinn apparently Coppertone canti bike that had been reworked into a three speed by someone at some point. Everything appears to be original except the wheelset.
The serial number is on the headtube: FM561876 which per the decoder makes this a June 1976 bike.
Today I disassembled it and the cranks are stamped 76 as well. I assume it's a 1976!
However, there are no Coppertone canti frames in 1976 per the only catalog I can find online. The Typhoon came in Flamboyant Red. This bike isn't faded red. When I pulled out the forks to grease the bearings I can see the Coppertone overspray part way up the steerer tube just like every other Schwinn I have ever had. I don't see another color under the paint in the scratched areas.

So the question is: Am I wrong? Was there a Coppertone cantilever frame bike in 1976?

**per the title, it's not important. I'm having a blast with this bike! I'm just curious**

 

[RustySprockets]

Bikes of the vintage typically have a date code stamped on the headbadge that consists of the Julian date and the year. Look for it near the letter "I." As for the color...I'd trust my own lyin' eyes over any catalog, that may or may not be accurate in its content.

 

[Wildcat]

Everything about bikes is important.

Schwinn went to the headtube for serial numbers around 1970. Before that they were stamped on the rear dropout. Coppertone was available only 63-68 on the cantilever frames and then none after 1970. It couldn't be factory paint. There were only two cantilever framed bikes in 76, yellow Heavy Duti and red and black Typhoon. I think yours is a red Typhoon that faded and then was repainted. It looks like Coppertone so that's a plus. Whoever converted it to 3 speed went through the whole bike and painted it. It also has regular size rims, not S-7 which is also a plus for tire selection.

 

[Wildcat]

I did some digging, thinking the primer or base coat might be reason. Here's info that shows that Schwinn red fades to a different color. So I think that's what happened to yours and that's original paint.
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/schwinn-base-coat.155633/

 

[Purzell]

Wildcat— I suspect you are right on the first count, because if it had been red I think the overspray on the steerer tube, protected from the elements, would be red still. Also it’s universally the same color all over the bike, brighter coppertone under the BB shell where it’s protected.
Whoever repainted this bike did a great job back whenever. Coppertone has always been one of my favorite colors. But those serial numbers don’t lie.
Thanks for your time and investigative efforts!

 

[Wildcat]

Agreed, coppertone is also a favorite of mine.

Here's a 65 Continental I converted to a 26" cruiser with a Sachs 3 speed coaster.

 

[Purzell]

Wow that looks awesome! I love that particular bar too. Every time I have come across a scrap bike with those bars I have held onto them.
I love my coppertone bike so much I think it will get a nice wheel set this year.