Late 50's Schwinn value ? W/Pic

[RollinStyle]

I came accross a 1958 (?) Schwinn phantom style bike for sale.... 8)

It has brand new repro fenders but everyting else seems og like the tank and gaurd..og Rims and tires are good.

Most of the paint is off the bike and tank. but no rust... It will need a new paint job...looks like it may have been red and black.

I don't know a lot about the value on these types of schwinns but I really like the bike...

He wants $500 and I think he is firm on the price. Just wondering roughly what these bikes are worth.

I would love to have it in my collection to restore some day. :mrgreen:

 

[12bcruzin]

Re: Late 50's Schwinn phantom value ?

Without pics hard to tell but not a bad price...just make sure you have as many original parts as possible (Bars, stem, seat, lights, reflector, pedals and hardware) as these can really add up later but at least parts are always around...but the key here is "I really like it" ...

 

[RollinStyle]

Re: Late 50's Schwinn phantom value ?

Cruzin-

Thanks for the reply...I found out it was not a phantom but a hornet delux or a panther? He said he was going to put the chrome fenders on it and make it a phantom?? I do like the bike but I just thought $500 was a lot for a bike like this but it sounds like they go for a lot of money when they are complete and or restored right.... 8) Are these bike hard to find? Rare at all?

 

[expjawa]

Re: Late 50's Schwinn phantom value ?

It takes more than chrome fenders to make a Hornet Deluxe into a Phantom clone. Different sprocket, chain guard, headlight, wheels/tires, paint schemes, etc. Sounds like maybe he's either using the Phantom name to try to drive his price up or he's clueless. I would imagine that if the Hornet/Panther was in good condition and intact, it would be worth $300-400, maybe even his $500. But it definately isn't Phantom money, and this isn't a super deal on a Phantom.

 

[2manybikes]

Re: Late 50's Schwinn phantom value ?

A Hornet is a straightbar frame and a Phantom is a cantilever frame. A Hornet could be made into a Panther, but not a Phantom.
$500 is too much

 

[RollinStyle]

Re: Late 50's Schwinn phantom value ?

I guess he has the og chain gaurd and both repo fenders...What ya think?

 

[CCR]

It's just a parts bike and those dont look like "phantom" fenders either. The rear is painted and theres no battery tray built into the front fender. Seat looks wrong for a phantom too and those are 2 of the bigger cost items in making a phantom not to mention the fender light itself. The most I would give personally is $300 if I really really wanted it, for $500 you could could probably find a more complete bike just needing cleaned up and a paint job to look really nice in my opinion. Plus its hard to tell if thats a schwinn fork from the pic glare.

 

[CCR]

Re: Late 50's Schwinn phantom value ?

A Hornet is a straightbar frame and a Phantom is a cantilever frame. A Hornet could be made into a Panther, but not a Phantom.
$500 is too much

Most Hornets are straight bars but later years were cantilever frames but still had painted fenders, standard seat and a stamped fender light.

 

[expjawa]

Re: Late 50's Schwinn phantom value ?

Most Hornets are straight bars but later years were cantilever frames but still had painted fenders, standard seat and a stamped fender light.

What he said. If you look at the '58 catalog, it shows it as a cantilever middleweight. The deluxe version had a springer fork.

 

[CCR]

Re: Late 50's Schwinn phantom value ?

If you look at the '58 catalog, it shows it as a cantilever middleweight. The deluxe version had a springer fork.

I forgot about the middleweight part too, wrong frame even in those cases. :wink:

 

[2manybikes]

I stand corrected on the generalization about hornets being straightbars.
Looking at the pic it is definately a hodge podge of parts. I still think $500 is on the high side. I would also check to see if the rims are S2s, they kind of look like they might be S7s.

 

[schwinner]

also another thing to point out..correct me if im wrong but arent all phantom frames,be it straight or cantilever painted with the scallops on the frame? i think the feather and dot style was on hornets and mid price range frames.

 

[jwm]

Best bet with this bike would be to keep the basic bike for a rider, and part out the rest. It looks to be a middleweight with springer, and a DX sprocket to boot. You could sell off the fenders, tanks, rack, and chainguard to offset the purchase. Even at that, it's not worth $500.. I'd maybe go $300. considering you could make half of that back selling off the parts.

JWM