The Schwinn Date Code listings found on many different sites around the interweb do contain some typos, as well as a few odd little notes where there are discrepancies.
I'm pretty sure you're not finding your particular one due to a typo- either a mistake in entering the data or an error in character recognition from someone years ago scanning original Schwinn documents.
Here's part of the 1953 date code chart:
( 1953 )
Date ------------- Serial #`s From -------------------- To
>>>>> 01/12 to 01/14 ------- H60001 ----------------- H16956 <<<<<<<<
01/14 to 01/16 ------- H16957 ----------------- H26563
01/16 to 01/19 ------- H26564 ----------------- H37436
01/19 ------------------ H37437 ----------------- H37753
01/28 to 01/29 ------- H37754 ----------------- H42355
01/29 ------------------ H42356 ----------------- H44000
02/02 to 02/09 ------- H44001 ----------------- H63955
02/23 ------------------ H63956 ----------------- H68054
02/23 to 02/24 ------- H68055 ----------------- H72800
02/24 to 02/25 ------- H72801 ----------------- H76850
02/25 to 02/27 ------- H76851 ----------------- H87400
03/02 to 03/06 ------- H87401 ----------------- H99999
The line I've highlighted there shows what must be a typo- the series wouldn't start at H6____ for the month, it should be H0_____
A 0 could look like a 6 if handwritten or if there was a mistake when scanning an old list.
That's what I think happened here. Your bike definitely is from that era- the early Phantom style guard, the skiptooth crank, all the details point to a 1953 model.
Myself, I have a pair of '66 Stingrays and learned that the serial numbers in January '66 were missing a digit, from the factory, due to a mistake made producing those frames. If you look at 1966 in the code charts, it says "ABOVE CODES OBVIOUSLY RECORDED IN ERROR". Well, they weren't, I've just got a blank space in mine. My January bike shows A 246xx, with a blank where there should be a "B" for the year. My February bike has a correct "BB" date, so it's built after they found the problem an fixed it.
Good luck with your Hornet, it'll be a really cool ride when it's done.
Hope this helps,
--Rob
Leobeerguy said:
Thanks again guys for all the help, but the question still remains as what is the deal with the serial number not showing up in the code listing. Curious.
I appreciate the advertisment showing what it looked like brand new, cool stuff. But I am glad to start getting it on the road soon. Thanks again. Leo