Schwinn DeLuxe American - 1962 , Maybe 1963

[kingfish254]

Picked this up today with a few other bikes.
I can't decode the year though.
0262204

This bike was the owner's brother's paper route bike when he was a kid in Michigan. It's missing the tank.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Re: Schwinn DeLuxe American

Are you sure that's not a "U" If it is that would make it a 1955 model which looks about right.

 

[kingfish254]

Re: Schwinn DeLuxe American

Maybe it was a "U". I can't check right now. It is at my bike stash.

This bike doesn't line up with your ad though. This one has tank tabs and I the DeLuxe American. The chainguard and the downtube decal is different too.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Re: Schwinn DeLuxe American

The chainguard, rack, and seat style came out in 1959.

 

[kingfish254]

Re: Schwinn DeLuxe American

Close, but still not the same styling on the chainguard or rack. The middle ribs loop back on this rack. The chainguard painted area if flat on the bottom and doesn't dip down like the 59.
I do think it had a half tank, because the tank tabs are only on the top tube. It was probably a flatter tank than the 59 Spitfire II though.

Thanks for the help. I am googling around also.

 

[CCR]

Re: Schwinn DeLuxe American

my guess is '62, misprints happen on the serial numbers. chainguard style (the slimmer style) matches, tube decals match and it has the slimline tank hangers on the top tube too.

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1961 ... 62_07.html

 

[kingfish254]

Re: Schwinn DeLuxe American

my guess is '62, misprints happen on the serial numbers. chainguard style (the slimmer style) matches, tube decals match and it has the slimline tank hangers on the top tube too.

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1961 ... 62_07.html

I think you might be right. Rusty513 picked up a nice one back in 2008 ( viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5278 )

 

[kingfish254]

Re: Schwinn DeLuxe American

Found this catalog page for a 1962. The Chrome fenders match too.

 

[CCR]

Re: Schwinn DeLuxe American

wish it still had the tank, then you could get a better idea, the 62 would have the "schwinn" tank screen in the chrome on the top half, later years the "schwinn" screen was lower in the painted part. I believe in 67 the seatube decal changed also if i remember right (the smaller one), the 67's had stars in them. Looks like the panther took the american deluxe's spot back over by then anyway though.

 

[kingfish254]

Re: Schwinn DeLuxe American

I decided it must be either 1962, 1963, or 1964. I can see that they may mistamp the first letter/number, but in 1965 they changed to 2 letter up front. It is less likely that it would be 1965 or newer.

1962 - Everything lines up for 1962. Chainguard, rack, seat, tank tabs. 1962 catalog says it was availble in Black
1963 - Everything lines up for 1962. Chainguard, rack, seat, tank tabs. I can't find a 1963 Catalog, so I don't know if it was available in black.
1964 - Well it's not a 1964 because they didn't make them in Black that year.

So, for sure, it could be a 1962 and it is possibly a 1963.

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

Regardless the year, that's a nice find buddy!

Cheers,
Dr. T

 

[kingfish254]

Thanks Tank. Usually it is so easy to date a Schwinn, so this detective work is kinda fun.
Did you see the Emory's I picked up?