Schwinn Experts, Phantom Serial Number Help?

Tailwinds · Oct 4, 2011

I bought a mostly restored Black Phantom in pieces over the weekend. Everything looks on the up-and-up but I'm having trouble with the serial, I'm afraid it's one of those overlapping numbers....

C01404

I can't tell if it's a '52, '53, or '57. Are there other elements about the bike that I can use to date it? The parts are restored, and a few are repops so I unfortunately don't have a photo of the bike in its OG condition to help guide me.

Also, were there differences between the original Typhoon Cord white walls and the repopped ones from the 90's??? I'm suddenly wondering if I got a pristine set of OG white wall Typhoon Cords.

Slick Rick · Oct 4, 2011

Wher is the ser. # located? A 52 # would be under the bottom bracket. What type of springer does it have? A 57 type would be a non-locking type with a "through the fork" pivot bolt. Do your tires have a "Gum" rubber interior? If so, they are repops. If not, originals. :wink: Hope that helps.

Tailwinds · Oct 4, 2011

Ahhh, ok, this helps get me going in a direction, thanks Slick Rick!

The serial is on the rear dropout, BUT, I thought that change was made in '52 (I have a '52 in the other room with it on the dropout), according to http://www.angelfire.com/rant/allday101 ... odes1.html

Springer is a locking type! So that eliminates '57 and narrows it down.

Tires are repops, I figured as much, I'm just happy to have some WW Typhoon Cords.

Wildcat · Oct 4, 2011

Pull the cranks and look for a 2 digit stamp in the middle.

Tailwinds · Oct 4, 2011

Wildcat said:
Pull the cranks and look for a 2 digit stamp in the middle.

I thought that too. The crank says only "AS&CO", no date casting..... I'm not sure if they were doing the crank date casting into the 50's?????

But please keep up the ideas, thanks guys.