So what is it Schwinn guys help please

[Uncle Stretch]

Its the 2 5/8 so middle weight it is.

 

[No Talent Clown]

You probably got your answer already, but I have two 50's single straight bar frames with bolt on kickstands and both are Tornado's. My Spitfire of the same decade is a normal cantilever.

 

[No Talent Clown]

1957 Spitfire

1957 Tornado (obviously not as Schwinn made it, frame's the same though)

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Your second one for sure is a regular one. Mine is for sure a middleweight. Somewhere Hooch had a picture of something called an American I think and it came as a middle weight and had the 26x 1 3/8 tires with chrome rims. We looked and the spitfire and hornet had the painted s-2 rims I believe.....where is Hooch when you need him. :shock:

 

[deorman]

Aside from paint, welded kickstand, and chain guard, my '60 something Tornado was just like No Talent Clown's Spitfire.

It was crushed by a van. :x

 

[B607]

I'd say it's a Hornet for one reason. No welded kickstand tube. Gary

shouldnt there be holes the fender for a light then ? Im guessing a Spitfire, didnt those come with bolt on stands too ?

Yep, Jeremy you're probably right.

An old guy I met named Charlie Perry used to work in the '50's and '60's for the Schwinn dealer in Springfield, IL, putting bikes together. He told me in the 50's for a year or two the kids were removing the kickstands from their bikes because they weren't cool. 8) They couldn't get the Schwinn kickstands apart to they were knocking the welded tube off with a chisel...which left a couple of holes in the stays and ruined the frame. He claimed Schwinn came out with the Hornet/Spitfire/Tornado with bolt on kickstands so the kids that didn't want them wouldn't have to destroy their frame removing them. This supposedly only lasted a couple of years. I don't know if his story is true or not, but that's what he told me. Gary

 

[Kreep]

Just bringin the thread back for a min.I just picked up a girls hornet serial reads that its a 52' Also has a bolt on kickstand.Dont have any pictures yet(shortly),but curious if the boys were getting rid of the kickstands why Schwinn whould also do this to the girls versions aswell?Simplicity?
-Kreep-

 

[udallcustombikes]

Just bringin the thread back for a min.I just picked up a girls hornet serial reads that its a 52' Also has a bolt on kickstand.Dont have any pictures yet(shortly),but curious if the boys were getting rid of the kickstands why Schwinn whould also do this to the girls versions aswell?Simplicity?
-Kreep-

The Hornet and Spitfire were the lower end bikes. Have a '55 Spitfire with a bolt on kickstand. I am guessing they used the bolt on as opposed to the welded/brazed on to cut the cost of building the cheaper bikes.

 

[B607]

The Hornet and Spitfire were the lower end bikes. Have a '55 Spitfire with a bolt on kickstand. I am guessing they used the bolt on as opposed to the welded/brazed on to cut the cost of building the cheaper bikes.

You're probably right. Even though they say it's "for the kids", it's really always for the dollar. I should know that by now. Gary