silvercreek

Part of the speculation that my 1978 Paramount was a special ordered bike was correct. It was ordered as a frameset by Jerry's Schwinn Cycley in Coon Rapids Minnesota just north of Minneapolis.

I ask Waterford about the 6 pointed star stamp on the under-side of the BB housing and they had no information other than to comment that it very likely was put there by the BB housing manufacturer.

photogravity

Hey Dane, what led you to believe that the bicycle was special-ordered other than the 6-point star? As many here on the forums had stated, the star seemed not to be indicative of anything special, since there were other examples of that star that were provided when this was discussed. I'm just asking because now Waterford has confirmed what others have already said regarding the star, there must be something else that makes this bike different than other Paramounts of that era.

silvercreek

The fact that nobody knew what the 6 pointed star was for, along with the Campus Green not being one of the 11 standard colors for '78 are the only things that could have indicated a special order. I don't know anything about the Paramount. It was mostly speculation and guess work that made it a possible special order. In a way wasn't it a special order if the dealer ordered it as a frameset and ask for it to be painted Campus Green, which was not a standard color? I don't guess it makes a lot of difference one way or the other.

The only thing odd about the star is that nobody knows what it was intended to indicate. So far I haven't found anyone else with a Paramount that has a 6 pointed star stamp. Just saying!

Metacortex

Waterford confirmed what the star was for. It was used for quality control tracking, and has nothing to do with either Paramounts, bottom bracket mfrs. or custom orders. More about that here: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post14172616

silvercreek

That settle that. I wonder why after asking Waterford Schwinn about the 6 pointed star, they didn't include that information in my provenance report. Sounds like the left hand don't know what the right hand is doing.

Thanks!

dbakl

If special ordered, does it mean geometry is different than standard? I ask because my chrome '72 seems to have an unusually high bottom bracket.

silvercreek

Well it turns out that Schwinn Chicago isn't the only one that didn't maintain accurate records. After spending $50 for a provenance report, Schwinn Waterford was able to tell me what dealer originally ordered the frameset, at least I thought. They can only furnish information that they had but it wasn't correct. The original bike shop that ordered it was Jerry's Schwinn in Coon Rapids, MN. The provenance report stated that the frameset was ordered by Jerry's Schwinn Cyclery. The current owner named Jerry is not the same Jerry that owned the bike shop when the Paramount was ordered from Schwinn. The 2 bike shops are in the same building just 2 different owners whose names happened to be Jerry.

Not that it make a lot of difference. I just thought that was an odd coincidence.

cudak888 

I don't get it. There were two bike shops that existed in the same building in Coon Rapids, MN; one of which was called Jerry's Schwinn, and another owned by a fellow named Jerry?

-Kurt

silvercreek

The current owner Jerry, bought out Jerry's Schwinn in 1988 from the original owner and only changed the name from Jerry's Schwinn to Jerry's Schwinn Cyclery. The 2 businesses did not exist at the same time.

cudak888 

I understand now. What was the shop's name prior to the renaming?

-Kurt

silvercreek

"Jerry's Schwinn"

How I found all of this, I called Jerry's Schwinn Cyclery to see if they had any records that far back as to whom the Paramount was sold to and if it was built at the bike shop, what components it had and any other information they may have had.

Waterford Schwinn wasn't interested in correcting their records.

Vntgeparamount

I also have a Schwinn Paramount with a Six pointed star on it - I was told that the frame was used in the Olympics by the US National Team.

rhenning

Not true about the bike being used by the Olympics. The star is on all bottom brackets from the manufacturer that Schwinn used. Roger

Metacortex

The six-pointed star had nothing to do with the Olympics. Schwinn stamped bottom brackets with all kinds of tracking symbols for internal use, the star was just one of them.

Vntgeparamount

Do you know who the bottom bracket manufacturer was? (Reynolds / Mainland?), because somebody else also replied to this post and responded that the stamp was for an internal factory control such as tracking? or QC?

Also, I cannot find a serial number on the Frame - because that's what I was originally looking for , all I can find is the 6 pointed star.

My father who has past, was a Tool & Die Engineer at Schwinn in Chicago, he did mention that the Frame was used by the US national Team in the Olympics - I am also trying to find out which Olympics it was 1968/ 1972/ 1976?

rhenning

Serial number was on the left rear drop out. The BBs were supplied by many different companies over the years so that would be totally dependant on the bike. Some of the early ones were even made buy Schwinn itself. Reynolds never made BBs only tubing. My 1974 for example had Nervex lugs but a different BB. Pugnat I believe but I am not sure about that. Pictures would help your quest for information. If the bike truly was an Olympic bike it may not have a serial number. Roger

Vntgeparamount

Serial# B8001 on the dropout- Does anyone have any information regarding the serial# - Year made, etc.

machinist42

Serial Number suggests a February 1968, or a February 1980 build?

If you post more photos, preferably of the Drive Side, to your Album, it will help.

Welcome Back, after a 9 year hiatus.

trainman999

It's a Feb 1980 frame. We discussed it some time ago cant find the post right now. It was on Ebay for about 6 monthes last year because it has a Tange fork and what looks like a factory paint and decals I think it may have been an evaluation frame. Were they going to cut corners to bring price down or were they going to make Paramounts more exclusive? History says more exclusive and this became an 81-83 Superior. Some feel it was a warenty replacment frame. My thoughts on it being a warenty frame it should have a Paramount fork from the frame it replaced.

pastorbobnlnh 

Let me just add that the paint coverage and exposed chrome on the dropout, is similar, if not the same as my 1983 Paramount.



We need more pictures. Here's hoping Vntgeparamount doesn't reenter hibernation for another 9 years!

cudak888 

This really deserves its own thread, but I'll bite: B8001 with a Tange fork? Does the finish appear to be original, and if so, is it on the fork too?

Like @trainman999, I swear this one has come up before, but Google doesn't want to help me find it.

I don't want to say anything this early on (and because there's always some jerk who'll take rumor and theory and twist it into fact), but if it meets this description, I'm thinking - possibly - anearly Superior.

-Kurt

machinist42

One salient difference between the subject Schwinn and pastorbobnlnh 's '83, (and my '64 for that matter), Paramount(s) is the stay end treatment. Schwinn seems to have had a recipe, and the stay end finish of the subject bicycle is more similar to that of my '64 Super Sport then the sharply chiseled typical Paramount approach.

But it's all likely moot until this discussion rises from the dead next decade?

Vntgeparamount

Its been a while - let me see if I can upload more pictures to the album

Vntgeparamount

In the album it shows the stamped star on the underbelly of the crank case of the Schwinn Paramount

pastorbobnlnh 

What size are the tires/wheels? 27 inch, 700c, or 26 inch MTB?




This decal and the date from the left rear dropout serial number, point to a very early Waterford Paramount, or possibly a contracted-out earl '80s Superior as cudak888 suggested earlier. IIRC, the fork crown in the first picture is similar to an early '80s Superior.