1948 Schwinn New World
 

I was just gifted this Schwinn New World from a frieind. From my research it is post ww2 and pre 1950. probably 1948. If anyone out there has one of these I would appreciate if you could post some pictures. The handle bars are old but don't look original. The wheels are 26" with rusty spokes but pretty nice original rims. Will it take S 6 tires and is there a good source for them. It came with a 2 speed rear hub with coaster brake. I might want to add a front caliper brake as well. The one I have seen looks a lot like a Raleigh. Anyone know the brand for sure?

Would Raleigh fenders be appropriate. The ones in pictures I have seen look like them. I have quite a few in my pile of old parts.

lastly(for now) does anyone have a source for an original decal set. I have yet to find them.

lastly again, What about paint? It would look nice with a new coat of paint but I am kind of liking the patina too. Maybe just new decals and a clear coat over the original paint?

Talk to me !!!https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4db6000ac0.jpg
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It's a post-war New World, 1946-52 era. Unfortunately, it is in tough shape. The fork is bent. Everything has been re-painted. Bars have been swapped out. Saddle is not original. Pedals also swapped. Grips have been swapped. Fenders and chain guard are missing.

On the plus side, the multispeed coaster hub set up and associated hardware are quite valuable.

Schwinn S6 rims would be stock (597mm tires).

Schwinn used different fenders from Raleigh. The Schwinn fenders were painted and semi-round in profile. The Raleigh types generally have a rain gutter profile.

I'd regard the bike as a parts bike, particularly with that hub and hardware, and look instead for a better example to build up.

Wow, I'd say @SirMike1983 is spot on except for one thing. Ride it if you like it. I agree that it looks rough. Yea, the fork is bent, But not too much. It could be bent back carefully and gently. The grips are't original but they are Schwinn grips and comfortable ones at that. Wald has handlebars that would be more appropriate or find a coop or a Schwinn Breeze or something similar for not much money. You may even score decent fenders from a Breeze or similar Schwinn 26" wheel bike.

Then the spokes. I'd ride it until I decided for sure that I like the bike enough to build a new wheel for it. Then I would be tempted to go with more common 590 rims. Actually, your rims might clean up nicely.

That's my two cents. I can see this riding again. It won't be worth it money or time wise. I like resurrecting old bikes.

capnjonny if it matters anything, I wouldn't even wipe the dust, and would enjoy the hell out of it. Nice bikes you can have plenty, and most probably there are better starter packs for those. But this is a real character.
I felt tempted to comment on it in the other thread, as for a non-knower like myself, this was the interesting one, but I noticed it got its own thread. If your hands are itching, maybe light cleanup and oil the whole thing or apply those patina sealants the rat rod builders use on the rusted chassis, then call it a day.

Straighten the fork, repack whatever needs attention, adjust the bars and saddle to your liking - or swap them to something you prefer - and enjoy it as a rat rod.

It might work its way into your heart, it might not. But it makes more sense to experience it before plunking down a huge wad of cash on it. After all, this isn't a Huffy! (nudge nudge, wink wink to AdventureManCO and his crazy Campagnolo-build LeBlander Not-So-Sportier).

-Kurt

If you're dead set on fixing it and riding it, it's certainly a doable thing. The frame is relatively strong, as is the fork, and the steel is a relatively workable variety if you need to straighten using the frame/fork arm. You'll want to straighten the fork, clean and re-pack all bearings. Replace items with badly worn bearings or races. I guess you could sand and do a rattle can refinish if you really wanted to as well. I love old Schwinn utility bikes. The New World is a personal favorite of mine. Just be aware you've got a fair bit of work ahead of you. Nice find anyway.

Thanks for the above comments.
I do quite a few restorations for the Bike Exchange here in Silly Cone Valley and have the tools to straighten the forks and do any other repairs necessary. . I will definately do a mechanical restoration on this bike and may paint it later but for now I am going to just clean it up and ride it. I was born in February 1948 so this bike is as old as I am. I look at it as sort of a birthday present.

I would like to know if a decal set is available for it.

I'm going to politely disagree that @capnjonny 's New World has been repainted. I once had a Superior pass through my hands which dated from 1949-50 (based on the SA AW hub and other clues) which is a close or exact color match. It definitely was not repainted. Hope this is helpful.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...720&fit=bounds

It looks to me as if his badge has been painted over as well, which the factory would not have done.

I think the combination of the harsh and bright lighting, considerable dust/dirt/rust, and significant patina, makes it difficult to tell for certain. I've been curious about the head badge as well. Is it possible that it is a nice layer of corrosion or dust?

We need better pictures. Closeups of the head badge and headtube, preferably cleaned and the paint polished, would be helpful. I'd like to encourage @capnjonny to post more pictures taken indoors after some spot cleaning.

Neat old Schwinn, thanks for sharing, Universal Cycles has the S6 tires.
Tim

Or instead of indoors, outdoors in a shaded area. Full-sun pics are usually pretty bad for trying to see color and details.

Decals**********?

Hey, I just got the bike in my hands a few days ago. Have not had a chance to clean it yet.

I did check out the head badge though. It is actually in good shape. Under the dirt It is definately a New World.

I have been busy tha last couple weeks rebuilding the fence that runs across the front of my property that was blown down by this winters wind storm.

The estimates I got for rebuilding it shocked me at around $5,000. Rather than put up all new wood I bought con heart redwood posts and rails to replace the pressure treated posts that failed in 2 years, propped up 3 posts that were still intact but blown over due to the super saturated soil, and re used all of the 1x8x4' full cut redwood boards. Total cost for posts, rails, and 4 bags of cc mix $850. ( that redwood is like gold and only found at the best lumber yards).

Now that the fence is standing again I can get back to playing with bikes. The New World is going to get a nice cleaning and then reassessed. I also have a Schwinn Varsity that I am going to do a weight weenie build on. New Aluminum cranks , aluminum 1x8 running gear, Flip flop bars, 700 c fork from a Bianchi, 700 c race whels and tires, and other insanity to follow. Looking for inspiration on paint.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...n-varsity.html

Straighten the fork.
rebuild all the bearings.
for a cosmetic restoration, start with a more complete example I suggest.

You will probably need to design and make your own. Our best source for Schwinn decals closed this past December.

Bicycle Bones in Sodus, New York should have some of the decals that are shared with the other models from that era (particularly anything on the balloon tire bikes). The New World specific decals have fallen out of production as far as I know. Velocals stopped producing and Bicycle Bones only has some of what you need. You would probably have to study originals and reproduce your own to round out the set.

@capnjonny if you run out of ideas - and don't need Gus Salmon quality and you don't need it in really short time - I can trace you a new world decal pack just for kicks. Then you take or send the file to a print shop who can make it happen.
The trick here is that some of these were printed with gold metal paint, especially the tube set decal. Some but not all print shops do such things...
Here's a rough sketch (before applying a vertical stretch to to compensate for the tubes round surface on the reference photo) vs a photo of a top tube decal.


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Lattz,

Thanks for the offer. I am going to do a little more research on the bike, clean it, and then decide which road to take on the restoration. I will post again when I have a plan and may take you up on your offer.

For what it's worth, I've never seen a New World with a straight fork.

I couldn't help myself when Rudi mentions the lack of a straight fork on New Worlds. I bought my pre-war New World as a frameset with this fork. :p
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That seems to be a good point rhm. I think you're onto something. I would guess that the steel used in the pre-world war II forks were more malleable than later forks, even what some would call "gaspipe" or for example a Peugeot UO-8 which had plain carbon steel but seems to not bend the fork so easily. The other interesting thing to note is that the fork tubes bent rather than bending at the fork crown on the New World that @pastorbobnlnh showed.

Being mailable, it should be able to bend back without too much drama.

Are you sure it is not a Hetchins?
Maybe these were used as "home made" stayer bikes bitd..

Now I'm getting all horny to dig in to the New World. As some have mentioned this is not going to be a money making project but who gives a flying fork.

I have the Varsity totaly stripped down and weighed the frame yesterday.

9.4 lbs.!!!with the bearing races removed.

That is about 2 lbs. heavier than any other frame I have weighed.
I checked the bottom bracket adaptor I got for it and it fits. Now I need to get the last of the grease off the frame so I can paint it. Then I guess I will go ahead with building it up. It will be interisting to see how much it weighs with most of the steel bits replaced with aluminum.
I cleaned the wheels and crank and they polished up nicely. The wheels have very nice tires on them so I am going to hang them up and wait till I get another old schwinn that I can use them on.

One of the heavy parts on a Varsity frameset is the solid bladed fork. Do you plan to swap it out?