joesch

Help ID 1973 Schwinn model ? converted to SS

Serial number H973139 indicates H - August 1973 model 139 produced if I translated correctly?

Model has the following characteristics:


Steel 1020 lugged tubing that Schwinn called X-tra light

Steel fork with chrome "socks" i
Sugino Super Maxi crankset
Weinmann 605 brakes

Other bits have been changed or removed.
FYI: Bike originally sold from Las Vegas Schwinn Cycles as silver tag shows

TIA for any help and/or comments

dedhed

Look for 4 digits stamped on headbadge

https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/...r%20the%20year.
​​​​​​https://bikecatalogs.org/SCHWINN/198...fications.html

joesch

Head badge 2819 stamped in and it is screwed on, not bolted.

I started looking at the links dedhed provided (thanks) and the
https://bikecatalogs.org/SCHWINN/198...fications.html shows that only the Super LeTour provided the Weinmann 605 brakes *but* this was 1980.

https://vintageamericanbicycles.com/...r%20the%20year

Starting in 1976 another four digit number is on the head badge itself which is a Julian date with the first three numbers being the number of the day and the last number the year.

For bikes built from 1952-1969 the serial number is located on the rear drop out

Both of these statement do not support the rear drop out on my bike which indicated 1973.

More research or help is still needed, Im getting more confused

dedhed

Start with the headbadge #. What makes you think the brake is original?

joesch

Ok since the Head badge is 2819 would mean 281 days into 1979 which should be October 9, 1979

It is possible the headbadge is not original and same for the breaks but the rear dropout is a secure part of the frame given the lug was not replaced and this is the most unlikely given it would involve frame welding.

At this point, Im still thinking this frame is most likely 1973 and still really not sure about the model.

Thanks for all the help above

Schweinhund

From the stickers, I'd lay odds on the 1979 production date.

joesch

The https://www.schwinnbikeforum.com/SLD...dtail_7579.htm are the models using 1020 steel lugged frame and from 1975..1979
Only a few of these models, like the 79 Super LeTourII, were only as below and included Weinmann "605 Deluxe" side pull brakes without suicide levers.

1020 steel lugged frame. Chrome tipped tubular fork

Many other models were:

4130 chrome-moly fillet-brazed main frame with 1020 carbon steel rear stays. Chrome tipped tubular fork.

Looking like this frame should be 75..79 based on tubing but Not based on the dropout SN

Schweinhund

the dropout serial was not applicable in the later years, other manufacturers were being contracted.
is there a date code stamped into the brakes? if they are early 1980, you are probably right about the super letour.

dedhed

Xtra-Lite wasn't a thing in 1973.

​​​​​​https://waterfordbikes.com/SchwinnCa...0/1973_01.html

John D

Torch brazed in Chicago in 1979, 1980 model Super Le Tour. The lugged frame bikes used a different serial format, can't stamp a number on the head tube with the head lug there.

dedhed

https://www.schwinnbikeforum.com/SLD...dtail_7579.htm

dedhed

joesch

Im really thinking I cant trust any of the bits on the frame including the stickers and even badge.
I thought the dropout SN would be the most accurate but as Schweinhund noted above, this may not even be accurate.

Will check brakes for a date stamp like dedhed shows above ...

Bottom line is its a steel lugged frame with chromed fork socks and does not feel too heavy.

dedhed

Serial number H973139 Head badge 2819
Aug 79 frame Oct 79 assembly makes sense


Bicycles from Japan will have Serial Numbers located on the left, rear axle hanger, on the bottom bracket shell or on the lower section of the headlug. The number will have a production month letter in either the first or second position and a production year number in the other (first or second) position. Examples: J677123 = September, 1976. For some Japanese built Schwinns the headbadge will have a 4-digit stamping that represents the assembly date and consists of the ordinal day and the last digit of the year (2456 decodes to the 245th day of 1976 or 1986 -- use decals and components to determine the decade). The ordinal dating was adopted for Schwinn's domestic production in 1976.

https://www.schwinnbikeforum.com/SLDB/serial.htm

Vintage Schwinn

As someone previously mentioned, IT IS NOT A 1973 FRAME !!!

It hails from the last few years that the Chicago factory was in existence. (late 1979 onward).

The JAPANESE YEN began to rise against the US DOLLAR as the seventies were coming to a close.
Just as the German Mark had risen drastically compared to the US Dollar some six to seven years earlier beginning in 1972-1973, Schwinn thought that this could be a frightening trend since virtually all of Schwinn's top quality, true lightweight bicycles (except the PARAMOUNT) had been produced overseas in JAPAN since 1972. Schwinn was afraid that Japanese made units would rise too high, so to hedge their exposure to possible currency valuation changes that could possibly escalate unit costs and retail prices, also possibly reducing unit margins, Schwinn hedged their bets to such possible sxposures and elected to begin producing some former Japanese style bikes in house in the ancient Chicago factory in the very late seventies (1979).

Schwinn gained a tremendous amount of knowlege from the Japanese Panasonics that were made for them and were imported between 1972 and the late seventies decision to make some essentially close copies of them in-house in the ancient Chicago factory. The problem was that their factory was severely outdated compared to the Japanese factories and shortly thereafter the UAW won over the laborers in the Chicago factory, and Schwinn was doomed, although nobody on earth here in the USA would have predicted just how bad the economy, interest rates, and unemployment would simultaneously be as 1979 turned into 1980, and for the next three years with two severe recessions in two years as the eighties began. Bicycle sales would fall off the cliff in 1981, and all the major players(manufacturers) would find themselves in serious financial problems at that time. There are several Wall Street Journal and New York Times articles during 1981 that detail this.


The fact that your bicycle has an H prefix to the serial number means nothing in the Schwinn serial number context as per the year you want to believe.
You are in fact confusing the fact that from the mid sixties until about the Chicago end (.....at least through 1980) Chicago was done by end of 1982, you are confusing the fact that THE SECOND LETTER of the TWO LETTER PREFIX indicates the YEAR. All Chicago made bikes excepting the Paramount followed this code from mid sixties through at least 1977, most all of them through 1980.
------- Yes, in a Schwinn serial number with a two letter prefix beginning with say BH265023 that would indicate 1972........it indicates Feb 1972.
That serial number would also have been located on the frame headtube nearest the fork, below the headbadge........Serial number moved to this location during the 1970 model year. Prior to about mid 1970, the serial number with the two letter prefix that began in mid sixties, was located nearest the rear drop out.
****THE TINY SIDEWAYS STAMPED TINY four number Production Day of YEAR that is stamped into the headbadge, DID NOT BECOME A STANDARD FEATURE UNTIL THE 1976 Schwinn model year!!


Re: Chicago Schwinn serial numbers (from mid sixties to Chicago end..or at least about 1980..)(EXCLUDING the PARAMOUNTS)
first letter tells you the MONTH...........A=Jan, B=Feb, C=Mar, D=Apr, E=May, F=June, G=July, H=Aug, J=Sept, K=Oct, L=Nov, M=Dec
******NOTICE THAT schwinn DOES NOT USE "eye" AND "oh" BECAUSE THEY LOOK TOO MUCH LIKE one AND zero!!!!
second letter tells you the YEAR
example if second letter is G=1971...........................if the second letter is M=1976.........................if second letter is D=1968
.......you are smart enough to figure out the rest aren't you??
SECOND LETTER:
B=1966
C=1967
D=1968
E=1969
F=1970
G=1971
H=1972
J=1973
K=1974
L=1975
M=1976
N=1977
P=1978

albrt 

My technical chops are not that great, but I agree with everybody else that this looks like a late 1970s frame with miscellaneous co-op parts on it. It's a pretty decent frame and the build is not bad either. I would rate it 3.8 out of 5 for street cred (if you reverse the front tire to go in the correct direction).

joesch

Thanks for the clarifications and history!
Can your narrow down to a few possible model candidates and/or most likely?

joesch

Is this based on the tread pattern or QR skewer?

albrt 

Tread pattern - that's a Pasela tread on the front so it has a direction it's supposed to spin. Should also have an arrow in the side. I can't see the back tire as well, but it looks like it can go either direction. QR skewer is correct, so you would have to take the skewer out of the wheel and flip it around.