Sixty Fiver

My cousin contacted me today through Facebook to ask me about an old bicycle they picked up in a lot of other antiques they purchased in Arizona and she said it was an old Schwinn "Black Phantom" with a Gxxxxxx code (1950 model).

She said aside from a few little scratches the bike was in perfect / fully restored condition and I told her that the bike was probably worth the price they paid for the entire lot of antiques based on sales prices I looked up and what she said they paid for the lot.

Can't wait for her to send some pictures and she said the bicycle would be a display piece in their home there... she says it looks a lot like this.



Dayum... folks really like these old Schwinns.

SteveSGP

Very cool, I don't think I'd ever ride one but I can appreciate them for what they are.

Paramount1973 

Look at that front fender...riding that bike would be like being in your own Flash Gordon movie.

old's'cool

The inspiration for Pee Wee Herman's bicycle, perhaps?

sailorbenjamin

Bah. They're a blast. The springer is way smooth on a rough road. Great grocery getters, too.

Mariner Fan

That bike is cool.

spacemanz

I've ridden a couple "similar" bikes, when I was a kid. Not a Black Phantom, those were probably always a little scarce, but the "tank" bikes were pretty common, actually, well into the 60s, & somewhat in the 70s. That Peewee Herman bike looks a lot like the J.C. Higgins bikes that folks keep trying to charge too much for.

PatTheSlat 

It may be a 1995 reproduction model. Serials on those ran from G000001 to G005000.

Sixty Fiver

I matched the serial number to the Schwinn serial database... number was G4xxxxx which means it should have been made in April of 1950.

With bicycles like this there is always the risk that you may have bought a fake or a reproduction marketed as a vintage bicycle.

I should be getting more details on this little find and pictures of the real thing.

Bikedued

Ask them if the stem is chromed steel, or looks like aluminum. The major dead giveaway on the repops.,,,,BD

Lascauxcaveman 

Oh, he11 yes, I'd ride that thing.

Just not uphill

pastorbobnlnh 

I could be wrong, but the one pictured in Post 1 is a Repop. I believe the front hub is a dynamo to power the fender lights front and rear. The original would not have been so equipped. No rear light but a reflector and a battery operated front fender light. Hope this is helpful.

Here's the 1950 Catalog page for the Phantom (not black but red):



And here's the 1952 Black Phantom from the catalog:

Glennfordx4

I grew up riding my Grandfathers bike, although not a Schwinn it was a tank bike with a springer front fork, rear rack, big spring seat & a paperboy front basket. I put that bike through hell & it was the only bike to survive me, it broke my hart when I went there and he said look what I got in trade for my bike, a late 70's single speed lite weight with 26 1 3/8" tires, he thought he got a great deal because the guy traded him even up. If he never traded it I would still have it & I really thought as the bike as mine because he never road it and I road it everywhere, he never road the bike he traded it for either & just gave it away in less then a year of having it.

Glenn

Shionage

Does anyone know what a bike like the "Phantom" weighs? It makes me tired just looking at it.

Bikedued

40-45 pounds is my guess?,,,,BD

pastorbobnlnh 

Here's the 1955 catalog page. 67lbs is the shipping weight.

Italuminium

Interesting stuff, pastor Bob! I think this is the prettiest cruiser I ever saw.

ftwelder

I think EricBaker had one of these.

sailorbenjamin

I wouldn't mind a replica either. They were pretty well made.

edroman

In terms of the frame, 1995 Phantom reproductions use a very desirable and correct frame that is easily identified by a Centennial (1905-1995) inscription under the crank housing (Some urban legends talk about Schwinn using original Phantom leftover frames to build the reproduction bikes. I can't find any official confirmation about the use of leftover frames). Next to this inscription you will find the serial number. Of course, if there is no Centennial inscription we are talking about an original.

In terms of the other parts, that's a little more complicated because the bike could have any mix of original and reproduction parts. Unless totally restored, the part's patina is the first sign of an original versus a reproduction part. Some reproduction parts may also have some fit issues along with cheaper chrome or materials. Reproduction tires will have some place of manufacturing marking (TAIWAN, CHINA, ETC.) while originals must be marked "MADE IN THE USA". Original bearings must be marked SCHWINN APPROVED or just SCHWINN.

There are a lot of other details that will identify a reproduction bike against an original. The original much more than a reproduction, but I think that both are desirable bikes to have in your collection.

Ed

CV-6 

Yet another zombie thread.