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Still Looking: Early 50's Schwinn Headset

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Like the title says, I need all the headset bits for a 51 Schwinn; cups, bearings, washers, etc. All of it. Thanks for looking!
 
Still looking... surely someone has these pieces lying around?!
 
Maybe some pictures will help :rolleyes:
Working on this ‘51 straight bar.
1B06DDC4-CD19-4179-B5A6-BCB4E61AD6F0.jpeg

Frame and fork were restored some time ago, they did a really good job. Has a chrome S2 rear wheel (looks like an newer Schwinn replacement with no knurling??) laced to a Sturmey Archer 3 speed and a custom made rear skip tooth sprocket. Front wheel in the pic is just a junk rim, I also need to find another matching hoop (or complete wheel). Headset was a mish mash of stuff, I’d like to put it back how it is supposed to be. Here it is currently, torn down and partially reassembled, waiting on a headset and a front wheel :)
BE3AE1FE-1D64-451E-8D88-BD39B63E6EB5.jpeg
 
Surely someone has these pieces...
 
So, my straight bar serial starts with either a C95 or C99... can't tell on my phone. That seems to narrow it down to '52, '53, '57, or '59...not very narrowed :grin:. I took a couple drive by pics as I was heading out to work...

IMG_20171025_145959156.jpg
IMG_20171025_145900143.jpg


Here is the uncleaned spray painted headset...

IMG_20171025_150029487.jpg


The nut looks pretty beat. Behind it is a '62…it looks the same, so you probably don't have to be looking at such a narrow time frame.

Jason
 
Now that I see it on a computer (instead of the phone), I guess the upper race is diamond knurled instead of the straight knurl of the '62. But, I don't know if the headset is original on the straight bar...it was a yard sale grab with a mish-mash of parts (art deco stem, running gear all china-huffy and (I think) stingray apehangers).

Jason
 
Thanks for the help!
Is it a ballon tire bike or a 1 3/4” S7? If it’s a straight bar balloner I think you could almost certainly narrow it down to 52-53.
 
I think there were two styles of headsets in play for that time period. One, like Jason's where there a cup is in the top of the head tube, and you thread down the race. And the other, where the race is in the head tube, and the cup threads down.

From the pic it kinda looks like your '51 has the type where the cup threads down. I was recently looking for one of that style and had a harder time then just the 'normal' one (like Jason's. I say normal because I personally have seen more like that).

The easy route would be to just buy a new headset. They're plentiful, and inexpensive. The cups are 32.5, and the race is 26.4.

Or, if you want a Schwinn one of vintage, they can be found on eBay (I know, I know) for not too bad of pricing.

I'm running this one on two of my bikes-- http://porkchopbmx.com/vp-h755-bmx-bicycle-headset-1-threaded-w-32-5mm-cups-chrome/
 
Thanks for the help guys.
Since this bike isn’t original I ended up going with a new headset, hopefully it works out. I’m always cautious of replacement parts for anything old, I’ll let you know my results.
 
The results are in...

Doesn’t work. The thread pitch on the upper bearing race is different. Awesome!

So, back to needing an original headset. PLEASE!! I know someone out there has one!! :)
 
Dizzle Problems said:
I think there were two styles of headsets in play for that time period. One, like Jason's where there a cup is in the top of the head tube, and you thread down the race. And the other, where the race is in the head tube, and the cup threads down.

From the pic it kinda looks like your '51 has the type where the cup threads down. I was recently looking for one of that style and had a harder time then just the 'normal' one (like Jason's. I say normal because I personally have seen more like that).
Click to expand...

It does have the type where the cup threads down. Parts of it might be original, I guess, but some parts are definitely not. It's a mix-match.
 
I made it work.
Out of all the races and top nuts I had, only the ones that came with the bike would go on nicely. All of the others were a fight and were trying to destroy the threads. So I ended up using the bottom half from the new kit and the top half from the bike originally (I also noticed that both the bearing cages were original Schwinn, btw). I don't know what was up with it, it steers, it's done, I still hate aftermarket junk, but whatever, I'm over it.

Now to figure out the front wheel...
 

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