Little Schwinn ballooner

[kingsting]

Picked this little guy up over the weekend at the local flea market. I've wanted a cantilever frame model for a long time. It wasn't cheap but it wasn't overpriced either. Paint is a little rough on the fenders but the frame is still really nice. The serial number puts it as a late 1952. Over the years I've had four 20" wheel and three 24" wheel Schwinn ballooners. They were all 52's. Schwinn must have made a lot of little bikes that year.

I have a deluxe (Phantom style) chainguard in the same color and condition that I'd like to put on it. I'm wondering if the bike would still be "correct" if I did...

 

[B607]

If you could find a tank, truss rods, and a rack, it would look correct more correct with the deluxe guard. But heck, who's counting. Put it on and see if you like it.
If mine, I might sell that deluxe chainguard to member RHender. He's been looking for one and has big $$ and good parts to trade. He was dying for a guard last month and I'd bet you'd come out ahead. Gary

 

[kingsting]

We'll see how the guard looks. It came off of a (1952, go figure) trashed girls bike that appeared to have never had a rack, truss rods, or tank.
Tanks for these are close to a mortgage payment... I might jump on a fiberglass one sometime on down the road...

 

[1manta]

Super cool bike. Nice score