What Year Schwinn

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I picked up this Schwinn 5Speed cruiser but I need to know what year it is. I'm not very good at making out the year codes on SN's.
Thanks
 
It's off the chart, but if that's a BV, it's 1984 if they kept the lettering going, if it's BM, 1976. There weren't any Chicago Schwinns after 1983 I think, so I can't explain the V.
 
Thanks Wildcat..
I'll double check that one letter to see what really the year this cruiser is..
I'm really hoping it's an "M"..
 
Thanks Wildcat..
I'll double check that one letter to see what really the year this cruiser is..
I'm really hoping it's an "M"..


Look at the numbers on badge right beside the I. top number is the year, following from bottom 3 numbers which will be the day of year, I.E. if bottom number is 0 then 0 then 1 it's Jan 1. and if bottom number is 3 then 6 then 4 Dec 31 and last number up would be year..

6 { year made 1976 }
1
0 { Day of year Jan 1 }
0

the bike below was made on May 4 1976. Schwinn made frames all year and stamped the badge when assembled. So, you may have a frame made in 1980 but the badge may have been stamped 1-2 years later, then it would not be a 1980 bike but 81 or 2.
6
4
2
1
ImageFetch.ashx
 
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Well I double checked the SM# and it started with "BV".. So I guess it's an 84 cruiser.. I also checked the head badge and it did not have any numbers stamped on it.
 
Well I double checked the SM# and it started with "BV".. So I guess it's an 84 cruiser.. I also checked the head badge and it did not have any numbers stamped on it.
It's a Murray made built for Schwinn in February 84 then, but odd that the badge is not stamped, the 84's were stamped too. The rims should have tipped your off from the start because, they wouldn't have RxR tracks on them.

Here's a link to an 84 and a ton of info about it: http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?65426-Help-ID-ing-Cruiser-5&highlight=cruiser+5
 
Huh.. Well since you mentioned the wheels, these wheels are different and not your traditional Schwinn style hoops. Yeah I think I'll take a look at the link you sent me and see what it tells me.
Thanks again Jeff..
 
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It's a Murray made built for Schwinn in February 84 then, but odd that the badge is not stamped, the 84's were stamped too. The rims should have tipped your off from the start because, they wouldn't have RxR tracks on them.

Here's a link to an 84 and a ton of info about it: http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?65426-Help-ID-ing-Cruiser-5&highlight=cruiser+5

It's a mystery for sure. The fork is something else altogether and look like there's a bend unless it's loose. Nice welds for a Murray built bike, and looking again, maybe the M wasn't struck all the way. The badge says Chicago too. I'd like to see some pics of the rest of the bike.
 
It's a mystery for sure. The fork is something else altogether and look like there's a bend unless it's loose. Nice welds for a Murray built bike, and looking again, maybe the M wasn't struck all the way. The badge says Chicago too. I'd like to see some pics of the rest of the bike.


Accordingly, Schwinn built the smooth joint pieces, sent them to Murray who welded them to the bar pieces. Albeit there's stories that Schwinn sent their equipment for building the frame pieces to Murray.

Regardless, this was Schwinn's Magical smooth jointed technique since some time near 1950. The front post was assembled and electro welded about 3/4" away, giving the appearance of the 1930-40's brazed technique:

schwinn3.gif


Pretty neat because, I don't know of any instances where any front posts have broken.

Apparently, those Murray built frames with Schwinn's smooth joint peices were only made for 1 maybe 2 years.

And while Schwinn closed down the majority of their plants in 1983, they retained the corporation in Chicago until it went BK in 92 or so and got moved to Bolder Colorado.
 
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