Vintage Schwinn POST WW2

[JoshandLila]

Hi folks!! been busy this year but Im gonna try to get on more often. I dug this out of a guys shed the other day and he only wanted $100 for it so I took a shot. Rides beautifully, paint is corroded but not gone, and the whole things brazed instead of welded.The head badge says Arnold Schwinn Co "The World". I couldnt find a picture of this anywhere but i read somewhere that Schwinn only made The World bike from 1925-1939, and that pre WW2 Schwinns are worth quite a bit. Wondering if anyone could date this bike and give me an idea what I might be able to get for it? Thanks in advance! Here she is, cleaned up a lil bit

[JoshandLila]

another shot of the paint detail, thanks for any help

[mart]

Found a really good antique bike forum a while back,, seems very helpful !! Will try to find it for you tomorrow !!  Glad to see you back !!

[Ipcress]

One in the same colour but slightly better condition made $275 last year.

[frogpatch]

That would make a great beach bike with the fat tires.

[JoshandLila]

good to be back, thanks! any idea what the year was on the one that sold last year Ipcress? Tryin to figure out if this is late 30's or early

[Rauville]

The following site states that Schwinn first started using balloon tires in 1933.
http://re-cycle.com/History/Schwinn/Swn2_Balloon.aspx

[talesofthesevenseas]

Sweet find J&L!! are you planning to do a restoration?

[JoshandLila]

im not sure yet... its got such a great funky look to it now I almost just want to leave it, sure makes people smile when were out riding

[JoshandLila]

I guess its a little newer then I thought. found the serial number and it was made between May 3rd and May 5 1955, must have been the last year they used the sweetheart sprocket, still a great old bike, just gotta get the seat redone

[mart]

I thought it looked like some my cousins had from that time !! They were older so wouldn't let me ride it except on the handle bars !!

[JoshandLila]

Interesting Update! I posted this up on the Classic and Antique Bike Forum and found out this bike was actually made 1948-1949! theres no recorded serial number for it because Schwinn had a fire and all the records from that year were lost, so in 1955 they recycled the serial number not knowing it had already been used.. strange the things you can learn! 

mart- your cousins were mean! that couldnt have been good for your spine, these have no shocks WHATSOEVER!

[Kevin_Bones]

Awesome bike. I've been following this thread. Would the fact that there is no record on this bike and the serial number was reused make the value on this bike any higher?

[JoshandLila]

I was wondering that myself but Im sure 1948 was a busy production year with the war being over so im sure theres LOTS of them in the same predicament

[rockandrollrods]

I doubt very much that it would change the value any, because it must have happened countless times. A very cool bike though. You can see how they set the tone for styling in the 1950s with this one.