geekrunner

Picked this up, and an '87 Schwinn High Sierra, on CL both for $100. It's a '79 Touring Deluxe. The rims, brake levers, and seat were updated. It looks real good in the CL pics, but in person it shows some scrapes and touched up spots, but all in all it looks great for a 30 YO bike. It looks to be about 56cm frame. I intend to flip it, and just wanted to get some opinions.

It has:

Wolber 27" rims on Sunshine high flange hubs
Dura Ace crank
Shimano Crane rear derailleur
Bar end shifters
10 speed with two skip tooth cogs on rear freewheel
not much information onthe frame, serial number to come.
frame has the Panasonic-Made in Japan emblem on the headtube.
Color is a deep brown.
I actually have the original assembly manual and owners manual too.












geek

kpug505

Looks like a good solid ride to me. Great components too....I'd loose the seat and check for damage from the kickstand and rack. I've seen many a chainstay crimped horribly 'cause of those fricken kickstands. Love the roll-a-ma-jig there on the front brakes. I wish I had those in the bin. That's the best looking crankset Shimano ever did IMO. You did real well there. Even if it was just for that bike. But you got 2!

nlerner

I would have guess it's older than '79 based on the Crane RD and the early Dura Ace crankset (that does say Dura Ace, doesn't it?). My '74 English tourer came with those components.

Neal

T-Mar

Shimano continued to offer the 1st generation Dura-Ace into the early 1980s, several years after the intoduction of the 2nd generation EX components. The bicycle does indeed appear to be 1979 and the cranks and rear derailleur are original spec. What is not are those brake levers , the saddle and of course, the aftermarket rack and bottle carrier. Very nice bicycle. I believe it was 2nd from the top of the line at the time.

Z-Clay

Looks like you got a good deal. The Panasonic alone should be worth more than what you paid for both. I can never seem to run into deals like this when I have the spare cash.

txvintage

I would trample small children and old ladies to find a Touring Deluxe. Well, not really, but I would be really polite in my apologies as I elbowed them out of the way

geekrunner

Thanks for the input! I'd keep it myself if it were just a few cm taller. But lust like nlerner, I've got too many bikes. I just cain't hep it, I love me some Japanese steel!

geek

geekrunner

I just double checked the serial number on the bottom bracket, and it shows 1E0025. Does that indicate a May 1981 mfg date? I'm puzzled, since I looked at the Panasonic catalog website, and looked over all the years, and everything I find indicates it is a '79. Am I nuts?

geek

ZeRinger

Hey Geek

I see your dilemma. Your bike is a dead-ringer for the 1979 Touring Deluxe. In terms of reading your serial number, that would normally be my guess as well, but I don't know for certain how Panasonic went about issuing serial numbers on the pre-1983 (or so) bikes. Ive been working on figuring that out but I still need more visual and serial number data from older Panasonic owners to start connecting the dots.

There was no Touring Deluxe even offered for '81 as far as I know. Perhaps some of the gurus around here like T-Mar could take a stab at that one. I'm still inclined to think '79 or some weird '81 Euro model... (have you checked date codes on components?)

One European forum member had a pink Panasonic MC series mountain bike that was without question a 1988 model here in the U.S. The odd thing was that his serial number was clearly from 1990 or 1991 (I forget) but it had all the color/decals of our '88 model. Really threw me for a loop!

Does Japan celebrate Octoberfest? haha

geekrunner

<smack myself on the forehead> I should have checked the bits. I'll check them and report back.

geek

dannyg1 

That's exactly my bike! My first 'good' bike that is and it's from 76-77. Thanks for the memories. Your's looks like mine did the first day I brought it home. Careful with the lacquer pint. It's amazingly fragile.

sykerocker 

Interesting side thought: I keep looking at that bike and something keeps nagging me in the back of my mind. Then it strikes me. Take the same bike, change the color to Opaque Blue, Opaque Orange or Yellow, add a chrome moly decal low on the seat tube, change the manufacturers decals . . . . .

. . . . . . . . and you've got a World Voyageur. Which I believe were made for Schwinn by Panasonic? 1973-74?

Brake levers are different, but everything else seems to be the same. Down to the skip tooth cogs on the hub.

bikemore 

Same occurred to me. The World Voyageur was only 73 I believe. My World Voyageur doesn't have
the skip tooth. Don't recall seeing it on any other WV.

dit

Hey Geekrunner...........I called the guy about those 2 bikes myself but you beat me to them. I really wanted that Panasonic even without seeing it in person. I live in TN but was going to have my son pick them up. He is a fireman in Fishers. Darn the bad luck.......I wish you well with the bike. If you decide to sell it let me know before you list it. We may be able to work out a deal. I never considered seeing the bike here on this forum.

ditz

geekrunner

I'm sending you a PM

geek

geekrunner

One other thing i forgot to mention, the bike came with the original Operating Instructions booklet, Assembly Manual, and Replacement parts List, all in very good condition.

geek

TX3.0

What's the purpose of the skip tooth cogs on the rear?

G piny parnas

heavy bike--- good touring bike--- this will last you a long time........

cudak888 

The build, lug design, and chroming looks nearly identical to that of the Schwinn Voyageur II. Any relation in production?

-Kurt

sykerocker 

Supposedly easier to get on and off the cog while under pressure. All I know is that it seemed to work well on my WV - and that was the only bike I'd ever seen said cogs on it. They were skip tooth on both first and second gear. And that was straight from the crate.