silent ride

Anybody know when was the last year Schwinn offered the electroforged Schwinn Continental? Reason for asking is I just obtained a Continental that I intend to overhaul, clean up and then sell. The serial # is on the head tube and starts out as GT......, which tells me it is July '82. Most of the components are either stamped '81 or '82. One mystery is the head badge. It says Schwinn Chicago but has the 4 digit code of 0883, which would indicate 88th day of 1983. My research on the old catalogs tells me '82 was the last year, but maybe I haven't located eveything I need to see.

thanks

Roll-Monroe-Co

Yes, that seems to be it:

https://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1...0/1982_17.html

https://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1...90/index1.html

Edit: Weird badge date. Maybe the very last of the 82 frames, sold in 83?

Does badge look like this?

silent ride

Thanks for the reply. Yep - this is the exact bike, including that head badge. We really don't know what happened with the badge, can only suspect. And your suspicion is one that I have too. Your information on the Finley sites is what I used as well. But, are all the catalogs complete. There were boat loads and they did an outstanding job putting it together, but could they have missed a few along the way??

cycleheimer

"only 6 pounds heavier than the typical 30-pound sport bike". Copywriting at it's best!

akcapbikeforums

That is too funny!

pastorbobnlnh 

As I understand it, when Schwinn began to fully close down the Chicago plant and move all manufacturing to Mississippi, they used up as much of the raw stock as possible. So the frame was built in July (G) '82 (T), and probably just sat in storage until it could be built into a Continental near the end of March (0883) '83.

There is also speculation that the frames which were originally set aside as warranty replacements, were eventually built into bikes and sold in order to lower overall inventory. Over the years I've seen or read about many Schwinns with serial numbers from one year and the headbadge stamp from another. Usually there is a less than 12 month difference.

kroozer 

...And only 1 pound heavier than your typical 35-pound sport bike. I can't belive they were still making these things in 1982.

Doohickie

"Entry level." In 1982, I think this meant that it was a bike you could use to learn how to shift with a derailleur.

Italuminium

36 pounds? You better be a chubby chaser if you want to rider that Good luck with the resto, keep us posted (with pics!).

Doohickie

My Varsity is closer to 40. My Raleigh DL-1 is 50.

Flying Merkel

So the Continental is 4 lbs lighter than an entry level ten speed? Just gets better. Wouldn't mind having a Conti, just to replace the one that was stolen from me back in High school.

Doohickie

I think the spec weight on my Varsity is 39 lb., but I have a large saddlebag and Wald baskets in the back.

ciocc_cat

Wow! My first "ten-speed" Chiorda (purchased from Sears Roebuck in 1972) weighed 30 pounds. Compared to my old single-speed Western Flyer, that was light. I suppose the whole weight thing is really relative and that one man's weenie is another man's . . . uh, now where was I going with this?