Originally Posted by
cb400bill
Le Tour bikes were made in Japan at their inception, circa 1974.
But about 1979, LeTour production was moved to Chicago where they were hand brazed. About '83 they were built in Mississippi.
The OP's original question about serial numbers is a good indicator. Japan and Taiwan serial numbers were different. Giant built Schwinns almost always have a "G" in the serial number.
Chicago built Schwinns from the '70s have their serial numbers in one of two places, under the headbadge on the steering tube, always beginning with two letters, or in the case of a Paramount, on the left rear dropout. These always begin with a letter followed by a two digit year, then a frame number, such as "E73049" which equates to May 1973 the 49th frame.
Originally Posted by
mickey85
Another thing - if it has a headbadge, it'll usually be a giveaway. Most Chicago Schwinns have large, oval headbadges, while the foreign badges are the little round ones with the "star' in the middle.
Not always an Oval badge: Paramounts, Super Sports, Sports Tourers, Le Tours, and Superiors always had round badges, regardless of the year made. Varsities and Continentals had round badges into the early '60s. Here's a picture of my '62 Continental.
