1972 Panasonic World?
 

Good day,

Have been looking at what the owner calls a Panasonic World bicycle. Specs appear to be spot on in link to Panasonic Professional below. Does not actually say Panasonic anywhere I can see on frame. Head badge has globe design with World across.

Bike is chrome frame with Arraya tubular rims on Olmos hubs. Drivetrain is all Dura Ace with Crane RD. Drivetrain bits are all silver finished, not black anodized. In pretty good condition with very acceptable 50 year old patina. Chrome frame is in really good nick.

Will post some pics after I can get bike out from current spot. Any basic insight based on info I have given would be appreciated!

http://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/pan...ofessional.jpg If anyone has 1972 catalog available, please share!

By your description, its a Schwinn World Voyageur, most but not all were made by Panasonic (some made by Bridgestone). If it was Panasonic made, it will have Panasonic serial number on the lower head tube. Hubs would have been Shimano, original rims would have been clinchers. Frame was chrome UNDER paint, only stays and fork socks were exposed chrome.

The globe head badge is Schwinn World. But the model would have been World Voyageur. Google Schwinn World Voyageur for more information, it was a one year model. They also had a World Traveler at the same time. World Traveler was entry level, World Voyageur was top notch. HUGE gap between the two bikes! Given your description, this is the good one.

I've had five WVs over the years, all Panasonic made. Fine bike.

Some people stripped the paint to expose the chrome. Typically the chrome in the areas that were painted was not finished as nicely or meant to be exposed. Stripping the paint also means losing all the decals, brand and model markings, etc. If I found one stripped to chrome, my offer would be based on the parts. Original had Dura Ace crankset, Crane RD, Suntour barcons. Those parts have good value. I'm not interested in frames where the original paint and decals are gone, but others might be. It also had an interesting skip tooth freewheel. Last one I bought had the dreaded stuck seat post and stem (I checked, so no surprise later). At that point, I was buying the parts, and adjusted my offer accordingly. I eventually got the stuck stuff out. Mine had the original orange paint.

I had a Panasonic produced Schwinn Voyager in Chrome that was an excellent bike last year. Was my size but don't care that much for vintage roadies so off it went. It was still nice quality.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...53e3720261.jpg

Above bike appears to be a Voyageur 11.8. Fine bike too. WV had much different parts.

I would agree wirk-101 that the Op's bike is likely a Schwinn World made by Panasonic in Japan for Schwinn and finished in Chicago based on the parts match pretty much the same frame as the early Panasonic Pro 1st years 72/74 with a lot of the same component Very nice bike yours looks to have the choice parts and frame but different wheels and bad stripped finish detail I would say $300 almost high it's a big discount but lesser stripped chrome with no easy idea holds value down buyers that will pay more want to see original paint laquer over good chrome with details..