https://cgi.ebay.com/40S-SCHWINN-CONT...QQcmdZViewItem

interesting old yard bike

Heres one thats close. Sold on ebay not long ago
https://cgi.ebay.com/Schwinn-Continen...QQcmdZViewItem

I don't think it's overpriced. In fact, I think it would probably be a pretty nice bike.

Looks like it would be very nice after a full restoration. Serial number suggests a date of November 1951. I really do like the fancy decals on this bike... wonder if there are replacement reproductions available? The clip for a pulley on the top tube near the seat post indicates it would have had a 3-speed hub and a shifter on another clamp a few inches from the head tube. Would have also had chromed steel fenders and steel sidepull hand brakes.

Must have been mighty pretty in its day. Probably weighed 40-50 pounds, but think what a smooth ride it would have had.

I'm pretty ignorant about Schwinns. But I'm curious - if this was the model right below the Paramount as the seller claims... then what had happened to the "Superior" during these years?

The 1951 price list has the Superior selling for $47.45, the Continental for $51.55, the Continental Clubman for $62.70, and the Paramount Tourist and Racer for $94.50. Imagine, nothing on the price list was more than a hundred bucks.

I’m not quite sure if the OP had specific questions, but the attached is a fairly complete and original example of a ‘40s Continental. The brooks saddle and handlebar tape are the primary deviations from the original form.

The history of Schwinn lightweights of this period is a bit sketchy but it seems that the Continental was intended to replace the Superior as the bike one step below the Paramount. The Continental appears prominently in the few early postwar catalogs that I’ve seen while the Superior is not shown at all, though as Scooper illustrated, the Superior was on the pricelist. One possible explanation would be that an inventory of prewar Superiors remained and took a few years following the war to sell off.

As “stronglight” has suggested, these bikes were typically available as a three speed with a top tube shifter and had side pull brakes. The fenders were stainless steel as were the rims. I’ve never weighed the one pictured but I would guess it to be in the 37 lb range. It is considerably lighter than the later electro-forged three speeds such as the Racer.

I’m unaware of a source for decals for these but if anyone else comes across one, please let me know.

I find the price reasonable but be aware that, while these bikes are not overly valuable, they are uncommon. This means that if you expect put together a functioning bike made up of correct vintage parts, you may have to wait a while. On the other had, if you’re willing to make some compromises and utilize parts from more recent three speeds, you can put together a nice bike pretty quickly.

One comment on the bike that “big chainring” pointed out. This is the Clubman version which might legitimately be categorized as rare. I’ve only ever even seen photos of two, both of which sold on eBay in the past couple of months. The other one ended at $911. These are both on the high side of the early Continental price scale.

Finally, I have two of these bikes that I ride more than anything else I own. If you get a kick out of vintage three speeds, this is a good place to start.

Regards,
Alan

The decals look a lot like a 1953 Schwinn World that I have. It has a four-speed thumb shifter, but it seems the hub is only three-speed.

Yuh, the World decals seem to be an evolution of those used on the Continental.

Sturmey made a shifter in the early '50's that was a 3 or 4 speed. They had the round window on the top plate through which you could see what gear you were in. Typically, there was small print under the window "3 or 4 speed". I'd have to guess that Sturmey thought there would be some benefit in making only one style of shifter vs. two.

Regards,
Alan

I'm thinking that this 1940's, fillet brazed, chro-mo frame would be a stunner, as well as a great ride with an AW, some alloy rims, and a set of Bluemels fenders (maroon or white). Not exactly period correct, but functionally true.

Something a bit like the attached?

I got this one in a similar state to the one in the current auction except that under the dirt, the paint and decals were in very good shape. I went with the "Raleigh" size 26 x 1 3/8 (590) wheels because there are more tire choices available and an FW hub. I have some thought of switching to Moustache bars. I'd never been all that attracted to them until I bought a bike (the maroon one earlier in the thread) that came with them and found that I like them a lot. I ride this bike more than any other.

Regards,
Alan

Great looking bike, Alan, but what's the deal with that rear brake cable? Are you running it from below for some reason?

Neal

It's the proper way to do it on a '40s Conti ...

https://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1.../1946b_07.html

Bob

Yes! Very very nice!

Wow! I've learned something interesting today, then, (as opposed to the rest of the day, which involved looking for proverbial needles in proverbial haystacks). Thanks, Bob!

Neal

Bob already provided one answer. I can only speculate that Schwinn felt that not running both the shifter and brake cables across the top tube was, in some way, preferable. I find it looks a bit less cluttered. The brake cable is longer than if it went across the top tube, but I haven't found it to cause any issues.

Thanks for the compliments.

Regards,
Alan