after just buying another bike, i'm gonna have to let the bike fund build back up. but in the meantime i want to start looking and im not sure exactly what i'm looking for so i thought i'd ask you guys. i'm not sure of the year or builders, but i am gonna be looking for an older road bike with the one shift lever on the down tube for the rear derailleur and the hand shift front derailleur.. i'm sure its gonna be expensive but, thats my next plan. whether i can find a complete bike or piece it together. what bikes should i be looking for and what years did those have them on the bikes. thanks

You need to look for bikes older than 1961. Schwinn used that system for the 1960 Varsity 8 speed and the Continental 10 speed. They also built some 1961s with the single lever. This is my 1960 Continental. By the way it is at best a poor system. Roger

Thanks for the info, not to worried about performance, it's just something I want. Strictly cool factor for me.

Remember that they are cool but the first time you stick your fingers into the chain or crash because your watch to make the shift instead of the road. If you look closely at the Continental you will see the front chain rings are a 48/50 and I doubt it will shift much wider than that. Roge

I actually have one of those shifters around here. I wanted to put it on my Hetchins but the triangle is too tight. Unfortunately the seller knew less than I did about it and neglected to tell me it mounted behind the steerer, and that it would take a narrow ring set like a 42/48.

Needless to say I had lots of trouble with it. I think maybe Roger has a good idea with 48/50ish setup since I had trouble with the chain rubbing on the roller in a 42x14 gear. 48x14 or 16 may correct that, but then you don't get much low gear 48 for the little ring.