Kaplang11

Just picked up a Schwinn Paramount. Doing an internet search for my serial number it appears that Schwinn wasn’t very good with there serial numbering policy. It’s all over the place. The number I have is L73140 on the rear dropout. Any help here identifying the year and model will be greatly appreciated
Thanks

veganbikes

I would ask in the Classic and Vintage Subforum. you can ask the moderators to move it there. There are some super knowledgeable Schwinn and Paramounties over there. Plus once you get to those 10 posts you can post pictures so we can all see the bike which is nice.

StanSeven

Good thought. I’m moving it to C&V because that’s where you’ll get the quickest response.

SoCaled 

Based on Serial # - I believe that would translate to November 1973, 140th bike made?
pic assist:

merziac

And repainted.

pastorbobnlnh 

...and a significant number of changes to original equipment for a P13 including the crankset, wheels, and RD, to name a few.

However, it does look like a nice one!

Kaplang11

just replaced the brakes with Weinmann center pulls from eBay. May not be period perfect but close enough. The original Campy crank came with the bike and I have put that on. The triple oval crank that came on the bike was completely wrong. The Campy derailer doesn’t have enough travel to take up the chain slack when in the granny gear. As for the wheels they are definitely going to be replaced but with what I don’t know yet. The wheels on it now use glue on tires and I want to change them to clinchers.
I’m trying to not have this new project become a money pit. It only costs me 200 bucks that was a trade in at a local bike shop so I think I have some leeway

bikingshearer 

Yup. Spot on.

Waterford (no longer building frames as of 2023) was/is run by Richard Schwinn and is the direct descendent of/split-off from pre-bankruptcy Schwinn's Paramount works. The Waterford website is still up and still has a bunch of Paramount information. This page has the skinny on the various Paramount serial numbering systems over the years. As you will see, the numbers weren't "al over the place" - they were consistent within specific time periods - but they did evolve, mainly in the direction of burying more information in the serial number itself.

Meanwhile, the OP has himself a nice bike. I agree that it probably has been repainted, and it most definitely has been re-decaled with decals from later in the 1970s. Here's a (cropped) photo from Schwinn's 1973 catalog showing the then-current downtube graphics and the side of the set tube that they put on all Paramounts then.


Personally, I wouldn't be too worried about period-correctness and more interested in building it up into a bike that makes me want to ride it, but as many of you know, I am a godless heretic on such things.

merziac

Nothing wrong with this being a "money pit", that term explains much of what we do here to the uninitiated cretins, dullards, etc that have not yet been enlightened.

Sounds like you're in this right enough so I wouldn't worry too much, it takes what it takes.

Lean in slowly to get a good feel, lack of patience is what causes excess $$$$$$ to be expended.

I would be sure to keep the wheels with it even if you swap them out, they should stay with the bike if original.

I would have gone with Campy sidepulls on this as no cable braze ons usually indicates they came on this.

Regardless, you're on the right track.

Carry on and make it so.