Oldest Stingray, who has it?

Ryder · #1 07-01-2009, 11:13 PM

I am wondering where and who has the oldest Stingray? Who in the forum has the oldest?

wadewindblade · #2 07-01-2009, 11:31 PM

My friend Charlie has the oldest that I have heard. However, Tom- another member, has the oldest originally complete stingray that I have seen.

Ryder · #3 07-02-2009, 06:49 AM

Does anyone know the serial numbers of these bikes? It might be interesting to get a registry going. My 63 is an E31xxxxxx. It is about number 1300 in the first run.

JSTINGRAY1 · #4 07-02-2009, 12:23 PM

So People Could See It,tom And Charlie They Do Have The Oldest,stingrays,att;j

Ryder · #5 07-02-2009, 10:52 PM

I have looked for the "Charlie" bike in the forum with no luck. I have heard that the oldest known is number 500 in the first run. I would sure like to see it and know the serial number.

I posted a picture of my bike. It is an early custom job. This will be the first bike I restore. My others are originals (Pre war Monark, girls German Fleetwing tank bike, 68 ray 5spd, 70 fastback 5sp basket case, 73 fastback 5spd, and now the 63.

wadewindblade · #6 07-02-2009, 11:20 PM

Interesting bike you have there Ryder. It looks like it has the correct rear rim for a 63' if it is an s-2. What's with the color? That can't be original. What is the sticker on the headtube?

Charlie's bike was mentioned several times a few years ago. Unfortunately they deleted all the old threads pertaining to it.

Ryder · #7 07-03-2009, 12:02 AM

The sticker is a license from Cerrito California. The paint is a custom purple with silver fade and hand painted pinstripe. I am sure it was cool for who had it done. It does have S2 wheels all the way around. I am planning to put it back to Coppertone.

What Charlie in the member list is he? Charlie A.? I would like to shoot him a message and see if he wants to share a photo and the serial number.

I found an article about a 63 with a serial number of E35xxxx that was supposed to be the oldest and going to the Smithsonian or Japan for $100,000. It is a survivor, but the oldest Stingray is just that, the oldest Stingray restored or original. The first serial number produced is E311111. My serial number is E312418.

Ryder · #8 07-04-2009, 03:27 PM

From what I can tell I have the oldest Stingray built. Mine was built May 1, 1963. A total of 3317 Schwinn bikes were built that day. My bike was number 1307 that day of all bikes built. I have looked over old articles and classified I have yet to see an older serial number on a Stingray. If you have one older lets check it out.

NLCTVWGuy · #9 07-04-2009, 04:02 PM

Ryder your bike is really cool. It's definitely from the right time frame with that serial number.

The issue some people will likely take with it is that since it is not original, in fact changed around a lot, it could be hard to verify that it was indeed a Stingray when it was built.

It's like saying "I have the first GTO" when it might have been restored from a Tempest 6-cyl car. And I'm not saying that yours was NOT a Stingray originally. It's simply that with the original decals and a great many parts either painted over or replaced or clearly from other models (possibly not Schwinn even), it's just hard to be sure it was not a Skipper or a Typhoon or a Fleet or something.

The Stingray was so popular that a lot of other models were made into lookalikes.

My opinion, on this one, would be to try to remove some of that purple paint and see some of the original decals under it. I can see that it was a coppertone bike, which could have been a Stingray or something else. Who knows, it might still be in good shape under there.

On the other hand, so much is incorrect on it and the paint is so not-original, I would probably sandblast the frame, find a correct fork, and rebuild it like it was supposed to be originally. This won't be cheap, but should be rewarding when done, and it's certainly worth some money as a very very early '63 Stingray then.

Unrestored and customized, I feel it's worth a lot less than it would be in parts.

Good luck with it in any case, it's got all kinds of potential.

--Rob

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryder

From what I can tell I have the oldest Stingray built. Mine was built May 1, 1963. A total of 3317 Schwinn bikes were built that day. My bike was number 1307 that day of all bikes built. I have looked over old articles and classified I have yet to see an older serial number on a Stingray. If you have one older lets check it out.

Ryder · #10 07-04-2009, 04:48 PM

Rob,

Great info and thanks. So, if i undestand correctly more than one Schwinn model used the exact same frame? If that is the case what decals would i look for with the other models? The The Stingray only has the logo on the chain guard and mine is Chromed.

Thanks

sporty65 · #11 07-04-2009, 07:04 PM

I don't think any other 20"er came in Radiant Coppertone and that sure looks like the original color to me.

Pat

Ryder · #12 07-05-2009, 10:46 AM

Used a mild paint stipper and what is under the purple is all coppertone.

-GuessWho- · #13 07-05-2009, 11:08 AM

Toms early ray looks 1000 times better than this purple one.

Too bad yours isnt all original like Toms , did he ever sell it or is it back in the box ?

-Mike-

ozzmonaut7 · #14 07-05-2009, 12:58 PM

Out of curiosity, what models were the 20" cantilever frames used for. Prior to the sting-ray there's not much mention of them being used. And the few I have seen were mostly in red, black, or blue. Does anyone on here have some pics of their own schwinn 20" non-rays they could post. It would be interesting to see, because every 20" cantilever I've ever owned has been a stingray or scrambler.

PEDALSNOSTALGIA · #15 07-05-2009, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozzmonaut7

Out of curiosity, what models were the 20" cantilever frames used for. Prior to the sting-ray there's not much mention of them being used. And the few I have seen were mostly in red, black, or blue. Does anyone on here have some pics of their own schwinn 20" non-rays they could post. It would be interesting to see, because every 20" cantilever I've ever owned has been a stingray or scrambler.

I looked through my 63 Catalog and the only cantilever bike offered in 20" That did not have a tank was the typhoon and it did not come in Coppertone. Here is a picture.