Schwinn Lightweight Data Book

I'm trying to put together a Data Book/Web Site for Schwinn Lightweight bicycles from the years 1960 (introduction of the drop-bar Continental and 8-speed Varsity) until 1979 (end of Chicago Paramount production). Several enthusiasts have generously allowed the use of their original Schwinn literature to make this a reality. If you can fill in the gaps, this project will get done.

My hope is to gather together this information to publish a reference book or web site for Schwinn Lightweight models (Varsity, Continental, Super Continental, Superior, Sierra, Super Sport, Sport Tourer, Sprint, Le Tour, Super Le Tour, Voyageur, World Voyageur, Volare, and Paramount -- and other models I have left out for the moment). This will be done with no profit in mind.

The book/site would consist of reprints/scans of the dealer Bicycle Specifications that list the models and parts used, the Price Lists, and some sections of the Consumer Catalogs and X-tra Lite brochures for these models as well as other print ads (from the dealer Ad-Mat books as well as Life magazine for example). Possibly some pages from the dealer Accessory Catalogs and dealer Repair Manuals.

The book/site will be similar to books published by T.A. Gordon and James Hurd that covered the Balloon, Sting-Ray and the Middleweight models. I don't think they plan to publish a book to cover the Lightweights, as the other books are several years old.

The book/site would not be an extensive treatise on the history of these bikes, but will simply detail the minutiae related to these bikes from the catalogs and parts books. I feel the issue of licensing/copyrights is the first step (Note: I'm waiting to hear back from Schwinn on this issue) followed by the actual gathering of the original literature.

I don't profess to be an expert on the Schwinn Lightweight models from this era, but I feel there is a need for this reference information to be made available to collectors and enthusiasts. I'm willing to put forth the effort to make this happen. I have been enamored with the Schwinn Lightweights since purchasing my first new Schwinn, an Opaque Blue Super Sport, in 1973 and have had several Lightweight Schwinns including a 1960 Continental, 1963 Varsity, 1966 Varsity, 1970 - 73 Super Sports, 1975 Sprint and a 1975 Paramount P-10.

Thanks for your support and generosity in making this a reality. -- Bob Hufford, Springfield, Missouri


Reference Materials Gathered So Far

Consumer Catalogs

(Sample)

Year Name E-Mail
1960 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1961 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1962 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1963 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1964 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1965 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1966 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1967 Jesse Tate N/A
1968 Jesse Tate N/A
1969 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1970 Jesse Tate N/A
1971 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1972 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1973 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1974 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1975 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1976 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1977 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1978 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1979 Jesse Tate N/A


Dealer Specifications

(Sample)

Year Name E-Mail
1960
1961
1962
1963 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968 Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1969 Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1970 Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org


Retail Price Lists

Year Name E-Mail
1960 Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1961
1962
1963
1964 Jesse Tate N/A
1965 Jesse Tate N/A
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972 Jesse Tate N/A
1973 Jesse Tate N/A
1974 Jesse Tate N/A
1975 Jesse Tate N/A
1976 Jesse Tate N/A
1977 Jesse Tate N/A
1978 Jesse Tate N/A
1979 Jesse Tate N/A


Dealer Price Lists

Year Name E-Mail
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965 Jesse Tate N/A
1966 Jesse Tate N/A
1967 Jesse Tate N/A
1968 Jesse Tate N/A
1969 Jesse Tate N/A
1970 Jesse Tate N/A
1971 Jesse Tate N/A
1972 Jesse Tate N/A
1973 Jesse Tate N/A
1974 Jesse Tate N/A
1975
1976 Jesse Tate N/A
1977 Jesse Tate N/A
1978 Jesse Tate N/A
1979 Jesse Tate N/A


Lightweight Owners Manuals

(Sample)

Year Name E-Mail
1960 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1961
1962
1963
1964 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1965
1966 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976 Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1977
1978
1979


Paramount (X-Tra Lite) Specifications

Year Name E-Mail
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972 Eric Amlie amliee@execpc.com
1973 Harvey M Sachs sachs@erols.com
1974 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1975 Harvey M Sachs sachs@erols.com
1976
1977 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1978 Jesse Tate N/A
1979


Parts/Accessories Catalogs

(Sample)

Year Name E-Mail
1960
1961
1962 Jesse Tate N/A
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970 Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976 Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1977 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1978
1979 Jesse Tate N/A


Parts/Accessories Price Lists

Year Name E-Mail
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970 Jesse Tate N/A
1971
1972
1973
1974 Jesse Tate N/A
1975
1976
1977 Jesse Tate N/A
1978 Jesse Tate N/A
1979 Jesse Tate N/A


Repair Manuals

Year Name E-Mail
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969 Ray Homiski Wheelman@nac.net
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979


Paramount Cycle Supply Parts Books

Year Name E-Mail
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965 Ray Homiski Wheelman@nac.net
1966
1967 Ray Homiski Wheelman@nac.net
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979


Ad-Mat Books

Year Name E-Mail
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964 Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969 Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979


Sales Promotion Catalogs

Year Name E-Mail
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964 Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975 Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1976
1977
1978
1979


Odds/Ends

Year Title Name E-Mail
1959 Keith Kingbay Repair Manual Ray Homiski Wheelman@nac.net
1965 Order Form for Bicycles Howard Lansdowne (hjfl) hlansdowne@ameritech.net
1974 Dealer Store Fixtures Catalog Ray Homiski Wheelman@nac.net
1975 Your Schwinn Franchise (Brochure) Jesse Tate N/A
1975 Derailleur Lightweights -- A New Dimension in Cycling / A. Fred DeLong Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org
1980 Sales Promotion Catalog Bob Hufford bhufford@mail.orion.org



Copyright � 2000 Bob Hufford All rights reserved.

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