Okay I picked up a cool STING frame a couple weeks ago.Now I am trying to figure out exactly when/where it was made?
The frame is TIG welded.
Looks like TRI-OVAL butted 4130.
Looks exactly like any 1982 or earlier frame except for the TIG welds........All other characteristics are exactly the same!
5" headtube with no rivet/screw holes.
Serial number is JT300 89 located on the outside of the non drive rear dropout.
Here are my guesses about the serial#:
Either
J=Month (September)
T=Tri-Oval
3=1983
Or
J=Month (September)
T=Year (1982)
So if anybody can help please post here........Or contact me via email at ceo@sportscardgold.com .
Thanks!
Jim
Full Version: Schwinn STING info needed?????
We don't know where they were made for certain.
We don't think that they were made in the paramount room at 1856 N Kostner ave in Chicago like the others. Or in Chicago at all. Even the serial numbers on them suggests that they were made overseas.
Decoding that oddball serial number is not real clear either.
Some of them have brazed head tubes, while some were TIG welded there. (Those broke there, in fact I saw Ted G, break a prototype one of those in half, at my home track).
Which one do you have?
http://www.schwinnbike.com/heritage/showthread.php?t=25897
There is like a gazillion page thread we have on them here.
Also , about 1980 is the point in time where Paramount was now being refered to as PDG, and was laying the ground work to move to Waterford. In short, 1982-1983 was a messy point in time to try and keep track of all the changes being made at Schwinn.
http://www.waterfordbikes.com/2005/data/cu...mount/index.php
food for starters....
We don't think that they were made in the paramount room at 1856 N Kostner ave in Chicago like the others. Or in Chicago at all. Even the serial numbers on them suggests that they were made overseas.
Decoding that oddball serial number is not real clear either.
Some of them have brazed head tubes, while some were TIG welded there. (Those broke there, in fact I saw Ted G, break a prototype one of those in half, at my home track).
Which one do you have?
http://www.schwinnbike.com/heritage/showthread.php?t=25897
There is like a gazillion page thread we have on them here.
Also , about 1980 is the point in time where Paramount was now being refered to as PDG, and was laying the ground work to move to Waterford. In short, 1982-1983 was a messy point in time to try and keep track of all the changes being made at Schwinn.
http://www.waterfordbikes.com/2005/data/cu...mount/index.php
food for starters....
I read that entire thread over at schwinnbike.com and am still totally at a loss as to exactly what where when on this frame??????I am pretty certain it is from either 1982 or 1983...........Has very nice clean welds.........TRI-OVAL tubing...........rings on HT and serial info just like the earlier versions........That is about it for what I know ??????
quote:Join the club....
am still totally at a loss as to exactly what where when on this frame
Does yours have brazing on the head tube or no? I can't tell from the pic.
No it has the very clean TIG welding everywhere......
jim i would guess by the description and serial #, lack of holes for the badge that is probably a 83 predator sting. i have read that thread (schwinn site) and know that apparantly some of this type were issued as stings with the old decals, i am assuming those were as "disguised" warantee frames, or possibly to use up some of the remaining decal stock. could be the interim run of frames before the new "predator" model was officially released ? anyways i think correct buildup would be as a predator sting model, imho of course !
Actually, we are making progress here now.
If yours is TIG welded on the head tube, I would have to say yours may indeed be an 82.
I say this for a few reasons.
First, the serial number, although not on the head tube, would denote September of 82 if the letters are used. THis jives with my memories of talking with Ted G at the track after he broke his in half in July or August of 82. At that time his was a prototype.
Second, the later final versions of the Predator Sting were brazed on the head tube to keep them from breaking there.
Third, the forks on the Predator Stings were a completely different design.
So if you look at the whole package. Tig welded head tube. 81 style forks. The JT in the S/N with the other numbering pattern.
In fact, we verified the S/N on an 83 Predator Sting. It was F3T008. Which was in fact the original Sting date coding.
I truly believe yours is a very early TIG design with changes in production also affecting thier decisions on how to serialize them. Ultimately they left the S/Ns in the original format. But yours is not.
I think the evidence points to September of "82, a very early production, and very rare with a TIG welded head tube. They break easily there so don't ride it very hard!
The brazing process stress relieves the weld area from the heat, to about 5 inches from the brazing. The TIG welding produces stresses in the Chro-mo, and they would crack about a half an inch from the weld where the stress line was created from TIG welding. So production went back to brazing the head tubes.
It is also unclear if those later ones were BOTH, TIG welded, and then brazed on top of it, to solve the problem. I'd love to melt the brazing out of one of them and see whats underneath, or look inside the head tube and check for any evidence of weld penetration inside the steer tube.
You should post that one up on the Sting thread @ the Schwinn site...Eventually that thread is going to be revised (by me) with all the evidence, and turned into a Sting bible of sorts, from all we have gathered there.
Great specimen!
T
If yours is TIG welded on the head tube, I would have to say yours may indeed be an 82.
I say this for a few reasons.
First, the serial number, although not on the head tube, would denote September of 82 if the letters are used. THis jives with my memories of talking with Ted G at the track after he broke his in half in July or August of 82. At that time his was a prototype.
Second, the later final versions of the Predator Sting were brazed on the head tube to keep them from breaking there.
Third, the forks on the Predator Stings were a completely different design.
So if you look at the whole package. Tig welded head tube. 81 style forks. The JT in the S/N with the other numbering pattern.
In fact, we verified the S/N on an 83 Predator Sting. It was F3T008. Which was in fact the original Sting date coding.
I truly believe yours is a very early TIG design with changes in production also affecting thier decisions on how to serialize them. Ultimately they left the S/Ns in the original format. But yours is not.
I think the evidence points to September of "82, a very early production, and very rare with a TIG welded head tube. They break easily there so don't ride it very hard!
The brazing process stress relieves the weld area from the heat, to about 5 inches from the brazing. The TIG welding produces stresses in the Chro-mo, and they would crack about a half an inch from the weld where the stress line was created from TIG welding. So production went back to brazing the head tubes.
It is also unclear if those later ones were BOTH, TIG welded, and then brazed on top of it, to solve the problem. I'd love to melt the brazing out of one of them and see whats underneath, or look inside the head tube and check for any evidence of weld penetration inside the steer tube.
You should post that one up on the Sting thread @ the Schwinn site...Eventually that thread is going to be revised (by me) with all the evidence, and turned into a Sting bible of sorts, from all we have gathered there.
Great specimen!
T
So what decals do you think would be correct for the bike?
quote:You've been saying that forever slacker.
Eventually that thread is going to be revised (by me) with all the evidence, and turned into a Sting bible of sorts, from all we have gathered there.
quote:Many lifelong dealers like Ol Bob said they usually came sans decals. Bare naked.
So what decals do you think would be correct for the bike?
I'd have to say the original livery would be best on it, since it has the original forks. If it had the later forks, I'd say "Space Invaders" livery for sure.
Of course nothing is absolute, that's half the fun, there is always new discoveries and evidence that presents itself!
quote:Thanks Todd.....lol...
You've been saying that forever slacker.
So what would you suggest on the headtube since there are no holes?If you want I can email you a bunch of pics of the frame and fork to post on the revised thread when you do it?LMK?
Jim
Jim
I have a sting with the holes for the had badge and its brazed can you tell me anything on it
serial # FTP00021 no mistaking it is easy to read I have asked on the schwinn board and os with no luck. Jon
serial # FTP00021 no mistaking it is easy to read I have asked on the schwinn board and os with no luck. Jon
Let's see....
I'd say badgeless then should stay badgeless now.
As far a pix go, absolutely, send me some pix, and I can work them into a section on the TIG Stings. My email's listed here.
The last one, I have no idea what that serial number would read. A pic would help. Sounds Taiwan though. There are a lot of other Schwinn heads around here too, someone has to know....
I'd say badgeless then should stay badgeless now.
As far a pix go, absolutely, send me some pix, and I can work them into a section on the TIG Stings. My email's listed here.
The last one, I have no idea what that serial number would read. A pic would help. Sounds Taiwan though. There are a lot of other Schwinn heads around here too, someone has to know....
Ted YGM.......
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