Identify Model of older Schwinn

[pr-monkey]

I have an older Schwinn that I am trying to identify the model of. The serial number, F092324, indicates that it was made 5/18/1949, but none of the catalog pictures I can find match it. It has the following characteristics: balloon tires, spring fork, sweet heart skip tooth gear, fore-wheel brake, rear foot break, and a torpedo light.
It does not have the cyce-lock or tank and I don't see any wear signs in the paint like the tank could have been removed.
The front and back rims are different which seems odd. The front rim is 1.46" wide with a 26"x1.75 tire on it. The back rim is 1.6" wide, but rubber is so bad I can't read any numbers.
The bike looks pretty close to the 1948 DB97XE, but not exactly.
Any thoughts?
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[cny-man]

I'm not an expert on vintage, and you'd be better off asking here: http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/ which has a LOT more traffic (129 people on right now) - also a related subforum for value estimates. I can tell you that the front wheel is not original, as Schwinn did not use decimal sized tires until the 60's or 70's. Before that their rims were a slightly larger diameter than the equivalent decimal standard, and the tires would be labeled "26 x 1 3/4" and the rim will be marked "S7" for example http://sheldonbrown.com/26.html. Saddle, rack and chain are not original as well (unsprung saddle, 1" pitch chain, no rack) and of course the reflectors. The frame is perhaps worth something, but in my opinion the bike as a whole has little value.

[GeorgeET]

Did you check this site? Most bikes like that had a "tank" so yours may have been removed look closely at the frame to see any marks.

http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1941_1950/index.html


BTW the front hub may be original and the rim was replaced. Nice bike worth restoring or some like it in original state just cleaned up. IMO clean it up its in good cosmetic shape.