I received this reply from Richard Schwinn (Waterford) regarding the date code stamping in the headbadge on Paramounts:
"Schwinn had started date coding on the headbadge. If it said Paramount from 1976, it was built in Chicago."
I think this means that the '76 - '79 Chicago built Paramounts have this date code as well.
Anyone out there with a bike in this time frame that can verify?
BTW, the '80 to '82 Superiors were built out of left over Paramount frames (or frame components) after Schwinn shut down Chicago Paramount production in '79. I can't remember the name of the sub-contractor, but I think it began with an 'L' and was located in Wisconsin or Illinois (not Waterford in Wisconsin).
Mark Agree's post re: the '79/'80 Superior seems to confirm the date code in the headbadge scheme, but I'd like to hear of another Paramount with it before saying for sure. In 1982 the Superiors also came in a sort of gunmetal grey color with gold/black decals.
Bob Hufford
Springfield, MO