Bob ,
Thanks so much ! That order form is wonderful , and fun to admire !
Taking the time to check through all of the prices mentioned on the Schwinn Lightweight Data Book site , to see just exactly which years a new Schwinn Paramount cost $ 175.00 :
1960 , 1961 , & 1962 ??
And also which years the Paramount model line-up included only the models ; P11 Tourist , P12 Road Racer , P14 Track Bike , and P61 Ladies' Tourist :
1960 , 1961 , and maybe 1962 ??
With 1963 , came the introduction of the P13 Deluxe Road Racer , at a higher price ( $ 234.00 ) . So , that order form couldn't be from 1963 . But did they offer the Ladies' Tourist in 1962 ?
http://www.geocities.com/
http://www.geocities.com/
http://www.geocities.com/
( Thanks Bob ! Thanks Eric ! )
That order form also answers a couple of questions I had .
1.) Were Mafac "Dural Forge" ( Racer ) ( bronze bushed ) brakes an option ? Apparently not . But I've seen them on a couple of nice old Paramounts ( my 1961 all-chrome , and at least one of Mark Mattea's ) . I can easily believe that the ones on my 1961 were not original equipment from the Schwinn Paramount shop .
2.) Were Campagnolo Record cranksets only an option ? Oh yes , definitely they were only an option .
3.) How expensive were those early Campagnolo Record cranksets ? VERY EXPENSIVE !! The Campagnolo Record cotterless aluminum crankset was introduced in 1958 .
http://www.velo-retro.com/
( Thanks Chuck ! )
The optional additional price , for a Campagnolo Record crankset , on top of the already included price of a very nice Stronglight steel crankset , was an ADDITIONAL $ 25.00 . That was a very HIGH price !! That was the same as the additional cost of full polishing and chrome plating for the entire frame and fork !!
So , if you wanted that rare and exotic Italiano crankset , you had to pay an additional fee of approximately 14 and a half percent !!
Let's see , if we take the price of a brand new bicycle , made in 2003 , made by hand and very well-made , of double-butted steel tubing , lugged and silver-soldered , and then fully assembled and ready to ride , built-up with let's say perhaps Campagnolo Chorus components . . . What would one like that cost today ? Would $ 2,500.00 be a good fair guess ? Now , 14.5 % of that would be $ 362.50 . And remember , that would be the ADDITIONAL fee , on top of the existing Chorus crankset . What is full retail on a 2003 Chorus crankset ? $ 140.00 ?
So according to this little imaginary situation I've worked out here , an original circa 1961 Campagnolo Record crankset , would have sold for the equivalent of $ 500.00 ? That's an expensive crankset !! What's full retail on a 2003 Campagnolo Record Carbon crankset ? $ 850.00 ? And full retail on a 2003 regular aluminum Campagnolo Record crankset ? $ 250.00 ?
And ,
The Paramount P14 Track Bike still used one-inch-pitch chain . Which crankset would have been original standard equipment on a circa 1961 Track Paramount ? Would it still have had the beautiful old forged-steel Schwinn Paramount crankset ? And a front brake was factory optional on a Paramount "Track Bike" , making it much more of a "Road - Track" bicycle .
The Paramount Road Racer had the option of tubular rims with sew-up tires , or 27 x 1 1/4 inch ( Dunlop tires ) , for the same price ?
Not only did Schwinn offer the Paramount Tourist , set up with Campagnolo Gran Sport derailleurs , or a Sturmey Archer 3-Speed , or a coaster brake ( New Departure or Bendix ? ) , but also with a single speed freewheel ! And apparently those were all optional for the same price ? Schwinn must have made some extra money , especially on the single-speed freewheel ?
Not only did Schwinn offer the Paramount Tourist , set up with fenders ( stainless steel ? chrome-plated ? Data Book says 1961 Tourist used plastic ) . But , they also offered plastic Bluemels fenders ( mud-guards ) as an option on the ROAD RACER ! And they were only offered in one color ! That really makes me want to put white plastic Bluemels on my Paramount P12 Road Racer !
Yes , I'd like a 1960 Paramount P12-9 Road Racer , with all the options please . Instead of 24-inches = 61 cm , center-to-top , I'd like mine custom made to measure , at 60.5 cm c-t-t ( why ? just because ! ) . I'd like the entire frame and fork fully polished , fully chrome plated , and with those lovely , fancy , hand-laid red pin-stripes . I'll have tubular rims and sew-up tires please . Yes , I would like the white Bluemels mud-guards , thank you . And certainly , I must have the Campagnolo seatpost , pedals , and crankset , which along with the other Campagnolo components formed the entire Record Group . ( Even though most of the component parts were Gran Sport , the group was already Record ! ) .
Raoul Delmare
Marysville Kansas
> Bob:
>
> Good to see one of those again. That's the exact form I filled out when I
> ordered my track bike in 1962. Your estimate was right on.
>
> Bill Curtis
> Costa Mesa, CA
>
>
> Howdy,
>
> Will you Schwinn Paramount experts take a look at this order form and take
a
> guess at what year it might be from:
>
> http://home.mchsi.com/
>
> I'm guessing 1960 or 1961.
>
> Thanks for your help,
>
> Bob Hufford
> Springfield, MO