Paint: Schwinn Superior Green ('40s-'50s)

 

 

The Schwinn Superior was a well-known line of road and utility bikes made in various forms from the late 1930s through the early 1980s (at least as to the Chicago era). This article deals with the diamond frame sporting Superior models of the 1940s and early 1950s. 

 Before WWII, the Superior was a high-quality, fillet brazed bike that was only one step below the top-of-the-line Paramount. What is less well-known, but equally interesting, is that for only a couple of years after WWII, in the late 1940s and very early 1950s, the Superior returned as a mid-range bicycle with an eletroforge welded frame and three-piece cottered cranks. That post-war Superior was basically an upgraded New World model Schwinn (see my guide to the New World bicycles elsewhere on this website). 

The post-war Superior is an uncommon model and it seems not many were made. It struggled to find a market between the basic New World bicycle below and the upmarket, fillet brazed Cr-Mo Continental above.

I am the owner of very nice, green Superior from 1949 or 50. As an uncommon model, getting paint to match this bike was difficult. I managed to make touch-up paint by mixing Testors oil-based model paints. 

 

It appears the original green on this Superior is a two-stage paint: a flat aluminum base coat and a green top coat. The green top coat is not the same as the more common Opalescent Green. This Superior green is a little more opaque and a little richer than the Opalescent. Both are very attractive colors.

• Primer: I use red primer if I am priming, but usually not necessary for very small touch-up areas.

I differ a little bit from the two-stage Schwinn paint in that I mix my paints together in a single stage. On some colors, like Opalescent Green and Radiant Red, you need to follow the two-stage approach. Because this Superior Green is somewhat more opaque, you may be able to mix a single paint to touch-up.

• Testors Flat Beret Green - this is my starting paint and forms the majority of the mix. Add maybe 10 or 12 drops to small, empty jar.
  
• Testors Teal Metallic - add a drop (like Brylcreme, just "a dap will do you"). You may have to add one more drop as you go, but start with just one.
  
• Testors Flat Aluminum - add two drops to start, then add until it matches

This mixture will produce a worn, sort-of flat aluminum green that should match the old Superior Green. It will not match a "like new" bike. 

 

The other thing to know with this color is that it is prone to fading if exposed to extensive sunlight. The green component seems to lose strength, and you may find different shades of the color even on the same bike. I had to mix probably three variations of this paint to touch-up my bike, because different parts had faded more than others. [The chain guard was most faded, followed by the fenders, and finally the frame was the greenest]

Remember that this recipe is a starting point only. You may have to adjust to suit your particular bike (in fact, you almost certainly will). But hopefully this will get you started, should you be lucky enough to come across and own a green 1940s-50s era Schwinn Superior.