[CR]Chrome Paramounts

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Campagnolo)

From: "Mark Poore" <rauler47@hotmail.com>
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 16:12:14 -0400
Subject: [CR]Chrome Paramounts

In the early sixties Schwinn would do some custom (out of the ordinary) chrome work. I bought my first Paramount track bike in the fall of 1963 and it arrived in Feb. 1964. I opted for only chrome head lugs on this bike, but was seriously thinking of having all the lugs chromed including the bottom bracket. At the 1963 Tour of Summerville Allen Grecio was riding a Pumpkin Orange track bike with all four lugs chromed of which I have a nice picture of, although it is only B&W. If there is any interest I can scan the photo and e-mail it to anyone interested. In 1963 the National Championships were in Northbrook, IL. My teammates and I were there for a week prior to the event. We took one day and went into Chicago to the Schwinn factory and Oscar Watson’s bike shop, at which Jim Rossi (5 time National Sprint Champion) was a mechanic and there wrenching at the time. At Schwinn we got the grand tour including the Paramount shop and met Mr. Grecio, no relation to Allen. He told us that any custom work we would like to have done would be possible just give him a call prior to placing an order. I remember seeing fully chromed track bikes as well as road bikes during these years. Not sure of the P numbers though. Wasn’t the P-14 track, P-15 road and so on for touring etc. or something to that effect?

Mark, heading out the door to do 30 or so, Poore