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The "Whizzer Special"

Up through the ‘50s and into the 60’s Whizzer sold "Specials". The original Special was produced on a Schwinn made "DX" frame, with a Schwinn Springer fork. On the 1951 Special the engine mounts were welded on, the later ones were bolted on. The engine was current production, but the accessories and controls after the early fifties seems to be whatever was laying around on the shelf at the time. Towards the end of the fifties the Cantilever frame was used, and later the Panther frame. There were at least four, and maybe five, generations of the "Whizzer Special". Specials are prized by collectors, especially the ones with 500, and 700 engines. The 500 engine is a 700 but without the sidecover generator, and is slightly more powerful due to not having the drag of the alternator on the camshaft.

The   1951 MB351 Special  used a regular bicycle- type (non- cantilever) "DX" frame with welded on engine mounts. It featured heavy- duty wheels with a Whizzer 5" expander brake in the rear. Schwinn’s spring fork was used. The engine is a "300" The Special was painted brilliant red with ivory trim. There is a twist grip throttle and a trigger style compression release.




The1954 MB715 Special  still used the "DX" frame, and the "700" engine, but the engine mounts were the bolt- on type, and a conventional coaster brake was used in place of the 5" Whizzer brake. There is also a Schwinn front expander brake, and the controls are the "H" type levers. By this time Whizzer was building "off the shelf" from existing stocks of parts.




Here is a MB715 1962 Special on a "Wasp" frame. The engine is a 700. The bike is original except for the tires, and is part of the Reg Williams collection.




There are several more versions of the "Special" and will be listed here as photos come available.

Keep in mind that the majority of Whizzers were not "Specials" and were put together by dealers or by individuals, or maybe have been remade by now from several bikes, or assembled from pieces (maybe several times), so almost anything is possible.




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