My first Firestone

[truckerjosh]

So free on FB and she followed me home. 24binch girls bike missing rear fender and chain guard. 4 or so spokes missing and chrome is flaking off. Pedals are generic so were the hand grips. The odd serial number is found on the bottom bracket. Any thoughts on year or am I looking at the wrong number?

 

[RustySprockets]

I'm not sure anyone can decode the number, but based on the style and various appointments, I say it's roughly 1960. Probably a Huffy-built frame--I'm pretty sure they sold a similar version. Examination of the red band hub might reveal a closer estimation of the date.

Where are the mission/broken spokes located? Replacement of individual spokes is usually easy on the front wheel; can be a little trickier on the back due to obstructions.

 

[truckerjosh]

They are indeed on the front wheel. Should I just replace all of the spokes verses 2 or 3?

Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk

 

[Wildcat]

I agree, definitely Huffy made. The red band Bendix coaster is 63-69. The frame looks just like my daughter's Huffy Camaro 68 model.
It should have a bigger number, starting with a number then a letter H. digit signifying the year.

 

[RustySprockets]

It depends on condition and I only have the photos to judge by--your spokes don't look so bad. One can expect to be charged about $1 apiece, if you purchase them from a local bike shop. Unless you're buying in bulk and performing the work yourself, it hardly pays to consider total spoke replacement--brand new wheels are about the same price.

 

[Phil Fink]

I believe that Bendix may have had an interim design change from Edwin Elliott Hood's 1944-46 patent, retrospectively referred to as the Red Band 1 (1960-64).
I believe that the Red Band 2 (or II) may have had that model designation stamped into the brake arm; the one pictured does not.
Manufacturers tend to deplete their supplies of old model parts, (but not make any more new ones); not sure if a 24" bike would be different (number of spokes?) in allowing a continued use of 60-64 parts into later years.
The primary difference in the RB1/RB2 designs was that the RB1 included many "splines" where the cog/sprocket attached, while the RB2 had the 3-tabs that we still see today in modern Shimano and Sturmey Archer CB hubs, and KT Hi-Stop.

Huffy catalog; Impala model 2447; "flamboyant spaceglow blue".

 

[Phil Fink]

Considering an upgrade, with a tank, and front or rear rack?

Tank-light, F/R racks, Monza G.T., (no hatch-back), spacemist turquoise

Tank, rack, fender ornament; El Dorado, flamboyant Spacemist Turquoise.

Tank-light, rack, painted fenders; Galaxie, spaceglow blue.

Or a downgrade to painted rims & fenders; Belair promotional model, in metallescent blue.
Huffy did use fairly generic Wald Marysville KY parts until they closed; not sure if Wald # 314 stems were stamped with a date in that early an era.