re: Howdy from Texas (Pictures Posted of Projects)

Bike Wall
Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
T

texas_campers

Joined
Aug 31, 2009
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My two new project bikes
1) 1942 (?) Ward Hawthorne found locally here in Fort Worth. This bike will be perfect for Shannon to tool around on when I get her all doll'd up and back on the road. One of the coolest parts about this bike is the Fort Worth Bike Permit Tag (dated 1942) clamed on the neck. There is also some kind of a box lamp under the saddle that I haven't quite inspected yet. Yes, I know, someone went a little crazy with the rattle can. LOL

2) 19?? Fleetwing Mercury II, cool old bike I snatched up off of CL. The light seems to work in the front of the tank. Can any of you help me out with dating this bike. I haven't found one under conventional searches. Thanks!

Hopefully the pictures will show up below. I haven't done this before. :0)

Jim ~ (new to this website as of today, 8-31-09)

RatBikes001.jpg


RatBikes003.jpg


RatBikes004.jpg


RatBikes005.jpg
 
cool bikes!

i'm guessing that the Fleetwing is from the early 1960s judging from the style of the tank/light. and i think i've learned to spot some of the bikes built by Murray based on the chain wheel and the pointy rear dropout.
 
Good info, thanks for the feedback. I am guessing the Hawthorne is at least a 1942 model due to the Ft Worth issued bike permit. It is clamped on there with some special lock that I'm not quite sure how to remove it with out damage. Anyhow, I am going to start working on the Fleetwing this weekend. I plan on just using the frame for a nice BMX style cruiser. haven't decided what to do about the tank and light set up. Looks kinda cool now but might look at little odd with the build I have in mind. We'll see what happens. LOL...........
 
Nice bikes.
That bike license says it expired in Sept 1942. If bike licenses were good for a year, that makes it a 41 or older if they didn't get the license when it was new.

You could also look up the number of the tag, I'm pretty sure they kept records of that, and get the original owners info.
 
Welcome, Jim! I looked in the Elgin/JC Higgins/Hawthorne book (which has original catalog pages), and those skirt guards were new for 1941. The sprocket is the earlier swirl style, which is replaced by the 'forward star' style in 40-41, and that chainguard is shown on the 1942 bikes! Of course, catalog illustrations are relative, and leftover parts were used until gone. So, 41 is a good bet. Also, the horizontal cross bar between the front tubes pegs it as made by Cleveland Welding (CWC), as opposed to the Snyder built Hawthornes which have two cross bars. Both co.'s made bikes for them for many years, it can be confusing. Our prewar guru, and CWC expert Phil (rms37) may weigh in with anything I missed. And the single top bar on the Fleet likely makes it a mid 60s, as the earlier bikes had twin tubes. "I'm NOT a know it all, I just share what I know!" ~Adam
 
Rustinkerer said:
Welcome, Jim! I looked in the Elgin/JC Higgins/Hawthorne book (which has original catalog pages), and those skirt guards were new for 1941. The sprocket is the earlier swirl style, which is replaced by the 'forward star' style in 40-41, and that chainguard is shown on the 1942 bikes! Of course, catalog illustrations are relative, and leftover parts were used until gone. So, 41 is a good bet. Also, the horizontal cross bar between the front tubes pegs it as made by Cleveland Welding (CWC), as opposed to the Snyder built Hawthornes which have two cross bars. Both co.'s made bikes for them for many years, it can be confusing. Our prewar guru, and CWC expert Phil (rms37) may weigh in with anything I missed. And the single top bar on the Fleet likely makes it a mid 60s, as the earlier bikes had twin tubes. "I'm NOT a know it all, I just share what I know!" ~Adam
Click to expand...

That's good info Adam, I really appreciate you looking into it for me! It's nice to have as much info as possible. I appreciate all the great input from various walks of life on this website.

Jim ~
Chairman
Texas Campers Brotherhood
 

Latest posts

Back
Top