1930s Double Bar Help identify No Badge

Vin-New · Jun 24, 2014

1930s Double Bar Help identify No Badge.
Picked up a Frankenbike and the head badge was removed with Vertical Mount holes. Serial#25749/H8/small 6 below. Head tube measures 5.5" tall and has a letter stamped which looks like a letter "C". Drop down Rear Stand eyelets are bigger than usual. I have a 30s Roadmaster Double Bar but definitely different.

Any Help would be appreciated.

Thanks -Joey

Roadmaster Below

Jpromo · Jun 24, 2014

That would be a Colson. 1938 by the serial. Good catch on the dropstand eyelets--Colson is the only company that used a completely unique dropstand in that it had studs mounted on them for use of cotter pins, instead of dropstand bolts.

Here's a picture of my '39 snap tank Colson with the same frame. Could have come badged as many things; mine is a Firestone.

Vin-New · Jun 24, 2014

Nice Bike JPromo! Thanks for the info. Now how hard will it be to find a tank

Here is a quick Floor Mock-up, I can't use the Forks-head tube is shorter on shockmaster, maybe blacked-out Wheelset, Maybe a 5-Star skiptooth chainring, decisions, decisions...

Colson AD below

Mark Davo · Jun 24, 2014

I believe that the "C" on the headtube is actually a "G", which means this bike was to be sold by Goodyear. Goodyear had their own badges. One that comes to mind is a Goodyear "Wings" badge, but I can't say for sure if that would be correct for your model, or for that matter what model your bike might be. 1938 (only year) would have used a so-called "pinch tank" All that really means is that it used screws to tighten the two pieces together rather than a snap tank which used 4 braces to hold it in place on the frame. Both styles of tanks are kind of hard to find, and the one for 1938 (if you're going for correct) may be even a little harder, but not impossible to find.
Expect to pay up to $300.
See attached link for for a discussion on a 1938 Colson "pinch tank" bike.
http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?57986-Colson-Streamliner-bicycle-need-help-on-the-year!!&highlight=screw tank

Jpromo · Jun 24, 2014

Hey Dave, er Mark.. have you seen the G stamp under the headbadge before? I'm only familiar with the "GY" under the bottom bracket denoting Goodyear. I know I've seen that as early as 1939 but I don't know if I've ever seen a '38 GY Colson.. It's an intriguing suggestion. And I agree that every double bar GY Colson I've seen has been the Wings Marathon or Reliance badge if it was indeed a GY bike.