Help IDing Prewar frames?

[10~18 Kustoms]

Just picked up someone elses unfinished projects. 7 bikes. All hve been striped, sand blasted, primered and are ready for paint. The jigsaw puzzle of putting them back together will be fun.

I have id most of the bikes, but need a little help IDing the two twin prewar frames.

here are a few pictures of the frames, rear rack, and fork. If you have any info or ideas let me know.

 

[rms37]

Those are postwar Huffman frames. The serial numbers will give the years

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

Huffman makes sence, the H in the ID number should have clued me in! One has the ID # 8H010570 and it is under the crank, the other is 9H020674 and it is on the seat post clamp. Would these be a 48 and 49? I also found two head badges in the 3 boxes of stuff that came with, that fit these frames but none of the others. One is a Hawthorne/Wards, and the other is Western Flyer, could these be for these bikes. Thanks for the help!

 

[screw_dup]

do you think you might sell the hawthorne badge?

 

[rms37]

Yes, the serial numbers are Huffman numbers and equate to 1948 and 1949 as you assumed. Only recently some other 49 Huffmans have surfaced with the serial number stamped on the seat binder collar.

As for the badges, Western Autos sold Huffman produced bikes for many years and this is a common badge to find on Huffman rolling stock.

The Hawthorne badge is harder to confirm or deny. Hawthorne primarily sourced bikes from Snyder and Cleveland Welding. I don’t have references of Huffman built Hawthornes being produced at that time. However, many of the larger distributors were always looking for additional companies that could supply product at a price. It is possible that Montgomery Ward contracted with Huffman for bikes at that time; 48-49 is the tail end of the immediate postwar boom and consumer demand was still running high for products like bicycles of which supplies had been depleted during the War. The holes in the Hawthorne badge are also not located side to side which would be more common for most Hawthornes that came through the standard channels.

 

[B607]

Looks like this is a good lesson on what can happen when you try to restore 7 bikes at once. Burnout! Gary

 

[julesjunk]

Here's a pic of a 48 Huffman boys badged with the same Hawthorne. And also, a pic of a 49 girls that appears to of had the same badge.

 

[Rustinkerer]

Here's a pic of a 48 Huffman boys badged with the same Hawthorne.

Well there ya go. This is why I don't say Such and such co. never built bikes for... Hawthorne was one that was probably 60% Snyder and 35% Cleveland Welding built. (Excluding english built lightweights) ~Adam

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

This has been a great help putting the jigsaw puzzle back together. Now to really be nitpicky, I just need to try to figure out which was the '48 or '49?
Also the origional owner just emailed me a picture of the WF. This should will help with getting the paint right. Thanks for all the help, keep it coming.

 

[deorman]

Man, looks like he could have left that one original. :?

 

[julesjunk]

Now to really be nitpicky, I just need to try to figure out which was the '48 or '49?

It's a very weak guess, only based on the chain ring, but I'd say the one in this pic is a 49. I say that only because I have a 49 with the same ring, and there's another one posted that has the same ring. It also seems the 49's, at least some, have the serial on the seat post collar. Put a magnifying glass upto the pic, and see if you can make out some numbering. (I know, a long shot). Did you get chain rings for both bikes? Is so, what do they both look like?
Another question, for my curiosity. Did you get the rear wheels, and if so, are they drop centers? And did they have ND model D hubs, or Bendix?

Regards,
Jules

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

Yea Jules, I agree this one is probably the '49. I did get the sprockets and yes one matched this picture, the other one is a 1/2 pitch and looks just like the '48 you have. I also got about 10 rear hubs to go with the bikes. I know there is a New Departure, and a couple Bendix, plus a bunch more. That will be the next peice of the puzzle to try to put together. Thanks so much, your help and your bike pictures have really helped me identify these.