picked this up last week. can you tell me what she is? i thought elgin but not sure. what about the age also?
IS THIS AN ELGIN? HAVE SERIAL NUMBER NOW!
- Thread starter murraymadman
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Re: IS THIS AN ELGIN?
Definitely looks columbia/westfeild built, it could be an elgin! Its hard to say unless you could find a serial or if it had the headbadge. A lot of em looked very similar.
Definitely looks columbia/westfeild built, it could be an elgin! Its hard to say unless you could find a serial or if it had the headbadge. A lot of em looked very similar.
Re: IS THIS AN ELGIN?
The main way to tell a westfield motobike frame is this odd flared joint on the second tube.
-Adam
The main way to tell a westfield motobike frame is this odd flared joint on the second tube.
-Adam
found the serial number yesterday on the bb. it is D30565. if anyone can tell me the year and make it would be awesome!
If it's a Columbia (Westfield) it could be 1939 or 1958 going by that serial number. It also depends on the 2 holes for the headbadge screws. If they are situated top and bottom, it's a 58, if they are left and right, horizontal, it's a 39, if it's a Columbia.
I got this info from this webpage:
http://www.vintagecolumbiabikes.com/id79.html
I got this info from this webpage:
http://www.vintagecolumbiabikes.com/id79.html
It's a 39, W/C didn't have any straight bar frames with a straight downtube in 58, also, the head tube would be longer on the newer year. They did, of course, recycle their letter dating system a few times, starting with A in 1936, and again in 1955, skipping letters almost randomly! -Adam
so its a '39 westfield columbia, correct? the headbadge holes are side to side.
These Motobike frames are hard to ID for sure but I'm not sold on a Westfield build.. '39 seems very late for a motobike frame (though not unheard of). They had mostly given way to curved bars by this point, even in the value tier of bicycles. This also looks to be a 28"er considering the length of the forks and stays. 28" died out by about 1935.
If you peer closely, you'll see one side of the fork is enclosed. This is a feature common in the 20s and early 30s, to have both or one side enclosed. Then by the mid-thirties, they were all open for easier wheel removal. The fork looks like it could be original considering how well it matches the rest of the frame and that it's period correct. The style fork doesn't look Westfield; they usually used a triple plate fork crown. This flat top, with the sharp edges on the fork screams Hawthorne to me, personally.
My guess would be Hawthorne Flyer circa ~1928-32
I know BBC is a horrible seller with outrageous prices but his quality photos make for a good reference. Here's the best I found to represent my thoughts on the frame in question:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Mon...le-28-wooden-rim-bike-tool-tank-/290657773234
Good luck! Regardless of what it is, a cool bicycle with a lot of history behind it.
If you peer closely, you'll see one side of the fork is enclosed. This is a feature common in the 20s and early 30s, to have both or one side enclosed. Then by the mid-thirties, they were all open for easier wheel removal. The fork looks like it could be original considering how well it matches the rest of the frame and that it's period correct. The style fork doesn't look Westfield; they usually used a triple plate fork crown. This flat top, with the sharp edges on the fork screams Hawthorne to me, personally.
My guess would be Hawthorne Flyer circa ~1928-32
I know BBC is a horrible seller with outrageous prices but his quality photos make for a good reference. Here's the best I found to represent my thoughts on the frame in question:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Mon...le-28-wooden-rim-bike-tool-tank-/290657773234
Good luck! Regardless of what it is, a cool bicycle with a lot of history behind it.
thanks guys! yes i did notice the one side of the fork being closed in for the axle, forgot to mention it. what would be a common color for one of these? hard to tell on this one, but you can make out a dart on the seat tube and scallops on the frame.
