Roadmaster serial # help
- Thread starter rgallen
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i heard roadmaster (cleveland welding co) ser# dating is hard to do and i have what i narowed down to a 58 or 59, and havent been able to find any charts or definate answers. you outta snap a few key picts of it for us and see if anyone here can give you confirmation or has a good guess. good luck!!
If the bicycle is from 1926 it is not a CWC Roadmaster.
The name Roadmaster was used by more than one bicycle manufacturer. Most commonly, Roadmasters are the bicycles produced by the Cleveland Welding Company (CWC) of Cleveland Ohio. The company initiated bicycle production in 1935, offering the bicycles as their 1936 line. In 1951 the company was purchased by American Machine and Foundry (AMF) and Roadmasters were produced by AMF until they sold the bicycle division and Roadmaster name to Brunswick in 1997. In 1999 the company was sold to Pacific Cycle at which point all production moved overseas.
The original CWC Cleveland factory was used for bicycle production into 1956 at which point AMF moved production to a new purpose built factory in Little Rock Arkansas. In 1962 the AMF wheel goods division headquarters were relocated to Olney Illinois but full-size bicylces continued to be manufactured in Little Rock at least into the 1970's.
I have been collecting and documenting CWC production primarily for the Cleveland built bicycles for some time now. There is no known “master list” from the factory to date bicycles by serial number. In addition, the serial numbers repeat so a bicycle cannot be dated by the serial number alone.
I have enough information now that I can usually date a CWC bicycle fairly accurately, in some cases (especially early prewar) to early, mid or late production within a given year, More often a bike can be dated to within a year of it’s factory production and as more information surfaces I hope to improve on this.
If you would like me to do my best at dating the bike for you, either post or PM me photos of the bike in general and a readable picture of the serial number. If the bike is a CWC Roadmaster built between 1935 and 1955 I should be able to date the bike with reasonable accuracy.
Phil
The name Roadmaster was used by more than one bicycle manufacturer. Most commonly, Roadmasters are the bicycles produced by the Cleveland Welding Company (CWC) of Cleveland Ohio. The company initiated bicycle production in 1935, offering the bicycles as their 1936 line. In 1951 the company was purchased by American Machine and Foundry (AMF) and Roadmasters were produced by AMF until they sold the bicycle division and Roadmaster name to Brunswick in 1997. In 1999 the company was sold to Pacific Cycle at which point all production moved overseas.
The original CWC Cleveland factory was used for bicycle production into 1956 at which point AMF moved production to a new purpose built factory in Little Rock Arkansas. In 1962 the AMF wheel goods division headquarters were relocated to Olney Illinois but full-size bicylces continued to be manufactured in Little Rock at least into the 1970's.
I have been collecting and documenting CWC production primarily for the Cleveland built bicycles for some time now. There is no known “master list” from the factory to date bicycles by serial number. In addition, the serial numbers repeat so a bicycle cannot be dated by the serial number alone.
I have enough information now that I can usually date a CWC bicycle fairly accurately, in some cases (especially early prewar) to early, mid or late production within a given year, More often a bike can be dated to within a year of it’s factory production and as more information surfaces I hope to improve on this.
If you would like me to do my best at dating the bike for you, either post or PM me photos of the bike in general and a readable picture of the serial number. If the bike is a CWC Roadmaster built between 1935 and 1955 I should be able to date the bike with reasonable accuracy.
Phil
Whew, you guys must eat, sleep, and live bicycle all the time. Thanks more than you know for the help but ya'll got my head to spinning. That's what happens when you guys are as good as you are. I really do commend you both on your expertise. Thanks a bunch. Now I'll just crawl back in my little hole and shut-up.
wow rms37, i am impressed, too. you say you are good at dating up till 56', but how about any later than that? like how about when they changed from using the spiral chainring (est later 50's) to the "stars" chainring? was just curious about my roadmaster now. i know they went from double top tubes to classic cantilever around 57ish, and thats the type of frame mine has, with the spiral 48t chainring. pm me if youd like a pict sent. i figured it to around 59 to 61. if you go back in gallery a few months ago, its under my rides by me. sorry, the wife has so many windows open on this computer, afaid to open anymore now.
Hi Guys,
I also have a Roadmaster that I just finished restoring and need some help to make sure that is is a 1936 CWC.
The serial number is Z12779. I've compaired it to a few 1936 Roadmaster pictures I've found online and they look the same, but I need to be sure of it's year. I purchased it from the original owner who bought it new 1936 as a kid to run his paper route.
Can't find any charts for the CWC serial numbers.
I have pictures of it on my site, http://michaelsvinbicycles.multiply.com/photos
Thanks,
Michael
I also have a Roadmaster that I just finished restoring and need some help to make sure that is is a 1936 CWC.
The serial number is Z12779. I've compaired it to a few 1936 Roadmaster pictures I've found online and they look the same, but I need to be sure of it's year. I purchased it from the original owner who bought it new 1936 as a kid to run his paper route.
Can't find any charts for the CWC serial numbers.
I have pictures of it on my site, http://michaelsvinbicycles.multiply.com/photos
Thanks,
Michael
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michaelsvbicycles said:
Hi Michael! I looked at your CWC pics and what I saw is either a '36 or a '37 CWC. The first two years of production the two top bars were close together and no tank was available. Starting in '38 the two top bars were farther apart and a "Hanging Tank" was available. Your have the prior as I do - I have a '36 CWC which is not a Roadmaster but possibly a Hawthorne due to the horizontal badge mounting holes (no badge). My '36 has a serial number starting with an "A" and if memory serves me right I believe Phil told me there were some "Zs" before the As. I would recommend sending a PM to Phil (rms37) giving him the link to your pics and ask him if he could date it for you. He has a database he can add yours to and give you a realistic idea of what year it was produced. Good Luck and Have Fun! Robert
That's a 1953.
My SN# F76122 53 Cw
Skip Tooth, I'm Thinking 1940 +-
Not a great pic, but it's a late 50's, early 60's AMF made Roadmaster, after they left Cleveland and moved to Arkansas. The star sprocket gives it away. At some point, they started to put the serial on the dropout in the early 60's I think. Nice find!
