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Firestone 500 (Bikes features don't match other 500 models)

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S

squeak_D

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I need help. I got my hands on a vintage Firestone 500 boys bicycle. Here's the problem. NO ONE can seem to date this bike for me. Everyone I've talked to know all about the Firestone 500's from the 60's with the small tanks. However, my Firestone 500 has a very large tank running the length of the inner frame that favors the bicycles of the 50's and earlier. Anyone know of the Firestone 500 models with the large tanks:confused:

Thanks
 
What size are the tires? 26 x 2.125 or 26 x 1.75? I know they had a Firestone 200 and a Firestone 880 in 1959. The 880 was a middleweight with a full tank, rack, trusses, headlight, etc. I've seen full tank 500s, as well as the later half tank ones. A real generic guess would be 1959 if it has 26 x 1.75 tires, give or take a year. Do you have any pics?

- Kelly :)
 
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Yes I have a pic... how would I post it directly into this topic as I've seen others do..???
 
Also, I did send this pic to another online site seeking info. They posted this pic on their webpage and listed it as a 1959 Firestone 500..., so the year of 59 has been thrown in there already. However, I was out of town visiting family and ran into a guy who collects and restores vintage bicycles. He along with several other's he knew questioned the year 59. He said that the most well known 500's were the models from the 60's with small tanks, and that my bicycle could possibly be a "first year" of the model.
 
It looks like it's a Murray built bike. It has middleweight tires, so it couldn't be any earlier than late '53 - '54. It's a transition bike. The big heavy balloon tire bikes of the 1930s - 1950s were becoming passe. Bikes with half tanks, smaller fenders, etc started to make an appearance and would become the standard of the 1960s. To jump on the band wagon, some companies put middleweight tires on their bulkier bikes while they transitioned into middleweight bikes.

There's a Firestone 500 on eBay that looks just like it http://cgi.ebay.com/1959-1960-Vintage-Classic-Firestone-500-Bicycle_W0QQitemZ220109241572QQihZ012QQcategoryZ420QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
WOW! Thanks for the info and the link to the Ebay sale. I'm excited because I haven't seen another Firestone 500 like mine anywhere. When I bought mine I did so much research, and constantly checked Ebay. I even contacted old Firestone stores that sold the bikes in the 50's. That Ebay ad is the first Firestone 500 model like mine I've seen ANYWHERE on the net. I wish I could just get the fender light off this seller:( My bike is almost complete. It's just missing the light.

This guys 500 however isn't selling with the original rims. I wonder if he still has them. The original rims are actually green (matching the bike) with 2 white pin stripes.

Again thanks for the info. Man I need that light off that bike....grrrrrrrrr
 
Actually I just noticed something about the 500 being sold on Ebay. My model is 98% identical to the Ebay listing. However, my post running down from the seat (on the frame) has an elaborate Firestone graphic painted on. You can see it in my picture. I wonder if mine was a more expensive version of the 500 model, which may be why mine has rims matching the color of the frame.
 
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