# 1937 Airflyte Model No.2



## 37fleetwood (Jul 6, 2013)

first test fit and ride, tell me what you think...
(and I just realized I put those bars in it to move it around and forgot to change them for the correct ones, sorry)


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## Iverider (Jul 6, 2013)

Meh...it's ok...but what would really make it AWESOME...

If it were in MY shop!


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## fordmike65 (Jul 6, 2013)

I gotta say that's pretty damn sahweeeeet!


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## Obi-Wan Schwinnobi (Jul 6, 2013)

fordmike65 said:


> I gotta say that's pretty damn sahweeeeet!




Scott, did you build that frame from scratch?


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 6, 2013)

fatbar said:


> Scott, did you build that frame from scratch?




the frame, no. I did add the top rear swooping bars and I changed the middle bar, but the rest is a real 1937 Huffman frame. the plan is to put it back together as correctly as possible. this isn't a rat rod or custom build.


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## rcole45 (Jul 8, 2013)

*37 airflyte*

scott, looks great. keep up the good work.   ron


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## Coaster Brake (Jul 8, 2013)

Counterfeit goods!
You should send it to me immediately for proper disposal!


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## bike (Jul 8, 2013)

*I had a rusty frame like that started with*

listed and people said it was a 40...

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...hange-sex-of-your-womens-SS&highlight=huffman


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 8, 2013)

this one's serial number is 86303, which makes this a rather early 1937 frame. it also features the bottlecap badge hole and has an Airflyte Bottlecap badge. I was very careful in choosing this particular frame for this project.


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## bikewhorder (Jul 9, 2013)

Do you have a pic of the bike you were trying to replicate?


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## slick (Jul 9, 2013)

Looks like it needs some top quality paint on that. Hmm... Maybe after i wrap up 2 Shelby's i can help you out????????? Looks killer Scott!


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 9, 2013)

bikewhorder said:


> Do you have a pic of the bike you were trying to replicate?




it's supposed to look like one of these...


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 9, 2013)

slick said:


> Looks like it needs some top quality paint on that. Hmm... Maybe after i wrap up 2 Shelby's i can help you out????????? Looks killer Scott!




I would love to, if I can afford it! it's going to be a butter yellow base with Dark red darts and blue pins, the fenders will be reverse dark red with the yellow accents.


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## bikewhorder (Jul 10, 2013)

I'd say your close, but the upper rear seat stay looks like it needs to be a bit more S shaped.  I know easier said than done, but hey you asked for opinions.


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 10, 2013)

bikewhorder said:


> I'd say your close, but the upper rear seat stay looks like it needs to be a bit more S shaped.  I know easier said than done, but hey you asked for opinions.




funny, they're exactly like the ones on the real Streamline bike I used as a pattern. maybe it's the angle of the photo.


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## Freqman1 (Jul 10, 2013)

Looks dead on to me. Scott just curious which catalog you got that pic from? V/r Shawn


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## bikewhorder (Jul 10, 2013)

*Break out the calipers...*



37fleetwood said:


> funny, they're exactly like the ones on the real Streamline bike I used as a pattern. maybe it's the angle of the photo.




Well I'm just basing my comment on the two images you provided.  It looks as though the gap between the top tubes gradually grows from the head tube to the rear tire on the bike in the catalog pic and on your replica it looks like the gap is larger at the seat tube than it is at the rear tire.  It's possible I'm wrong or its possible the actual frames are different from what they showed in the literature, but that's how it looks from where I'm sitting.  I'm sorry I'm being overly critical but I thought this was the Cabe and not RRB.


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## babyjesus (Jul 10, 2013)

*fark*

It looks pretty farking fantastic to me.  It is almost identical by the looks of it - just the gap between the two bars where they cross the rear fender is a tiny bit close by the looks of it but that could be lighting or something - I don't think when it's all done anybody will be able to tell the difference.


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## Larmo63 (Jul 10, 2013)

I for one, can't wait to see it painted. I'm opening a "help Scott paint his bike fund."

Who'll go first?


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## chitown (Jul 10, 2013)

bikewhorder said:


> I'd say your close, but the upper rear seat stay looks like it needs to be a bit more S shaped.  I know easier said than done, but hey you asked for opinions.




I also see this. To further elaborate, I would agree that if you look at the distance between the upper and lower stays at the seat tube. Then look at the space between them at the fenders. It looks like they get closer together when they reach the fenders then begin to slope away from each other. 

The drawing looks like they are either parallel or increasing space as they go back.


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 10, 2013)

Ok, I just went out in the daylight and looked the frame over, and I even took my caliper to it. here are my two findings:

1st for the most part it's an optical illusion caused by the fact that the bike is leaning on a kickstand and what you're seeing is the seat stay at the fender mount point on the far side being lower because the bike is leaning at an angle. it doesn't show at the top because they are much closer together at that point.

2nd the two sets of bars are actually slightly closer together at the point where the fender bridge is located.

so, now that you've triggered my OCD, I'll be spending the rest of the day analyzing what would happen if I push up on the top bars just a pinch. the problem is that if I push up at the fender bridge, it moves the fender mount point, and the fender mounts perfectly at the moment using the factory hole. also if I raise the mount point it moves the rear tip of the fender, which also is perfectly where it needs to be.
the other option would be to lower the front edge of the upper or lower stays, but right now they also line up perfectly with their corresponding mates on the front of the bike.
there are two other options, the first is to push up just behind the seat tube, and down just past the fender bridge and split the difference. I'll have to see if this will impact the fender mount point.
the final option is to ignore the issue, there is most likely this much variance within frames actually made by Huffman.


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## hoofhearted (Jul 10, 2013)

*Everybody's Ride Gets Picked At ... Sooner Or Later !!!*

SCOTT ... you know me well enough to know that I rarely, if ever, nit-pic someone's bicycle.  

BUT Regarding Your '37 Huffman Model No. 2 Super-Streamline ... THAT SEAT-STEM GOTS TO GO !!!  

SCOTT .. that seat-stem is offa 1917 Harley-Davidson Motorcyke ... and you got it all jacked-around 
to the point where more than a few of us could actually believe that you MIGHT also be secretly covet-
ing one of those Gigrotusley-Huge '38-'39 Shelby Tanks that were recently seen in a bunch o' pics 
featuring an insane amount of Shelby Tankers On Public Boulevards in South Cali !!!

SCOTT ... everything I had to tell ya today ... I meant in a good way !!!   ..................   patric


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## supper15fiets (Jul 11, 2013)

37fleetwood said:


> first test fit and ride, tell me what you think...
> (and I just realized I put those bars in it to move it around and forgot to change them for the correct ones, sorry)




Nice job,but it looks like the swoop in the bars under the top bars are at the crossing of the seaat tube a bit to straight in my opinion, but for the rest it is a neat piece of work!


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## widpanic02 (Jul 11, 2013)

*?*

Scott , are you afraid your setting a prescedent for people building these hard to find frames and not being able to tell what's original. I find this In one way pretty cool that you have succeeded in doing this, but are you going to put a note in your will no have it scrapped ? LoL! You being such a huffman fan I really have a hard time understanding this. Please don't take this the wrong way , I'm all for people reproducing pedals and rare chainguards Stems etc to complete original frames but don't you think this is taking it to the extreme? I noticed a while back that you were talking about actually selling these streamlines . Have you decided against that? Not to take anything away from your work its great ! Just kind of curious what your thoughts are on the matters at hand. I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering.


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 11, 2013)

ok, out looking again today, probably 80% of the weirdness goes away based on the angles from which you look at the bike. not sure if I'll worry about it much. 

I'm not really worried about this frame getting out and being mistaken for real. not because I don't think it will pass, I think it certainly will pass. my main reasons are these:
first, I've only made 2 so far, one with a tank, and one without. anyone who has looked around will quickly realize that there are around a dozen tank types, and under 5 of the tankless types. two more aren't going to destroy the market. in fact, I'm going to guess that most people, if they could get one that they knew was tampered with, but  would pass as real would accept it just because the alternative is going without.
next, many of the ones already out there are fakes, and the number is rising! just check this out:
http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...hange-sex-of-your-womens-SS&highlight=huffman
don't fool yourself that this kind of thing doesn't go on! this frame sold for more than you would imagine a plain jane motorbike would. who is going to restore it as a regular motorbike when the tank is $700.00 and the guard is impossible to find, as are the all of the other parts? 
the final reason is that I've insured that everyone knows exactly what's up with these two. how many of the other fakes have the perpetrators done this with? long after I'm gone these will be out there and their story will be here for anyone to read. I didn't pick the biggest and best classic and antique bike forum on the Internet to document their building because I was trying to pass them off as real.

if you look at the date on the thread where I was going to sell them you'll quickly see that it was April Fool's Day. it was funny, I got several people wanting me to build them, and several people who tried to tell me I was asking too much!
I have a few '37 men's frames still out in the back, I could make a few more, I haven't decided yet.
if ever my two bikes are sold as real ones, it won't be by me, it will however be a hoot! it will be like a guy painting a replica of the Mona Lisa to hang in his living room only to hear that after his passing it's heralded as a historical find! well, maybe not that big, but you get the idea.
has it ever been considered that there are Monark full suspension bikes being faked? or how about the Colson Twin Cushioners? or what of all the phoney 1940 Huffman Twin-Flexes? there have got to be only 2 or three real ones out there, but there are a dozen of them around.
it's funny, with me documenting these so well, they're the only ones with anyone showing any concern.
Just like Dr. Frankenstein's Monster, my bikes are harmless and misunderstood, they're not hurting anyone.


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## widpanic02 (Jul 11, 2013)

*!*

Thanks, just kind of wanted to read into the mind of dr. Frankenstein. Not that my opinion matters at all just kind of curious what your thought process was and still is. Have fun they look great. My only not picking of the streamline frame you have pictured is I can't tell if its because its on a kickstand but the gap between the top tube and middle tube towards the seat tube looks a little wider and the middle tube looks to be a rad straight. But listen we all are perfectionist and could sit here all day and bit pick , it's a cool piece of art . Peace


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## supper15fiets (Jul 28, 2013)

....maby it is an idea to give your own frame a serial number or logo stamp in de frame for no mistakes in the future...


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 5, 2013)

Took it on the Coaster ride yesterday, rode flawlessly, now for some refinements! mainly I'll work on the too flat thing, and clean up the welds a bit better and then start thinking about paint.


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## Oldnut (Aug 5, 2013)

*Airflite*

It's a sweet bike don't second guess yourself .what color combo are you going to paint it?


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 5, 2013)

it's going to be a pale butter yellow base and the Dayton Carmine on the head tube with medium blue pins. the Carmine red is a dark not quite maroon color.


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## Larmo63 (Aug 5, 2013)

I saw the bike yesterday, and although it's raw with the welds showing, it IS badass. 

That was fun yesterday hanging out with real bike guys........!


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 5, 2013)

Thanks Lawrence, if you weren't such a trouble maker we'd let you hang out with us more often!
if was a great ride, the weather was great, the people were great the bikes were great,
...and lunch was great!


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 21, 2013)

ok, apart for more cleanup in preparation for paint.
ok critics, how does it look in this shot of just the frame?


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## M.Martian (Aug 21, 2013)

It looks terrible.  Just bring it up with you for tour de fat sf and ill get rid of it for you.


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## slick (Aug 21, 2013)

Ya, i 2nd what Martian said. Bring it up here for Tour De Fat and i can paint that thing for you. Invite John and he can take his Shelbys back home also. Sounds like a killer plan if you ask me. Oh and i can let you RIDE a Shelby at tour de fat. LOL!


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## Tin machine (Aug 22, 2013)

*awesome job !!!*

glad to see some folks making and building bikes , I think it looks great , and one day 75 years from now someone will find it and have a real gem !!


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## jacdan98 (Aug 24, 2013)

Looks killer Scott!


jack


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## 37fleetwood (Aug 25, 2013)

Thank you guys, I really am happy with it, and it has been fun and challenging to get to this point. I'm also glad that it has drawn out some really thought provoking conversation. truly rare bikes should not be reproduced en-masse for no reason, however if done carefully honestly and openly, I think it is a worthy undertaking. I've taken great pains to make sure these bikes are faithful to the originals, while being very open as to their origins, to the point of posting the serial numbers. in the future, I think I would rather they were sold with the fact that I made them as a positive selling point.
this particular model is probably the rarest, and now one has been added to the small handful out there.
perhaps this will spur Marty on to his reproduction Bluebird! 
Rolling Relics, I'm hoping to make it to the TDF in S.F.! if I do I will probably bring this one... maybe with a little primer added (the other one came back brown from being in the bay air)


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## M.Martian (Aug 25, 2013)

If you make it up for tdf, try to make the ride home on Sunday a bit later, or even Monday.  We have my Livermore winery ride on Sunday at around 11:00 start time.  I think the last two years we were rolling back to the parking lot around 5:00. Usually we hit around 4, maybe 5 wineries depending on timing.

You could always get some metal stamps and add your own serial numbers to expand on the original serial number to help it stand out even more as a custom restoration/modification.


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## SJ_BIKER (Nov 24, 2013)

*you the man!!!!*



37fleetwood said:


> ok, apart for more cleanup in preparation for paint.
> ok critics, how does it look in this shot of just the frame?



if you end up making more of these id love to own a frame set....they are super cool....you got any plans on making one with a headlite built into the headtube anytime soon.....i forgot what year those were made in....but....i remember seeing one online somewhere?


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## fordmike65 (Nov 24, 2013)

SJ_BIKER said:


> if you end up making more of these id love to own a frame set....they are super cool....you got any plans on making one with a headlite built into the headtube anytime soon.....i forgot what year those were made in....but....i remember seeing one online somewhere?




I believe you're referring to a Safety Streamline.

http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle1072


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## 37fleetwood (Nov 24, 2013)

fordmike65 said:


> I believe you're referring to a Safety Streamline.
> 
> http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle1072




Hey Guys, thanks for the encouragement!
this may have more and better references:

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?22538-Huffman-Super-Streamlines


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## bidb4you (Nov 27, 2013)

Sweet ride man


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