# Dayton - Huffman - Firestone ID



## frampton (Jul 14, 2014)

I drug this one home a few months ago along with a few other Dayton Huffman made bicycles. Could this have been a lighted big tank bicycle?

Frame serial number is:

4627 FBH
  5

Fork serial number is:

240

Original silver and red paint with black pinstripes is under the brushed on red and silver. Front fender has the outline of the ornament still visible. Welded on kickstand. No holes for badge on the headtube. 

Opinions?

Thanks


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 14, 2014)

well, yes. it does appear to be a 40 Airflex. now good luck finding a tank!


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## Nickinator (Jul 14, 2014)

I love that silver and red paint big tank color scheme BEST COLOR imo.

lucky man.

Nick.


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 14, 2014)

for encouragement!


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## Freqman1 (Jul 14, 2014)

37fleetwood said:


> well, yes. it does appear to be a 40 Airflex. now good luck finding a tank!



...and a rack, and the fender ornament, and a correct guard! I'd make it a rider like it is unless you want to spend a couple of years and an easy $4k trying to find parts. V/r Shawn


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## frampton (Jul 14, 2014)

Wow, thanks guys. You confirmed my suspicion. I have a long 3 ribbed twinflex type tank with the "bumps" instead of the earlier mounting brackets that fits like a glove on this bike. Would that be correct in any way?


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 14, 2014)

frampton said:


> Wow, thanks guys. You confirmed my suspicion. I have a long 3 ribbed twinflex type tank with the "bumps" instead of the earlier mounting brackets that fits like a glove on this bike. Would that be correct in any way?




sadly no, but it would be a decent placeholder, or you could sell it and buy one of JAF/Co's fibreglass big tanks.


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## frampton (Jul 14, 2014)

I looked through my parts and found a rack that appears to be NOS. It is painted all black and looks exactly like the lighted rack minus the light assembly. Where does it fit in the Dayton scheme ?

Thank you.


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 14, 2014)

frampton said:


> I looked through my parts and found a rack that appears to be NOS. It is painted all black and looks exactly like the lighted rack minus the light assembly. Where does it fit in the Dayton scheme ?
> 
> Thank you.




one step lower.
and it may also be one of the Don Vaughn racks. he made some not too accurate repops years ago. the way to tell is he used chromed plumbing tubing which didn't bend smoothly, look at the inside radius. a real one will be smooth.


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## frampton (Jul 14, 2014)

Thanks Scott,

The tubular outer perimeter of the rack is smooth with no kinking in the tight bends. Like it would be if bent with a mandrel bender. There is some paint missing on the outer loop and the metal under the paint is bare steel with no chrome showing. It looks like an original.


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## jd56 (Jul 16, 2014)

Ahhhh...... Another rare tanklight...good luck with the search. Nice find by the way. Regardless of the missing parts.
"It's all about the tanklights"

AirFlex. ...another to add to my unobtainable wishlist.


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## bike (Jul 16, 2014)

*Sadly YES!*



37fleetwood said:


> sadly no, but it would be a decent placeholder, or you could sell it and buy one of JAF/Co's fibreglass big tanks.




Macys cyclone 80 had a badge and a 3 rib tank that I believe was a later one. (Bumps)

I understand they wanted the badge for advertising I guess because that was what they were used to


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## 37fleetwood (Jul 16, 2014)

bike said:


> Macys cyclone 80 had a badge and a 3 rib tank that I believe was a later one. (Bumps)
> 
> I understand they wanted the badge for advertising I guess because that was what they were used to
> 
> View attachment 160479




Western Flyer also built 3 rib bikes in 1940, the real determining issue is that without headbadge attachment screw holes this frame is almost guaranteed to have been a big tank bike. it's interesting that the head tube where the lights are is red. I'll have to check with John to see if his is also red. one speculation as to why Macys would have gone with the 3 rib tank is that it met a price point.


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## bike (Jul 16, 2014)

*without*



37fleetwood said:


> Western Flyer also built 3 rib bikes in 1940, the real determining issue is that without headbadge attachment screw holes this frame is almost guaranteed to have been a big tank bike. it's interesting that the head tube where the lights are is red. I'll have to check with John to see if his is also red. one speculation as to why Macys would have gone with the 3 rib tank is that it met a price point.




Paperwork we will probably never know why
but I agree this bike was orig a big tank - no screws and looks like ornament went on fender -just sayin there are slightly lower cost and easier to find options.. I am not going in my closet and pulling out ANOTHER big tank - too many gone already


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## John (Jul 16, 2014)

My bike has white paint on the head tube. Framton’s frame looks like it has white paint under the red. Looks like someone may have painted over the head tube with red.
John


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## RJWess (Jul 16, 2014)

1234


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## frampton (Jul 16, 2014)

John said:


> My bike has white paint on the head tube. Framton’s frame looks like it has white paint under the red. Looks like someone may have painted over the head tube with red.
> John




Exactly, I used a single edge razor blade to scrape off the brushed on red paint on the headtube and found this original white with red combination. Also a close up of the red/silver frame paint pattern.


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## frampton (Jul 16, 2014)

Could the head tube have been painted white to reflect more light out of the tank lenses?


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## Freqman1 (Jul 16, 2014)

That is exactly why it is painted white. I've even seen non-lit big tanks with the head tube painted white as well. V/r Shawn


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## Nickinator (Jul 16, 2014)

Here is what mine looked like under the tank


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## frampton (Jul 16, 2014)

Thanks for your help guys.


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