# Westfield Springer



## Strings-n-Spokes (Jul 5, 2010)

Finally got this from a friend in KC who has been holding it for about a year.  We drove through Yellowstone and Grand Teton then met him in Dubois WY.


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Jul 5, 2010)

It has heavy duty spokes on both wheels, might have been a paper boy bike.   I might put this one on Ebay unless someone here is interested.  The Goodyear Double Eagles still hold air, thats pretty cool.


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## miss america (Jul 5, 2010)

*Why, is that a '37 you've got there? *


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## spitfire (Jul 5, 2010)

Looks like a scarce one! Front drum brake, or whats left of a speedo?


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## spitfire (Jul 5, 2010)

Ok, im a moron, just looked again at the last picture....:eek:


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Jul 5, 2010)

Yes Jennifer I believe it is a 1937, due to the fact that the Morrow hub is a late '36.  Hey spitfire !! Yah its a drum brake, sure works well!! I sure dig the heavy duty spokes those things are burly.


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## SirMike1983 (Jul 6, 2010)

The serial might be on the rear drops.

It looks prewar to me, but perhaps closer to WWII than 1937. That chain guard is one they used through the change over to the later style in 1950. The double bent bar frame and rear facing drops do point to pre war though, the same with the skip tooth set up. So I suppose it could be a '37, though it seems a couple years later to me. A serial number could say though.


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## RMS37 (Jul 6, 2010)

With a Westfield produced bike there is no reason to guess the date, the serial numbers clearly spell it out. Also be sure to use the serial number codes posted at/by Mr Columbia; the Oldroads source so often used is not completely correct.

The general frame of this bike was originally produced with a straight down tube in 1937 and didn’t gain a curved down tube until 1939. I believe the raised boss seat binder was introduced in 1942 and the frame continued in production until it was replaced in 1948 by the wishbone frame. I don’t know the exact year that Westfield introduced their Springer but it was not available before WW2 and is not shown in the 1948 catalog.  

I believe the bike in this thread is a postwar bike, probably from 1946-1948. The serial number will give the date for the frame and the Morrow hub number will tell you if it is reasonable to assume it is original or swapped out. Mr Columbia should be able to tell you if the springer could be original to the frame based on the frame number and the beginning date for the production of the springer fork.


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Jul 6, 2010)

I may not be reading the hub correctly. so I will find the serial # 
I don't think I'll be doing any cleaning on it, since we're selling it.  I know some people like that barn dust


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Jul 6, 2010)




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## Strings-n-Spokes (Jul 6, 2010)

1949?   According to Mr. Columbia


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## RMS37 (Jul 6, 2010)

Just into 1949 means the earlier style frame continued in production for a while after the introduction of the new 1948 frame. This makes sense as the Westfield line often differed from the premium Columbia line and was probably used to increase overall production by continuing to build on the older jigs. It also explains the presence of the springer fork which initially seemed too new for the frame.


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Jul 6, 2010)

Thank you Phil.  Obviously I am not the most knowledgable guy in the field, but without your insight and observation Jenn and I would be truly lost.  You are sure appreciated by us!!


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## RMS37 (Jul 6, 2010)

Thanks Shane, I'm learning all the time too and I appreciate the dialog generated and knowledge gained discussing the oddities that turn up!


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## SirMike1983 (Jul 6, 2010)

Interesting-- I have that style chainguard on my 1950 Columbia. They kept a number of prewar features well into the 1940s with the Westfield series I guess. Rear facing drops by 1949 would have been pretty dated on these bikes, it seems to me. They don't seem to function any worse than the front facing ones.


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## RMS37 (Jul 7, 2010)

Cleveland Welding didn't introduce forward facing dropouts until 1954, Huffman also clung to rear drops into the fifties. The advantage of rear drops is the positive axle alignment provided by threaded adjusters; the advantage of front drops is that it is easier to remove the rear wheel for service without fender interference problems.


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## SirMike1983 (Jul 8, 2010)

I've found the rear drops with adjuster screws easier to get the fine adjustments right, but more a pain when the screws freeze up and need to be worked loose. The front facing ones are easier to get the wheel in and out, but more of a craps shoot when trying to fine adjust the chain tension. 

I have a '50 Columbia with the front facing drops and don't have any complaints. The only issue I did have was that the secondary rear fender brace hole was a pain because I didn't have the original braces. I ended up having to use the standards on the axle.


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