# Is this authentic



## Buddybradel (Sep 19, 2018)

Guys I’ve found this on eBay and want to know if she’s real or not https://www.ebay.com/itm/Late-30s-W...623573?hash=item4b4ebe0695:g:4x0AAOSwE1BbmZv3


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## fordmike65 (Sep 19, 2018)

It's a 1940 Rollfast(Snyder built), who did not have a contract to build bikes for the Military. Hawthorne badged bikes were sold at Montgomery Wards stores. Just a cool old bike painted olive drab.


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## fordmike65 (Sep 19, 2018)




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## Buddybradel (Sep 19, 2018)

Thanks


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## blackcat (Sep 19, 2018)

fordmike65 said:


> It's a 1940 Rollfast(Snyder built), who did not have a contract to build bikes for the Military. Hawthorne badged bikes were sold at Montgomery Wards stores. Just a cool old bike painted olive drab.




Hello;
 It is also possible that it was repainted and served on a base during the WW2, but it should be able to look at it more closely.
Just a guess.
Cheers;
Serge


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## fordmike65 (Sep 19, 2018)

blackcat said:


> Hello;
> It is also possible that it was repainted and served on a base during the WW2, but it should be able to look at it more closely.
> Just a guess.
> Cheers;
> Serge



Could be I suppose. Hmmm....Does look like it was painted a while back. No idea if the military did that sort of thing.


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## johan willaert (Sep 19, 2018)

Was asked about this particular bicycle through email a couple of weeks ago and basically answered exactly what is written above...

Old bike painted OD, not a Military contract bike, possibly painted OD to use on a camp or base but no way to be sure...


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## catfish (Sep 19, 2018)

Tribute bike.


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## Mercian (Sep 19, 2018)

catfish said:


> Tribute bike.




You could be right, we'll never know. Although if it is, then it's not recent. The paint looks genuinely old, in that the dirty grease on the BB is overlaying it, A difficult and unlikely thing to fake.

Some options:

It's real - wartime used on a base, and (carelessly) repainted, see the paint on the tyres.

Tribute bike - certainly the first 'Tribute Bike' that I saw in europe was over 25 years ago now. Johan bought one a good few years ago, which is what started his webpage on G519. I think unlikely due to the overpaint on the tyres, 'Tribute Bikes' tend to be neater.

Army Surplus Paint - cheap repaint in the 50's or 60's using Army Surplus paint. 

None of the above - We'll never know...

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## the tinker (Sep 19, 2018)

No. Repainted  long  enough back to look authentic. Look closely at the tires......looks like some over spray on them. At a swap, one would expect to get 100 bucks from a newbie for this bike. I would pay no more than 50 for it.


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## gkeep (Sep 26, 2018)

If the OD isn't historic, what's under it?? Is that a nice red peeking out from under the OD and grease at the bottom bracket?


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## rollfaster (Sep 26, 2018)

Westfield or Huffman were the two bike manufacturers contracted by the military for commission.


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## Scout Evans (Dec 20, 2018)

I think mine was one of the last made before production was curtailed in 1942. There was no old paint on it when I got it unfortunately. This is a 42 Snyder Hawthorne, the bottom bracket has some blanks welded in under the serial number, maybe to use up all the scrap pieces as they wrapped up production.


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Dec 20, 2018)

I want to live where a bike like that goes for 50 bucks.


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## fat tire trader (Dec 22, 2018)

Painted with surplus paint that was sold cheap after the war. I have a 5 gallon bucket of surplus paint.


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