# new poster old bike



## skywriter (Nov 26, 2008)

[/IMG]hello yall ! I am a new poster here was recommended here by the bike forums.I just was given a very old firestone bicycle late 30s' or early 40's cant tell.It says firestone cruiser on the headbadge, but the frame doesnt exactly match the ads i looked at.it was brush painted back in the 40s, I recieved it from a man who rode it when he was a kid back in the 40s and he bought it secondhand already brush painted.I want to repaint it, but don't really know what the original color scheme would be, or if there are decals available for it. anyway, I am posting some pics of it, and am looking forward to gleaning some valuable advice here...Thanks


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## skywriter (Nov 26, 2008)

I am going to assume I should just clean the bike up for now? is there a way to clean  the brushed paint off the original paint?


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## markivpedalpusher (Nov 27, 2008)

Welcome to the Cabe. Acetone works wells for me. Poor a little on a rag and wipe it on. The paint should start to wipe off but it's a very long process but rewarding...


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## skywriter (Nov 27, 2008)

anyone know what year it is? I also think it has the wrong chain guard


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## JRE (Nov 27, 2008)

synthetic reducer works REALLY good. Will wipe the brushed on paint without harming the original paint. It's a long process but well worth the time.


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## skywriter (Nov 27, 2008)

and it wont damage the underlying paint ? I have been working on another bike that somebody painted with red primer, I have been using graffiti remover spraying it on and scrubbing it with a soft scrub pad and its been working good, but it doesnt seem to have any effect on this bike paint.


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## old hotrod (Nov 27, 2008)

The bike looks to be a 39-41 Columbia based on the short spring seat, non hanging tank, tubular forks, Cheese grater chain guard, frame design and the curved stay rack. There is a serial number list for Columbia bikes but I have heard that it is not real accurate.
Here is mine:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/david-quickpic/2057547467/in/set-72157602356066779/


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## RMS37 (Nov 27, 2008)

Your bike was produced by the Westfield Manufacturing Company. Prewar Westfield built frames usually have two serial numbers stamped on the underside of the crank hanger. The year the frame was produced can be decoded from the letter at the beginning of the longer series.

This link: 

http://www.oldroads.com/co_sn.asp

will take you to a list of serial numbers from 1936 on.


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## JRE (Nov 27, 2008)

Yea I used sythetic reducer on a monark to take some gold rattle cn paint off and it washed it right off and left all the original paint, pinstripe and decals intact.


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## skywriter (Nov 27, 2008)

it does say firestone on the head badge, did  westfield manufacture  bicycles for firestone?or are firestones rebadged westfield bikes?


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## skywriter (Nov 27, 2008)

*serial numbers*

serial numbers appear to be  339 FBW  and above it G10 so it appears....if that doesnt make sense ill take some pics tomorrow


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## Classicriders (Nov 27, 2008)

First year for that tank was 1940, which was also the last year for that style chainguard.  What gets me are the fenders, they don't look like any Westfield/Columbia fenders I am familiar with.  As far as i know, all Westfield prewar fenders were flared at the bottom and peaked down the center, or "Gothic".  Those appear to be niether?  If you get a chance, snap a pic of the fork crown and fenders, that may help?
I think the bike is a 1940 Columbia with different fenders than it was originally equipped, and possibly the head badge was changed too? You will know a lot more once you start removing that old paint.

CR


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## skywriter (Nov 27, 2008)

*serial number*

that may be why they painted the bike silver>I have several other pictures.ill get one of the forks.


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## skywriter (Nov 27, 2008)

it appears that the bike is black with white accents on the tank. it also appears from the  chips and from scrubbing vigorously elsewhere with a scotchbrite  pad and graffiti remover spray that all the parts have a black base coat also.Unfortunately, the white graphics are coming  off with the silver paint, maybe because its been on there so long? I am assuming they hand painted the graphics on after they painted the bike.Anyway, this is where we are at. I am going to pick up some reducer tomorrow and see if its a little less aggressive on the graphics.


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## sm2501 (Nov 28, 2008)

Check out the new Columbia book at

http://www.classicbicyclenews.com/literature.html


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## Adamtinkerer (Dec 1, 2008)

"did westfield manufacture bicycles for firestone?"  I don't recall ever seeing one! Westfield did make bikes for Good year... Dayton and Monark seem to have made most Firestone bikes thru the mid 50's, along with a couple Murray built. I'd try and remove the badge (carefully) and see if it looks like it was original. Some badges do line up on other bikes, but one never knows. ~Adam


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## Archie Sturmer (Jun 6, 2021)

skywriter said:


> it does say firestone on the head badge, did  westfield manufacture  bicycles for firestone?



Yes, apparently so.
Although a member has posted otherwise; (and in the classified forums, somewhat detracting from Sellers’ ads).

Perhaps an order-of-precedent might be used:
1)  Chiseled in stone; (rock?)
2)  Stamped in steel; (scissors?)
3)  Printed on paper; (paper)

4)  Posted on internet.

For example, we have seen Westfield-built Firestone bicycles from about 1940; with the Firestone head badges and the *Firestone* *3*-_*characters*_ “*F*-*codes*”. The codes might not be well documented or understood; but rather a post here or there; (but for one Firestone manufacturer and not any of the others?).

A recent example of a Westfield-built Firestone bicycle included the 3-characters, “FBW” for Firestone; year; & manufacturer.
F = Firestone;
B = year 1940; (also: A/’39; C/’41);
W = Westfield; (H/Huffman; C/Colson; &?).

When the steel does not agree with the mere flimsy paper, then the steel takes precedent; (even though some might be very proud of the paper sources reinforcing their vast knowledge).


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