# Great Western Manufacturing Company La Porte, Indiana U.S.A Crown Bike 19?? HELP !



## cyclejunkies

I Just acquired a Crown Bicycle Was Wonderimg if any body had any info on this beauty ......


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## bricycle

Great bike. My guess would be late teens, as I believe since it is an Indiana made bike that is why I have seen Johnson Motor Wheels mounted on them. They were from Terra Haute.


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## s1b

Over on The Wheelmen site it says 1918 as the last year of Crown, GWM.


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## Balloontyre

Crazy long front fender....cool


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## cyclejunkies

*updated pics*







what do u think its worth ? would this be considerd a ? boardtrack / motorbike/ or race cycle ?


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## bricycle

It is considered a Motorbyke. I'd buy it for my Johnson MW, but I flat broke from buy'n too much CABE member stuff......lol.


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## bricycle

Where you at? Interested in trades at all??


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## cyclejunkies

whata are you offering? what kind bikes 
im located i the city of Los Angeles


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## bricycle

I have a 1948-1950 Scwhinn DX or the Running travis engine, but not both. A circa Teens Shapleigh Special racer style, and two different 1936 Elgins...similar to this blue one.


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## s1b

cyclejunkies said:


> View attachment 72406View attachment 72407
> 
> what do u think its worth ? would this be considerd a ? boardtrack / motorbike/ or race cycle ?




Its a motorbike. These don't bring Racycle or "Iver" money. GWM made many diferent bikes, lost of cool stuff.


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## cyclejunkies

bricycle said:


> I have a 1948-1950 Scwhinn DX or the Running travis engine, but not both. A circa Teens Shapleigh Special racer style, and two different 1936 Elgins...similar to this blue one.





i think im going to hold on to this one


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## Balloontyre

*Headbadge*

Can you post a good pic of head badge, it will help date the bike. Looks like the front fender is a rear converted.


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## bricycle

cyclejunkies said:


> i think im going to hold on to this one




Good! never part it out...it's too cool. If I had $500, I would offer it to you. bri.


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## cyclejunkies

looks  exactly like the one you posted,the top fender brace broke off and someone flipped the existing one upside down ,front fender has the manufactured indention and hole for the fork that is on the bike.


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## Balloontyre

on the head badge, Does the "R" and "W" script run low into/thru the blue underline?


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## bricycle

cyclejunkies said:


> whata are you offering? what kind bikes
> im located i the city of Los Angeles




What "floats your boat"?


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## cyclejunkies

i will get back to you on that when i go home later today. thanks


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## CrownKing

*date*



cyclejunkies said:


> View attachment 72385View attachment 72391I Just acquired a Crown Bicycle Was Wonderimg if any body had any info on this beauty ......





AWESOME FIND!!

This one is a transition motorbike. Date according to the badge variation is late 1914-1917. My educated stab is 1915. This frame wasn't made for more than a year. Incorrect parts are both fenders, the h-bars are dealer-installed or added by someone. Rare accessory and valuable in their own right. Metal seat pan means wrong/newer seat. Added pedals. 

It is also rare to find a GW-frame with the curved bars this close together, or on such a compact diamond. I have seen one, but almost 100% of all curved-bars are further apart and it is _THOSE _frames that were the spec-bikes for Johnson Motor Wheel attachments...this one was not...and of course the first JMW didn't debut until 1918.

Very nice find!...and quite exciting for me(as the GW historian) to see this "living-example"...frames from this specific period before WWI are the most interesting within this company's history...and the most short-lived.

Please post more photos..close-ups if possible...of sprocket, and bottom of crank housing.There were some subtle changes to these areas around this time...

Thanks for posting.

Richard


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## CrownKing

*date*



cyclejunkies said:


> View attachment 72385View attachment 72391I Just acquired a Crown Bicycle Was Wonderimg if any body had any info on this beauty ......





AWESOME FIND!!

This one is a transition motorbike. Date according to the badge variation is late 1914-1917. My educated stab is 1915. This frame wasn't made for more than a year. Incorrect parts are both fenders, the h-bars are dealer-installed or added by someone. Rare accessory and valuable in their own right. Metal seat pan means wrong/newer seat. Added pedals. 

It is also rare to find a GW-frame with the curved bars this close together, or on such a compact diamond. I have seen one, but almost 100% of all curved-bars are further apart and it is _THOSE _frames that were the spec-bikes for Johnson Motor Wheel attachments...this one was not...and of course the first JMW didn't debut until 1918.

Very nice find!...and quite exciting for me(as the GW historian) to see this "living-example"...frames from this specific period before WWI are the most interesting within this company's history...and the most short-lived.

Please post more photos..close-ups if possible...of sprocket, and bottom of crank housing.There were some subtle changes to these areas around this time...

Thanks for posting.

Richard


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## bricycle

Richard, please share more of you knowledge and research with us on these cycles.


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## cyclejunkies

bricycle said:


> Richard, please share more of you knowledge and research with us on these cycles.



thanks richard for all your info,also i looked at the badge and the the R and w do not connect with the C , if that helps with dating this bike .i will be adding more pics with better close ups as soon as i can.


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## cyclejunkies

*uPDATED PICS*


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## Balloontyre

Great shot of badge, 1917 or later, as told to me by Richard some time ago. Maybe he will revisit the thread and elaborate.
Attached is mid twenties Crown badge after GW was sold.


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## cyclejunkies

Anyone have more crown bike pics to share ? That wuld be nice to see other examples on paint schemes/ original  seat / and original fenders ect...that would be helpfull in locating these items.... Thanks for all the help 
hopefully richard (crown king ) can share more of his knowledge and images.


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## gtflyte

*Can You Share Information about your bicycle Badge?*






Hello CJ  I’m looking to get some information about your bicycle. Is it  possible  to obtain  measurement of your badge in length? What is the vertical distance between the mounting screw holes and also the length of the head tube with out the bearing cups.You can PM me or post on my thread. 

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...Co-Crown-Brand-Headbadges&p=188914#post188914

                                                                                      Thanks GT


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## mre straightbar

Hmmmmmm


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## mre straightbar

Anybody know this cycle junkies guy?


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## hoofhearted

mre straightbar said:


> Anybody know this cycle junkies guy?




*Was last seen on the CABE November 30, 2012.*


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## cyclejunkies

mre straightbar said:


> Anybody know this cycle junkies guy?



Hows it going just saw this, did you have a question.  3yrs later..... sorry


mre straightbar said:


> Anybody know this cycle junkies guy?


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## volksboy57

here is my crown. Do you still have yours?


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## Archie Sturmer

The original 2012 post of a teens’ GWM 28” double bar curved top bars frame, and the 2019 post of a 1930’s HP Snyder/DP Harris Sam Schwartz short-frame 26” rainbow bike, both remind me of a presumed early Snyder short frame 28” Utica NY decal and Oneida-badged bike. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/what-bike-did-you-work-on-today.161390/page-215#post-1413753


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## cyclejunkies

volksboy57 said:


> View attachment 1714184here is my crown. Do you still have yours?



I do still have my crown. This on is 👌 nice


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## New Mexico Brant

Very cool bicycle; welcome back!


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## mre straightbar

cyclejunkies said:


> Hows it going just saw this, did you have a question.  3yrs later..... sorry



Where and when did you happen to pick up this bike?


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## cyclejunkies

Riverside Ca old folks home 2012


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## mre straightbar

Mind posting serial number?


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