# Fresh Find Huffman Top Flite



## hzqw2l (Apr 7, 2014)

Never in a collection...Auction pick-up Saturday.


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## jkent (Apr 7, 2014)

Sweet. Nice score!


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## jd56 (Apr 7, 2014)

Nice!!!
Are those headlights in the tank?


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## Freqman1 (Apr 7, 2014)

That is a dent in the tank--'41 didn't have tank lights. V/r Shawn


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## jd56 (Apr 7, 2014)

Thanks Shawn


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## RJWess (Apr 7, 2014)

Congratulations!!!!  Whats the story on the bike? Was it a local estate auction? Did you have any competition for the bike or was it the score of a lifetime? Give us some details. Great bike by the way…..


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## Oldnut (Apr 7, 2014)

*Top flite*

First one I've seen black and red love it


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## Freqman1 (Apr 7, 2014)

I think the bike is dark carmine and red-not black and red. V/r Shawn


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## JAF/CO (Apr 7, 2014)

looks like a 40 to me no dimples in the tank for a the model sticker

very nice bike


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## Freqman1 (Apr 7, 2014)

I questioned that too but the rack and headlight mount point to a '41. I would like to know what the numbers on the back of the fork crown are. V/r Shawn


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## Oldnut (Apr 7, 2014)

Didn't 41s use a different  fender this one seems clipped off in the front early 41?


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## Freqman1 (Apr 7, 2014)

Its difficult to tell from the pics but I was told this bike has colonial fenders on it. V/r Shawn


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## COB (Apr 7, 2014)

Nice bike! Tell us more!


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## rollfaster (Apr 7, 2014)

*I like it*

No matter what year or model it is. Congrads.


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## 37fleetwood (Apr 7, 2014)

hzqw2l said:


> Never in a collection...Auction pick-up Saturday.
> 
> View attachment 145871




hmmm... looks familiar don't it?


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## hzqw2l (Apr 7, 2014)

*Details*

I only had time to take these indoor pictures so I could get a fellow caber to help me identify it. (thanks Scott)

So, here's what I know.

It is indeed Black and Red original paint.
The fenders are 5 sided colonial.
It has an earlier model springer fork with 51 stamped in the rear.
The Serial number has a Q above it on the bottom bracket.
The saddle is a Persons.
The pedals are Torrington.
The rims are center drop and stamped Lobdell next to the valve holes and the tires are Uniroyal Chains.

Obviously it is missing the delta headlight but the bracket is there.

There were 4 Eveready batteries with 1942/43 dates still in the tank.  Thankfully they are still intact and never leaked.  The tank internally is bright red and perfect.

There is a 1942 Detroit bike license attached under the saddle.

There is a fair amount of dust/dirt on the bike that I haven't decided to clean yet.   (I may just leave it alone until I decide what to do with it.)

I'll try and get some more pictures up as soon as I can get it out in the daylight.


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## dfa242 (Apr 7, 2014)

hzqw2l said:


> ...I may just leave it alone until I decide what to do with it...




Listen to your inner voice - I think this is always good advice when coming across a really nice original bike.  Good for you.


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## 37fleetwood (Apr 7, 2014)

hzqw2l said:


> I only had time to take these indoor pictures so I could get a fellow caber to help me identify it. (thanks Scott)
> 
> So, here's what I know.
> 
> ...




curiouser and curiouser!


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## hzqw2l (Apr 7, 2014)

*Pics*


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## bike (Apr 7, 2014)

*Bolted k stand*

so ..........................





That is a very very special bike in very very very special condition = I hope you move ahead slowly.


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## bikewhorder (Apr 7, 2014)

Oh man, I would have been just giddy to find that at a local auction. It looks like it was barely ridden.  Doesn't get much better than that, Where abouts was the auction?   Looks like northeastern light in the Pics.


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## hzqw2l (Apr 7, 2014)

bikewhorder said:


> Oh man, I would have been just giddy to find that at a local auction. It looks like it was barely ridden.  Doesn't get much better than that, Where abouts was the auction?   Looks like northeastern light in the Pics.




Suburban Detroit.  I was pretty happy when the bidding stopped


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## scrubbinrims (Apr 7, 2014)

Congrats, I knew it wasn't closer than 250 miles from me.
If I cannot drive to participate or pickup, I'd rather not know about the auction, however, I will make an exception in this case having the exact same bike and color.
And, I am scratching big tanks off the rare list (grouping 40 and 41 together).
Chris


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## Freqman1 (Apr 7, 2014)

scrubbinrims said:


> Congrats, I knew it wasn't closer than 250 miles from me.
> If I cannot drive to participate or pickup, I'd rather not know about the auction, however, I will make an exception in this case having the exact same bike and color.
> And, I am scratching big tanks off the rare list (grouping 40 and 41 together).
> Chris




Getting just like Blue Birds--desirable but not rare. V/r Shawn


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## 37fleetwood (Apr 7, 2014)

Freqman1 said:


> Getting just like Blue Birds--desirable but not rare. V/r Shawn




I think you're wrong. define rare. how many big tank bikes do you think are out there? of those how many in original paint in any condition? the main problem with these are they're like shark attacks, every single one that shows up creates a huge stir, where not every B-6 even gets mentioned.
think back over the last 10 years, how many of these have you seen? hundreds, or tens? I can think of 10-15. that's not common, in my book that is rare.


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## Nickinator (Apr 7, 2014)

I have seen at least 30 and they aren't as rare as they once were but still more rare then a autocycle 

NIck.


37fleetwood said:


> I think you're wrong. define rare. how many big tank bikes do you think are out there? of those how many in original paint in any condition? the main problem with these are they're like shark attacks, every single one that shows up creates a huge stir, where not every B-6 even gets mentioned.
> think back over the last 10 years, how many of these have you seen? hundreds, or tens? I can think of 10-15. that's not common, in my book that is rare.


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (Apr 7, 2014)

Awesome find and buy congrats enjoy it!!


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## Monark52 (Apr 7, 2014)

Clean and unmolested. Nice buy. I can imagine how you felt when the auctioneer said SOLD!


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## bikewhorder (Apr 8, 2014)

37fleetwood said:


> I think you're wrong. define rare. how many big tank bikes do you think are out there? of those how many in original paint in any condition? the main problem with these are they're like shark attacks, every single one that shows up creates a huge stir, where not every B-6 even gets mentioned.
> think back over the last 10 years, how many of these have you seen? hundreds, or tens? I can think of 10-15. that's not common, in my book that is rare.




Did you just say B-6 and rare in the same paragraph?


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## hzqw2l (Apr 8, 2014)

*Interesting discovery*

On close inspection last night I found remnants (protected paint) of what I assume was a nameplate on the button side of the tank.
No such area present on the opposite side.  

Didn't the late 1941 tanks have this area pressed on both sides?

Was there a model decal/sticker or nameplate offered?

Just wanted to post for the Huffman archives...


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## Freqman1 (Apr 8, 2014)

37fleetwood said:


> I think you're wrong. define rare. how many big tank bikes do you think are out there? of those how many in original paint in any condition? the main problem with these are they're like shark attacks, every single one that shows up creates a huge stir, where not every B-6 even gets mentioned.
> think back over the last 10 years, how many of these have you seen? hundreds, or tens? I can think of 10-15. that's not common, in my book that is rare.




Scott-relax, I was being somewhat facetious in response to Chris' post. Regardless of our personal tastes there are some bikes that will always be extremely desirable especially when they are this clean and unmolested. Congrats to the new owner and hope for the rest of us that these things are still out there! V/r Shawn


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## scrubbinrims (Apr 8, 2014)

Everyone is entitled to their own personal threshold (which enlarges when selling) of what number is rare and the waters get muddled when there are contingencies of completeness and original paint/restored, color combo, etc....
I had the discussion with Phil some time ago and if memory serves, he thought that the rare designation was 12-15 known examples...and I concur.
So, not rare by MY definition, but who really cares since the desirability if through the roof on big tanks.

Again, fantastic find, is the kickstand welded on and can you confirm whether or not these are colonial 5-sided fenders as they look like radius fenders in the photo?

Chris


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## Freqman1 (Apr 8, 2014)

scrubbinrims said:


> Everyone is entitled to their own personal threshold (which enlarges when selling) of what number is rare and the waters get muddled when there are contingencies of completeness and original paint/restored, color combo, etc....
> I had the discussion with Phil some time ago and if memory serves, he thought that the rare designation was 12-15 known examples...and I concur.
> So, not rare by MY definition, but who really cares since the desirability if through the roof on big tanks.
> 
> ...




The kickstand is a bolt on and it does have colonial fenders. Back of fork crown is 51 (May '41). V/r Shawn


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## 37fleetwood (Apr 8, 2014)

Thanks for posting these! it's confirmation of what I had suspected all along. the placement of the horn button and lack of the embossed area for the name plate make it what most would consider a 1940 tank. the shape of the name plate a very much standard 1941. so as late as May 1941 they still had some leftover 1940 tanks, or they used this tank well into 1941. which begs the question when and on what did they start using the embossed tank? my bike came to me missing the tank. I bought a 1940 tank and agonized over using it and in the end went for a 1941 tank, but now it would appear that maybe the 1940 tank may have been ok after all!
this bike that showed up just before Christmas is also very like our 2 but has the embossments, I wonder what the fork is stamped? Oldnut? did you get a look?









hzqw2l said:


> On close inspection last night I found remnants (protected paint) of what I assume was a nameplate on the button side of the tank.
> No such area present on the opposite side.
> 
> Didn't the late 1941 tanks have this area pressed on both sides?
> ...


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## dxtom (Apr 15, 2014)

*Huffman*

Scott, The number stamped on fork is 61.

                                                      Tom


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## bikesnbuses (Apr 15, 2014)

Wow,just saw this!!That thing is GREAT!!!!!!!!Congrats!!!!!!!!


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