# Prewar Colson Goodyear Reliance



## akikuro (Jul 26, 2008)

I'm hoping the Colson scholars can help me out on this bike. Not sure what year- similiar to the Marathon in the Goodyear 1941 Catalog. Also not sure if it came with a tank(3 rib? snap or screw on?), rack? , and what would be the correct rear fender reflector for this? (Persons?)


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## SirMike1983 (Jul 26, 2008)

Nice bike- I am partial to the double curved bar design, myself. I have a Henderson with that style frame and it's a good rider.


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## ejlwheels (Jul 27, 2008)

what is the serial # on the bottom?


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## akikuro (Jul 27, 2008)

3468GY
F9


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## ejlwheels (Jul 27, 2008)

The "F 9" indicates that the frame was made in 1939.
The "GY" most likely meant Goodyear.
On Firestone  Cruisers they stamp "FCC."
Don't have access to any Goodyear catalogs,
so don't know when they marketed it or how they dressed it.


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## akikuro (Jul 27, 2008)

Thanks for the dating info. I have that Colson handbook that has some 1939 catalogs and had narrowed it from 1938 to 1941. Didn't even think about the GY meaning Goodyear....


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## JOEL (Jul 27, 2008)

Nice Bike Rhandy! Just needs a few acce$$ories to make it pop!

I sure don't see any wear from a tank. The snap tank would surely have left some scars on the insides of the top bars, and either tank would leave wear around the edges.

@ ejlwheels, what do you make of that fork? I don't think I have seen one like it on a Colson.


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## akikuro (Jul 27, 2008)

Thanks Joel- $$$$ is right i think if I need a 3rib tank -

Yes I really can't tell about a tank being included- but I'd like to add one to complete the look..check out the back fender -2 holes for a reflector? Any idea what kind would fit this hole profile?


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## Langsmer (Jul 27, 2008)

My Packard has the same holes, one has a small jewel reflector, the other just a screw. Both hold the drop stand clip.


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## akikuro (Jul 28, 2008)

Thanks Langsmer -
Does your bike also have the 2 extra set of holes that are lower on the fender, at the end of the pinstripes? They look like they were originally there- but i just can't figure out what would be mounted on it.

Speaking of holes with no purpose (insert your joke here...)- there is another one on the truss rod support as well.


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## SirMike1983 (Jul 28, 2008)

Langsmer said:


> My Packard has the same holes, one has a small jewel reflector, the other just a screw. Both hold the drop stand clip.




I did some research and photo hunting on this topic for several weeks this summer and I believe this is the right answer for those two vertical holes in the back fender. As near as I can tell- there were a couple of options back in the 1930s for rear mounted reflector and dropstand. You could get a simple circular reflector style or you could get a "deluxe" two-hole mounted reflector that came with a bracket mount (think something similar to what the Phantoms had later on). If you have just 2 vertical holes in the rear fender that are fairly close together and near the bottom of the fender, then chances are that one hole was used for a small-ish (maybe 1.5 inches or so) reflector. The second hole would be a simple screw for the second dropstand clip mount (the other point of attachment being the stud from the simple reflector).

Now it appears that if you have 3 holes on the rear fender it would be two holes low and close together plus a third hole a few inches higher up. This would probably indicate a deluxe two-hole reflector/bracket assembly plus dropstand. 

If you have just the two far apart holes higher up on the fender (without the lower close together ones) then that would probably be deluxe reflector/bracket assembly, but a regular kickstand and not a dropstand (no mounting holes for clip).


The horizontal holes in your back fender, I'm not sure about.

Take this for what it's worth- I wasn't there in the 1930s to see how they did this stuff for real, but after spending a fair amount of time researching and looking at pictures, I think that's how the rear fender loadouts could go.


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## JOEL (Jul 28, 2008)

License plate maybe??? Or a mudflap??

I'm still curious about the fork. Would you mind posting a shot of it?


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## Yannick (Jul 28, 2008)

This thing is amazing, incredible how they could make these futuristic designs in the thirties!


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## ejlwheels (Jul 28, 2008)

I think the 2 horizontal holes in the fender were probably for a mud flap.

The fork is not a "normal" Colson fork, but the paint looks original.  I've seen 2-plate forks on '34 and '35 Colsons.  This 3-plate fork looks like it might be a Snyder/Harris/Rollfast fork?  Possibly the Goodyear jobber was able to get a better deal on those forks?

Until around '39 the truss rod neck and strut plates can have slots that could accommodate a waterfall badge.  If it's a hole, then someone may have drilled it or it may have come that way to attach one of those Goodyear safety badges?


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## akikuro (Jul 28, 2008)

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I also have seen this 3 crown fork on zeps and other bikes made by the companies mentioned on the last post by EJWHEELS.  Has anyone seen a Person's round reflector (mini marbles) on bikes from this time?

Here's a pic of the fork...


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