# Firestone Bikes



## Freqman1 (Jun 27, 2015)

Rather than muddy up Joe's for sale posting on his Fleetwood Supreme I'll try to clarify things here concerning JDs question about why his frame is different. Firestone, just like Goodyear, B.F.Goodrich, Sears, and Montgomery Ward never built the bicycles they sold. Originally, I believe, Huffman had the exclusive contract to build Firestone (Fleetwood) bikes. When the original Twin Flex was introduced with the design flaw ("Death Bike") and subsequent recall Firestone went seeking other suppliers. The bike JD has is a CWC made Firestone which is why the frames are totally different not to mention the fact that Huffman also made lower level Firestone bikes with different frame designs as well. Hope this clears up some confusion. V/r Shawn


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## Boris (Jun 27, 2015)

Thanks Shawn. And just to toss this into the mix, Colson was also a supplier to Firestone, as well as Goodyear.


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## Freqman1 (Jun 27, 2015)

...and after the war we see Monark made Firestones! V/r Shawn


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 27, 2015)

Firestone began offering bikes in mid 36. I think you'll find JD's is a 36. Firestone was never exclusive to any manufacturer. they used CWC, Colson Huffman prewar, and Murray, Monark and a few others postwar.


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## partsguy (Jun 27, 2015)

Post war, we see a few Monark-made Firestones and some more Huffmans. But after Huffman bought out Monark in '58, you saw nothing but Huffy-made Firestones. The latest Firestone bike I saw was a 1967 or 68 muscle bike. It might have been a GTO.


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## jd56 (Jun 28, 2015)

Thanks Shawn. And everyone one that replied. I did know Firestone didn't manufacture bikes as they sold many under the named retailer. I wasn't clear that there were numerous Fleetwood badged styled bikes.
Didn't know mine was a 36 either. Based on the Roadmaster serial I figured it was between 37-38.

My badge was a close match to Joe's so there is where the confusion set in.
Again thanks guys for the help.
And sorry for the highjacked thread Joe.

It's all about the Tanklights!!

How did I run out of room so fast?


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 28, 2015)

no CWC bikes are shown in any of the catalogs,so dating them may be more reliable using the rules that apply to the manufacturer. your bike may very well be a 1937. that badge was used in 1936 and 37. in 1938 the badge says Firestone on the top and Fleetwood on the bottom. in 1939 it only says Firestone across the bottom.
All Firestone bikes are Fleetwood badged, from there there were three levels. the top was called the Supreme, the mid was called the Standard, and the low end bike was the Sentinel.


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 28, 2015)

might as well post the two 37 catalog pages.


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## jd56 (Jun 28, 2015)

Thanks Scott.
I didn't know that Firestone only sold the Fleetwood badged Monark. ...I'm assuming only the Monark's were Fleetwood. And they did sell other manufacturers,  and obviously Roadmaster was one.

It's all about the Tanklights!!

How did I run out of room so fast?


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## JOEL (Jun 28, 2015)

Is JD's frame a Super Streamline style? Let's see a picture?


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## vincev (Jun 28, 2015)

This thread totally clears everything up.Right?


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## scrubbinrims (Jun 28, 2015)

Looks like the standard models were outfitted with putter stems, which I find unlikely unless specified at the store as they couldn't be more scarce....rarely are they found on the streamline bikes discovered.
Chris


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## dboi4u (Jun 28, 2015)

Here's a late 40's Firestone all original paint  made by monark 









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## bike (Jun 28, 2015)

partsguy said:


> Post war, we see a few Monark-made Firestones and some more Huffmans. But after Huffman bought out Monark in '58, you saw nothing but Huffy-made Firestones. The latest Firestone bike I saw was a 1967 or 68 muscle bike. It might have been a GTO.




LOTS of post war bikes were monark super cruiser with dual spring front very similar to monark super deluxe fork and lesser models too


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 28, 2015)

jd56 said:


> Thanks Scott.
> I didn't know that Firestone only sold the Fleetwood badged Monark. ...I'm assuming only the Monark's were Fleetwood. And they did sell other manufacturers,  and obviously Roadmaster was one.
> 
> It's all about the Tanklights!!
> ...




ok, I guess I didn't explain well enough. from 1936 to 1938 they were called Fleetwood. and Firestone used CWC and Huffman during those years. after that they were not badged Fleetwood. so no Monark Fleetwoods.


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 28, 2015)

scrubbinrims said:


> Looks like the standard models were outfitted with putter stems, which I find unlikely unless specified at the store as they couldn't be more scarce....rarely are they found on the streamline bikes discovered.
> Chris




all full sized 1937 Huffmans came with the putter stem. doesn't matter what model.


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 28, 2015)

partsguy said:


> Post war, we see a few Monark-made Firestones and some more Huffmans. But after Huffman bought out Monark in '58, you saw nothing but Huffy-made Firestones. The latest Firestone bike I saw was a 1967 or 68 muscle bike. It might have been a GTO.




Firestone also used Murray and Raleigh during the lare 40s and 50s and maybe the 60s.
I made the cut off for collecting catalogs 1959.


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## jd56 (Jun 29, 2015)

JOEL said:


> Is JD's frame a Super Streamline style? Let's see a picture?



Here is a pic Joel. Was told this was a Roadmaster Roadster. 






It's all about the Tanklights!!

How did I run out of room so fast?


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## cyclingday (Jun 29, 2015)

You were told wrong. The Headbadge and initial tray says it's a Firestone Fleetwood made by the Cleveland Welding Company. Same builders who produced the Roadmaster badged bikes. Not all CWC made bikes were Roadmasters.


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## partsguy (Jun 29, 2015)

37fleetwood said:


> Firestone also used Murray and Raleigh during the lare 40s and 50s and maybe the 60s.
> I made the cut off for collecting catalogs 1959.




Raleigh? That's a first. 

I also need to correct my original post. The latest Firestone I saw was a 1972 women's frame, single-speed middleweight called a "Warrior". It was parted out, down to the bare frame, and scrapped.

Most of the Firestones I have seen or owned were built by CWC, Monark, Huffman, maybe Schwinn but they primarily sold to B.F. Goodrich.


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## jd56 (Jun 30, 2015)

cyclingday said:


> You were told wrong. The Headbadge and initial tray says it's a Firestone Fleetwood made by the Cleveland Welding Company. Same builders who produced the Roadmaster badged bikes. Not all CWC made bikes were Roadmasters.



CWC...thought mine was a Roadmaster. 
But, is it a Roadster? 

I'm so confused[emoji54] 

It's all about the Tanklights!!

How did I run out of room so fast?


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## CWCMAN (Jun 30, 2015)

Not true, I said that your bike is definitely a CWC built bike, badged Fleetwood. Never called it a Roadmaster because it's not 

A double bar Roadster it is...

This was copied from the other post we are referring to.
Jd56,
Your bike is definitely a CWC built bike, badged Fleetwood. Love those front fenders with the initial indent area

This is also a CWC built bike just like yours. Again, not a Roadmaster.


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 30, 2015)

OK JD, here's the way to look at it. CWC, or Cleveland Welding Company, is a manufacturer. Roadmaster is a badge name. bikes with the Roadmaster badge were made by CWC. CWC also made bikes with many other badges, Fleetwood among them. since then, people have blurred the lines and now some people will call CWC bikes Roadmaster.
not ot confuse it further, but the same is tru for Huffman. Huffman is the manufacturer, Dayton is a badge name put on Huffman bikes, but Huffman also used many other badges.
hope this makes more sense. 
All Roadmasters are CWCs. but not all CWCs are Roadmasters. 
please, no one bring up the really early or british bikes with any of these names, this is just meant to be a general clarification.


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 30, 2015)

partsguy said:


> Raleigh? That's a first.
> 
> I also need to correct my original post. The latest Firestone I saw was a 1972 women's frame, single-speed middleweight called a "Warrior". It was parted out, down to the bare frame, and scrapped.
> 
> Most of the Firestones I have seen or owned were built by CWC, Monark, Huffman, maybe Schwinn but they primarily sold to B.F. Goodrich.




yes Raleigh, you'll also find others in there too. as time went on they picked up whoever had the best deal at the time. here's an ad with a Raleigh in the left and a Murray on the right with a Huffy in the middle.


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## jd56 (Jul 1, 2015)

OK. Thanks CWC, Cyclingday, and Scott for the explanations.
Mine is a CWC built Firestone Fleetwood badged Roadster. Not a Roadmaster.  
In my defense of my thoughts of identifing the CWC bikes, when I see the chainring it speaks Roadmaster to me. I now know better.

Again, thanks for helping a guy that sometimes just doesn't grasp all the knowledge thrown his way.
Guess all the braincells haven't grown back yet.


It's all about helping the ones that ask repetitive questions!!

How did I run out of room so fast?


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## Cased (Jul 31, 2016)

Found a 50s or older Firestone Murray bike in good shape they want 50$ wondering if that's too much to pay


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## Freqman1 (Jul 31, 2016)

Cased said:


> Found a 50s or older Firestone Murray bike in good shape they want 50$ wondering if that's too much to pay



Without a pic its hard to say. V/r Shawn


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## Cased (Jul 31, 2016)

Will try to get some pics this week


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## the2finger (Aug 1, 2016)




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## Balloonoob (Feb 26, 2021)

OK well here is a thread for the ages. Lots of great info on this thread.
Bumping this one up to promote the expansion of knowledge.


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## Lowe Beau (Oct 10, 2022)

I just got a Firestone badged bike and now I’m a bit confused.


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## cyclingday (Oct 10, 2022)

Since this thread got refreshed, I thought I’d add a couple of 37 Fleetwoods to the mix.









1937 Huffman Mfg. built,
Firestone Fleetwood Supreme.


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## New Mexico Brant (Oct 10, 2022)

Lowe Beau said:


> I just got a Firestone badged bike and now I’m a bit confused.



Please post a picture!


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## Freqman1 (Oct 10, 2022)

My two Firestones


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## CWCMAN (Oct 10, 2022)

I love the look of these Firestone Fleetwood Supreme bikes. Hopefully one turns up.


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## Lowe Beau (Oct 11, 2022)

New Mexico Brant said:


> Please post a picture!



Here goes…..As far as I know it’s a Speed Cruiser at the latest I’m guessing late 60’s. If I were to guess the make I’d guess Murray(?). Please pardon the faux tank. I’m just trying out an idea. And if you know anything about this model I’d love to hear.


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## Lowe Beau (Oct 11, 2022)

Ok I just read up on something and perhaps it may be a Huffy(?)









						Company Histories -
					

Before 1900 there were hundreds of companies in the United States producing bicycles. Between about 1900 and the mid-1920s the field narrowed considerably as companies like Schwinn and Westfield bought out other makers but carried their brands forward. While some of the companies listed here...




					vintageamericanbicycles.com


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## ranman (Oct 12, 2022)

Freqman1 said:


> Rather than muddy up Joe's for sale posting on his Fleetwood Supreme I'll try to clarify things here concerning JDs question about why his frame is different. Firestone, just like Goodyear, B.F.Goodrich, Sears, and Montgomery Ward never built the bicycles they sold. Originally, I believe, Huffman had the exclusive contract to build Firestone (Fleetwood) bikes. When the original Twin Flex was introduced with the design flaw ("Death Bike") and subsequent recall Firestone went seeking other suppliers. The bike JD has is a CWC made Firestone which is why the frames are totally different not to mention the fact that Huffman also made lower level Firestone bikes with different frame designs as well. Hope this clears up some confusion. V/r Shawn



Hey Shawn. Are you able to message me on here?


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## Oilit (Oct 12, 2022)

Lowe Beau said:


> Ok I just read up on something and perhaps it may be a Huffy(?)
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Huffy built a lot of Firestone bikes after they bought Monark (1957).


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## Lowe Beau (Oct 21, 2022)

Funny that you should mention that. I did some research on dual springer forks for another project and Monark came up a lot. I read about that acquisition somewhere and got a few ideas…


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## Kickstand3 (Nov 2, 2022)

..


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## mrg (Nov 2, 2022)

41 Firestone Flying Ace, Colson built


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## Oilit (Nov 3, 2022)

Here's a thread on a Monark-built Firestone with a three-speed hub and unusual caliper brakes. If anybody has any literature on this bike I would love to see it.









						What kind of brakes are these? | General Discussion About Old Bicycles
					

So I saw this Monark-built Firestone on FB, my first impression was the Firestone version of a Monark Bearcat. I messaged the seller several times but never got a reply. The Bearcat was Monark's take on a three-speed with caliper brakes, but looking at these pictures, these brakes look like they...




					thecabe.com


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## tjkajecj (Nov 3, 2022)

Colson Dec 1938 (L8) frame serial number, probably sold in early 39 as literature above states.
Stamped FS on BB next to serial number


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## AndyA (Nov 3, 2022)

tjkajecj said:


> Colson Dec 1938 (L8) frame serial number, probably sold in early 39 as literature above states.
> Stamped FS on BB next to serial number



I've got one of those too (minus some parts). Mine is three months older (I8). Looks like it ended up with a smaller, non-stock chain wheel.


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