# Firestone Cruiser, It's finally here



## robertc (Jun 4, 2011)

Back in the first of May I saw an ad in the Ashville N.C.’s CL for a late 40’s Firestone Cruiser. The ad stated that they could not find out anything about the bike on the internet. I e-mailed the owners and asked if they would send more photos. The photos they sent showed the bike to be a pre-war. After some research it appears to be a 1941 Colson made model for Firestone. This is not the Super Cruiser just the Cruiser. (I guess they did not know of the CABE) Ashville is about a three hour drive away so my offer had to take in consideration the fuel cost and the 6 hour drive time.  Between a week of negotiations I finally came to an agreement with the owners for $100.00 I was to leave that following Saturday to go and pick it up. That Saturday morning I was teaching a structure burn training class at a fire department and I told them I needed to leave by lunch to go pick up a bike near Ashville. One of the fire fighters said his son lives near Ashville and as it turned out in the same city the bike was located.  I asked the fire fighter if his son was coming home for a visit anytime soon.  He called him and as luck would have it he was coming home on June 3.  To make a long story short, his son picked the bike up and I received it today from his father. I gave the son $25.00 for delivery and it is now in my possession. $125.00 total investment, I can live with that.  It’s not in mint condition but a good project bike. Most of the original paint is there, 80-85%. It’s missing half of the fender light, tank has a few dents, the grips are Schwinn but it’s has a good set of Schwinn Typhoon tires on it.  Overall a solid bike with great potential.


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## MartyW (Jun 4, 2011)

Great looking bike! What kind of shape is the speedo in and who made it?


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## Larmo63 (Jun 4, 2011)

I'm totally okay with that deal, that is a very cool bike to fart around with...... each and every bike/brand you acquire is a learning experience and opens up a whole new world of bicycle knowledge.....


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## Zephyr (Jun 4, 2011)

Very nice! I would like my "shopping spot" (aka the dump) to have one one of the day I go there.


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## robertc (Jun 5, 2011)

The speedo is a Stewart Warner and is in poor shape.


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## hotrod62 (Jun 5, 2011)

your bike looks a lot like my  f s  super cruiser is was told it was a huffman made bike maybe because of the chain ring not sure. since this picture i have added a small engine to make an old looking motorbike...


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## robertc (Jun 5, 2011)

Hotrod62, they do look a lot alike but mine has a skip tooth chain. I did some research and they both appear to have a Colson chain ring. I'm basiclly a Schwinn guy, so I am no expert but I could not pass this one up. The Colson Company only made the cruiser and super cruiser for one year and that was 1941 according to one of the other sites. This is a learning curve for me on this bike. Any help would be welcome. By the way, I pumped up the tires and went for a ride this afternoon.


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## Adamtinkerer (Jun 6, 2011)

Colson bikes typically had a chainring with 3 teardrop shaped cutouts, and the frames had a looptail design around that time. The key here though is the wide dropouts on these two bike shown, which are unique to Huffman, and I believe early postwar actually. Member 37fleetwood is the expert though, and you can see Firestone catalogs on his site, classic bicycle fanatics.


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## robertc (Jun 7, 2011)

Adamtinkerer,
Your infomation is the reason I am on the cabe. I didn't do enough research. So the chain ring does not look like a Colson but a Huffman. Thanks for the info. I just had a chance to look for the serial number on the crank housing. It had two sets of numbers. The one closest to the front tube is 178-8-9 (unknown number or letter looks like ^ maybe a N or a 4) and the last number is a 7. The set of numbers closest to the rear is 8H049763 It has a New Departure hub. Also thanks for the tip on 37fleetwood.


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## robertc (Jun 7, 2011)

I checked 37fleetwood's site and maybe I just didnt know where to look but I could not find his catalogs. I did however find several Firestone catalogs 1938 to 1941 on nostalgic.net. It's definitely not a 38,39 or a 41. Without a doubt the 41 is a Colson and the tank is all wrong for a 38/39.  It appears that the 1940 ad is the closest to the looks and the description of my bike. Thanks for all of the help hotrod62 and Adamtinkerer. Now it's time to clean it up.


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## SimpleMan (Jun 7, 2011)

Robert,

Your bike is a '48......this was the first year for this style frame. Huffman used the serial number system like you wrote down starting in '47. 8H****** could be a '48, '58, '68, etc. You just have have to know the style of frame and when Huffman used them. Huffman rolled that first number over every ten years and the fist # is the year. 

This style frame wasn't available in '38 and was out of production before '58. It helps to have access to many of the Huffman catalogs.

You'll find the serial # on this style frame in one of 3 places......on the rear drop out, bottom of the crank or on the front of the seat clamp (the clamp is welded on) It will always have a # (like your 8) in front of a letter (normally an H but not always).


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## robertc (Jun 7, 2011)

Jeff,
Now I am totally confused. The rear wheel loads from the rear typical of a pre war?


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## SimpleMan (Jun 7, 2011)

Heres a '47 I recently got rid of.....notice the rear drop outs face backwards but are smaller. This was the last year for this style drop out and frame.


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## SimpleMan (Jun 7, 2011)

Heres my '53 Huffman built Western Flyer. Same frame as yours...different tank and accessories.


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## robertc (Jun 7, 2011)

Oh well, I guess I just purchased a 1948 Firestone Cruiser. Still a cool old bike but not as old as I originally thought. Leave it to the experts.  Thanks Jeff for all of the help. I just need to stick to the Schwinns.


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## SimpleMan (Jun 7, 2011)

Heres a page from a 1948 Huffman catalog. Huffmans are cool old bikes. I know Huffman/Huffy used rear facing drop outs till at least '55 and probably '56. If you decide to pass it on I'd be interested.


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## robertc (Jun 7, 2011)

I didn't know that rear facing drop outs were used by mfg. post war. I learn something new everyday. I'll keep you in mind if I decide to let it go.


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## Adamtinkerer (Jun 8, 2011)

robertc said:


> I checked 37fleetwood's site and maybe I just didnt know where to look but I could not find his catalogs. I did however find several Firestone catalogs 1938 to 1941 on nostalgic.net. It's definitely not a 38,39 or a 41. Without a doubt the 41 is a Colson and the tank is all wrong for a 38/39.  It appears that the 1940 ad is the closest to the looks and the description of my bike. Thanks for all of the help hotrod62 and Adamtinkerer. Now it's time to clean it up.




Look for the header "Restorer's Forum". There's a subsection for catalogs, and he has firestone from 1936-53, almost every year. Sometimes, Huffman serials have the first digit as the year, so yours _might_ be a 1948. But they didn't always follow that pattern, so I can't say for sure. But I'm happy to help wherever I can, and sometimes I'm wrong, and I learn something new.
EDIT- didn't see the second page, which confirms what I was thinking.


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## robertc (Jun 8, 2011)

Ok Adam, thanks for the info.


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## tony d. (Jun 9, 2011)

rear faceing drop outs were mainly stoped on schwinn other makers still used them post war


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## fatbike (Jun 9, 2011)

*That is definitely not a Colson*

That is definitely not a Colson.


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## robertc (Jun 10, 2011)

Just when I thought I was beginning to get a grasp on this bike thing I get thrown a loop, thanks tony d for the information. Fat bike, I think the jury has made a decision on this along with you, it's not a Colson and much to my disappointment and it’s not pre war. Thanks to everyone for your help.


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