# Blundered onto two bikes



## Ted (Mar 28, 2008)

A friend was cleaning out his mother's house and found 2 bikes that had been stored there for many years. Supposedly both were sold to a relative in 1941 at a Western Auto store. One is a ladies The World Schwinn with a serial number of H89804. The men's bike is more of a problem. The headbadge is gone, and I cannot find any make or model markings on the frame. It has a serial number on the bottom bracket shell, but the numbers/letters are a bit crude like they were hammered on by hand. As best as I can tell they are HJJ, and then below that 3186. The bike is a one speed coaster brake with new departure hubs front and rear. It has what I believe is called a skip link chain, and the saddle has what looks to be HOBDALE embossed on it. It has Firestone High Speed 2.125 tires on it.

Does anyone have a clue what this men's bike could be? Would anyone be intrested in these bikes?

I will try to find the camera to take some pictures, but until then, what do you think.


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## schwinnfreak (Mar 28, 2008)

were are the bikes located?shoot me some  photos of the bikes.I am interested in any prewar bikes


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## 37fleetwood (Mar 28, 2008)

the seat is most likely a Lobdell and I suppose the bike could be a Huffman made Firestone. the placement of the serial and the tires are the basis of this guess. I have almost all the Firestone catalogs from the '30's and '40's we can check it out, photos would make it easier.
Scott


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## Ted (Mar 28, 2008)

*Thanks for the replies.*

I'll try to post some photos tomorrow.  Too dark to try right now.


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*First Try*

Here's pictures of the Schwinn.  This is my first try to post pictures to this board, so we'll see how it turns out.


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Not Seeing Pictures*

I guess I did something wrong.  I'll try again.


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Looks Like 1 pic at a time*

More Schwinn.


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## militarymonark (Mar 29, 2008)

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=488 this might help get things going a little faster


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the info.  I'll see if that will work for me.


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Schwinn*


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Schwinn2*


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## militarymonark (Mar 29, 2008)

looks good, the finger tops it off lol


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Heh Heh*

That, sir, is a thumb!


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Schwinn3*


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Thanks*

And thanks for the help, by the way.


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Schwinn4*


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Schwinn5*


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Schwinn6*


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Now for the men's mystery bike*


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Mystery2*


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Mystery3*


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Mystery4*


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Mystery5*


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## Ted (Mar 29, 2008)

*Mystery6*


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## schwinnfreak (Mar 30, 2008)

ted sent an email about the ladies bike thanks mark


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## PCHiggin (Mar 30, 2008)

*Pre-War*

Both bikes are pre WW2. The drop outs on both and the chainguard rear mount on the Schwinn are the best way to tell. Nice bikes, oddly enough, I'd like to have the Schwinn girls. Pat


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## 37fleetwood (Mar 30, 2008)

ok, the red boys bike is definitely a 1941 or 1942 Huffman made bike. the chain guard looks like a Monark and is incorrect as is the rack but should be worth enough to trade or sell for the correct ones. I would be interested in the Huffman let me know what you decide. here is a photo of my 1942 Firestone Pilot and under is a catalog page from 1942.
Scott


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## PCHiggin (Mar 31, 2008)

*Huffman*

Was Huffman one of the bike companies, allowed to continue production during WW2? Pat


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## 37fleetwood (Mar 31, 2008)

here's my 1944 Dayton in answer to your question 




Scott


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## itweighsalot (Mar 31, 2008)

Nice find. Pretty cool "zeppelinesque" chainguard, be it incorrect. Don't want to step on anyone's toes, but if you want to sell the Huffman, and the first gentleman doesnt purchase it, send me an email. whitejettacoupe@yahoo.com.
If you decide to keep it, good luck.


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## schwinnfreak (Mar 31, 2008)

*guard on bike in orig. post*

I have seen that chainguard on a manton & smith and have a columbia special with that guard


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## Aeropsycho (Mar 31, 2008)

*Monark/McCully Chainguard*

I would be interested in the chainguard I have the correct guard the like 41 for your bike I would trade you if you are interested...

This guard was used on 41 Monarks mostly the Manton and Smith is slightly different they were sold separately as well for the kids who got the cheep bikes...without a guard!


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## Ted (Apr 6, 2008)

*Chainguard*

From the information I have on this bike, I would be very suprised if this was not the chainguard that came on the bike when it was sold.  The store where it was purchased might have switched it out pre sale, but I'm pretty sure this is how it was purchased.  

The same informant says that a rack was purchased and installed at the time of sale.  This seems to be confirmed by writting on the underside of the rack saying $2.49.  I don't know what this was writtrn with, but it has really hung on.  (Did they have "Magic Markers" in '41?)  I also believe it never came with a tank.  However, the cream colored paint on the head tube is kind of sloppy, like it was done in a way that expected a tank to cover it up.

I'm sorry that I have been silent since my first contact with this board.  My excuse is that we are in a very busy time at work.  I got lots of good information from you guys, and now I have to make a decision on what to do with these bikes.  I really would like to get them to guys like you who really appreciate what is there.

Ted...


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## 37fleetwood (Apr 6, 2008)

depending on the model the red bike may not have come with a rack or chain guard. they may have been added at the dealer or after the bike was a few years old. it may have been spruced up by the owner instead of buying a new bike. I tend toward the latter as probable since it would have been very common to clean up a bike during the war period rather than buy one as new bikes were almost impossible to get. the paint is obviously not original to the bike as Huffman's paint schemes were very different from what you have. I believe your rack and chainguard are likely accessory pieces from a shop bought at a later date when the makeover was done on the bike.
Scott


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## Langsmer (Apr 6, 2008)

If you have a decent 30's-50's schwinn chain guard, I know someone with an early 40's Dayton Chain guard like the one on 37fleetwood's bike on their 1948 DX that would most likely be willing to trade.


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