# Barn Find 1936 Colson?



## 1914abbott (Oct 24, 2013)

While picking up an old Mack fire truck with a friend, I fouund my first vintage bike in a barn. I believe it to be a 1936 Colson. The internet has been somwhat helpful, but still have many questions. Bike has 26" wheels and a 20 1/2" frame. Serial number is 998E. Fenders are the rounded type. It appears to have a red stripe on the head, fork, 3 on top of the front fender that I could find. Then it was painted a sage green all over, then all black with white darts on fenders and cross tubes.
 My questions are is it a 1936? Is the rack and chain guard original? Is the geen a color or a primer? What colors would be original? I would like to do a decent, correct restoration.
 Thanks


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## OldRider (Oct 24, 2013)

What a beauty you found! If that were mine I'd give it a bath in warm soapy water and call it done......you'll be surprised how much paint will come back with a little scrubbing and elbow grease. I love patina


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## bikewhorder (Oct 24, 2013)

Pretty sweet,  I've never seen that rack on a Colson so I'm tempted to say that its not correct, but those racks are cool and have value.  The chain guard is a universal type so it's probably been added. It is an early balloon tired colson and its possible it left the factory without a chain guard.  I've yet to see one of these in original paint so I don't know what it should look like but someone might have a catalogue pic to share.


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## dougfisk (Oct 24, 2013)

here's something...

http://www.ohiomemory.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p267401coll36/id/5076/rec/18


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## 1914abbott (Oct 24, 2013)

Thanks for the replies thus far. I'd given some thought to making a few repairs and putting new tubes in the old tires. I soaked the bike down with WD40. A good wash now might help. I also thought the rack was different as it was made up of many pieces vs a single stamping. More to make? 
 The link to the Ohio Memory Collection was also a treaat. In my googling I had come across the 1940 brochure there, but the 1936 answered some of my questions. 
 My mind is a vacuum, and I think I'm addicted. I find myself looking on eBay and Craigslist for my next fix.


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## Adamtinkerer (Oct 26, 2013)

It's a long wheelbase Colson, less common than the short one. Most from that era have a 2 digit code stamped separately, offset from the serial. I have a 37 LWB stamped D7, and a 39 shorty stamped K9. The D stands for the month, in this case April. Maybe your bike predates that stamping sequence, or else it's pretty far from the serial.


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## 1914abbott (Oct 27, 2013)

Adam,
Some where I read that the 1936 didn't use the date codes. That and the rounded fenders vs the peaked ones was the difference between 36 and 37. 
Am I close?
Thanks,
Mike


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## fatbike (Oct 28, 2013)

That is a 36 tall frame Colson. The two digit dating stamp system wasn't in play until 1937 as we know it. Chainguard would be a long feather like the attached photo or possible short feather. The rack would be very similar to this one, unfortunately there are very small numbers of real ones, this is a reproduction and is actually a little different but very close. Most likely the model you have would be consider a basic model and most likely did not come with a rack or a chain guard at all.

The mudguard change over from round to peaked was 1937 for Colson fleet bikes. Of coarse the round were still being used on 37 models on lesser models but than you would know by the two digit stamp it would be 37.

And possible the lime green with the reddish pin-stripping on fork is original.


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## American Vintage Bicycle Supply (Oct 28, 2013)

I've been looking for this bike for a while. Interested if you want to sell.


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