# Hiawatha Gambles-old sucker.  Help wanted to date it



## monkeylight (Nov 6, 2009)

I love old bikes!  It's so much fun trying to figure out what they really are.  Here are some pictures of my newest baby.  Sprocket looks like at late 40's Shelby  (found the same one on a '48 Flying Cloud).  Light is consistent with some of the other Hiawathas I've seen.  Gambles headbage.  But check out the springer!  Have you ever seen one like this?  And it still works!  And the rear fender reflector is glass and is still intact!!!  Does anyone have any idea what year this could be from?  Anyone know how to date Hiawathas by serial number?


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## Adamtinkerer (Nov 6, 2009)

It's a Shelby built Hiawatha. Actually, Gambles bought Shelby in 1954, then sold it to AMF shortly after. That funky springer was Shelby's second attempt, their first was the shock ease, it had springs inside the head tube. I hear they didn't spring much. I think this later one came out with the deluxe Shelby 52a model, which was early 50s.


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## monkeylight (Nov 6, 2009)

Thanks Adam!  Your information is consistent with what I'm finding in photo comparisons.


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## RMS37 (Nov 6, 2009)

It is hard to see the frame in the photos but what I can see looks like an AMF built Hiawatha with an AMF straight bar frame and the springer and chain ring AMF acquired when they purchased Shelby. 

As Adam mentioned the transfer was effected quickly during the end of 1953 and the first couple of months in 1954. The Shelby factory was closed and remaining parts were transferred to Cleveland. 

Initially some of these parts were installed on modified AMF Roadmaster frames but gradually most of the Shelby content was filtered out (excepting the Shelby pattern chain rings and some Shelby pattern chain guards which were used on AMF products beyond those labeled as Shelby.)

It is likely that beyond using up Shelby stock at hand after the purchase, AMF was at first attempting to continue the ?Shelby look? to maintain relationships with long term Shelby distributors and dealers. While I don?t know if Shelby springers continued to be manufactured after the transfer it appears that AMF went to the trouble of stamping tanks and headlight shrouds after the purchase as the pre-purchase Shelby units don?t have the stamped ribs found in the AMF versions.

As the parts stock dried up the move was to building all the lines of bikes on common frames such as the straight bar frame that your bike appears to have. I would guess that your bike may be from 1955 or 1956 as it doesn?t have the modified frame but still uses the Shelby springer. 

I would be interested in seeing a side view of the bike to confirm the above and in knowing what the serial number is. It is likely a letter, followed by five numbers, followed by 53, 54, or 55Cw which would help pin down the date of the bike.


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## monkeylight (Nov 6, 2009)

All great information.  Thanks for taking the time to let me know!  This is a B32476 55Cw.  I also have another Hiawatha, A11868 55Cw.  The headbadge on that one was also stamped and I was thinking that one's probably a '57 but I can't remember what site I was on that led me to that conclusion.


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## RMS37 (Nov 6, 2009)

Thanks for the numbers, if you don't mind posting pictures of the bikes those would add a great deal to the data base. Both ofthe numbers are Cleveland Welding/AMF serial numbers. The Cw number is likely the year as CW numbers have been recorded now for 1952 through 1956 (1956 is the year that AMF moved bicycle manufacturing from Cleveland to Little Rock, most likely to get away from the unions.)

Whether the CW number is for the model year or the calendar year remains to be determined.


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## monkeylight (Nov 9, 2009)

Here are more pictures of this cool old bike.  I love the "Jimmy Durante" springer but I think my favorite feature is the vintage red glass dot rear fender reflector.  I can't find another one like it anywhere!  When we found the bike there were no wheels on it.  Not sure if it should have enamel rims or not but we just put these on so we can roll it around and stand it up.


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## monkeylight (Nov 9, 2009)

*more pix*

Okay, last batch of pictures for this bike.


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## monkeylight (Nov 9, 2009)

*my red hiawatha*

Now you get to see my other Hiawatha.  This one has a serial number A11868  55Cw.  Cool truss rods on this one.  Bendix hub with handlebar shifter.  It's a shame someone had to take a can of red paint to this bike but it cleans off sooooo easily and the bike was red with white pinstriping to begin with so that makes it a little less painful.


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## monkeylight (Nov 9, 2009)

There are serial numbers stamped on the headbadge of this bike.  I haven't taken any of the paint off yet but it looks like it says "55  WG6  24  1957" though that 9 at the end is really hard to read.  Fenders are peaked.  I'm thinking that these two hiawathas could be put together to make one unbelievable bike.  Any thoughts on that idea?


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## Adamtinkerer (Nov 11, 2009)

"I'm thinking that these two hiawathas could be put together to make one unbelievable bike. Any thoughts on that idea?"  You have two almost complete bikes, I think you could fix up both! Just need the correct chainguards (the rusty one on the white bike is a Wald replacement). Plus, the red one is more typical CWC/AMF of the mid 50s. The chainring is neat, I've seen a skip tooth version on Western Flyers, but not a 1/2" pitch until now. Of course, I defer to Phil, the Master of CWC Knowledge for anything I've missed!


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## ChadB (Nov 11, 2009)

monkeylight said:


> Now you get to see my other Hiawatha.  This one has a serial number A11868  55Cw.  Cool truss rods on this one.  Bendix hub with handlebar shifter.  It's a shame someone had to take a can of red paint to this bike but it cleans off sooooo easily and the bike was red with white pinstriping to begin with so that makes it a little less painful.




It's a Cleveland Welding built Hiawatha..Same straight bar frame as my bike, bonus on having a tank with it; I had to buy a whole bike to get one. I'd guess, '49-50, maybe '51...Reason I make that guess is my '49 Roadmaster also has the Cw suffix after the #.

Edit, I noticed the 1/2 in. chain, so my guess is probably a few years too early.


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## Jeff Stegall (Oct 29, 2010)

Do you still have this bike.  I have the simliar situation and the springer is identical to mine.


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