# 1939 Shelby Flyer - track bike?



## dperry (Dec 19, 2020)

Is this a Shelby Flyer track bike?

Shelby is known for cruiser and roadster bikes, so I’m surprised there was a track racing model.  A bike like this suggests that Shelby had a racing interest, so I’m seeking any clues if there was a Shelby-sponsored bike racing team.

I got this as crusty barn find with petrified white-wall tires that was all-of-one-piece. After stripping and cleaning, I found a steel track frame with pointy lugs, a head tube with integrated headset cups, and pencil-thin 9.5mm diameter seat stays with open-air tops at seat cluster. These combine with thick chain stays and fork blades. The bottom bracket shell has a Partridges grease port. Stamped on the bottom of shell are numbers 22-12-39. If that’s when it was made, this Tuesday, December 22, 2020, will be its 81st birthday.

The parts are also from the same period. The Williams inch-pitch crankset has date code AA (1939), same as the 25-tooth chainwheel, and the Phillips quill pedals with Jef Scherens toe clips. Wheels are 28 x 1 1/2 in., with a wood rim cross-3 on front, and steel-clad wood-core rim cross-4 in back. The rear hub is a New Departure Model BRX, small flange, with 8-tooth sprocket. The Schwinn adjustable stem with dural clamp has track drop handlebars. Also there’s a customized cut-away leather saddle, I’m guessing a Mansfield. Only the toe straps are replaced.

Thanks for any comments,
Dave Perry


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## SKPC (Dec 19, 2020)

Badge may have been added?  Too weird.


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## dperry (Dec 19, 2020)

A fake head badge was first thought. But more looking at Shelby badges, the more think it's original.
Also the original frame color looks red.
Thanks


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## kccomet (Dec 19, 2020)

I'll be following this post out of curiosity and my general interest in old track iron. very cool bike with nice period parts. I'm sure Shelby  had it's racer, they all did mead, iver, pierce etc. that said it looks  really refined , thin open stays, nice lugs for the amateur racer most of these companies churned out. I know pierce and iver made some pretty nice race bikes. I hope you didn't strip crusty original paint


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## dperry (Dec 19, 2020)

I did strip almost all of original crusty paint, not knowing how best to save the red color.
Before and after refurbishing 2008 photos here:
<www.bikecult.com/works/archive/08bicycles/shelbyflyerTRK.html>





What kind of bottom bracket shell is this?


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## hoofhearted (Dec 19, 2020)

*@blasterracing *


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## Freqman1 (Dec 20, 2020)

@cds2323  Its suspect to me because I don't recall seeing a racer model in the '39 catalog. V/r Shawn


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## bikejunk (Dec 20, 2020)

LOL when I read the title I thought " yep another gas pipe road bike" but wow am I surprised the stance of that frame and the lug work - a real race bike =cold have come out of a good local shop that sold Shelby bikes and  built their own custom racing bikes . very nice


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## Archie Sturmer (Dec 20, 2020)

For such a nice bike, why is the badge so visibly crooket.


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## dperry (Dec 21, 2020)

Can't say why head badge is crooked. The top pin aligns with top lug point, but lower pin is 2mm off lower lug point.
Looking inside head tube shows only one pair of badge holes.


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## dperry (Dec 22, 2020)

While preparing to celebrate the 81st birthday of this bike, I received this 1939 Shelby Cycle Co. Price List. 

Of the lightweight models, there's a P4 Super-Sports Men's Racer - Featherweight crank.

With 22 in. frame, 28x1-1/8" wheels and $24.50 price, that's a good match, but without specs or pictures of a P4, I can only guess.

Compared to the Shelby P1 roadster model, this bike has a similar shape fork (these tips Made in England) and the "Featherweight" crank appears to be a Williams 5-pin (this one has model B.100 inch-pitch).


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