# Please help: Western Flyer - what year & what's missing



## acrane (Aug 28, 2011)

Thanks in advance. It has a riveted Western Flyer badge on front. Serial # on bottom = A48937. 

Was there a chain guard and tank on this? Probably a head light too.













was their a logo here?


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## Adamtinkerer (Aug 30, 2011)

I'd guess 1953-57, it was made by the Cleveland Welding Co. there will be a serial # stamped on the bottom bracket, where the crank passes through. After that number, there should be something like "56 Cw". The small w is inside the C, and 56 is the year. Hard to say if it was a basic or deluxe bike with all that paint!


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## RMS37 (Sep 1, 2011)

Your bike was made for Western Autos by Cleveland Welding as Adam noted. It is also true that the serial number suffix following the main serial number is important to date the bike.

My correction is that the combination of features on your bike means it was made between 1950 and 1954. During 1954 Cleveland Welding frames were changed and the upswept chain stays were altered to a straight configuration. The suffixes to look for will be ACw, 52Cw, 53Cw, and 54Cw. ACw appears on 1950-51 bicycles and the others are self-explanatory.

The frame itself is generally the same whether it was used for a basic bike or a deluxe one but if the rack and fork are original to the rest of the bike, (which is possible) then this was originally nearer the entry-level model than the top of the line. Still the bike may have been equipped with a light and tank and you could add those parts or with more work and expense, replicate a more deluxe model.

Here is a bike, similar to yours for sale on the Ratrod site with original base level paint and equipment. 

http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=44954


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