# Colson Streamliner bicycle need help on the year!!



## THEGOLDENGREEK (May 11, 2014)

I came across this snap tank the other day so i picked it up. I spent a little time cleaning it up and it came out good. It has the Waterfall badge on it that says Streamliner on it. I thought its was red when i first bought it but in the sun its a brown orange kinda like a mead ranger color.  The headlight looks to be aluminum with a very thick glass lense on it. I always thought this snap tank snapped on and off but i was wrong this one has screws on it holding the  tank together. I tested the horn and it works. The only thing i find not to be original is the drop stand. The serial number to this bicycle is ...48599 and below it is the letter L 8. Id really like to find out the year on this bicycle if anyone out there can help me out id really appreciate it.


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## Bri-In-RI (May 11, 2014)

*Wow!*

Sorry that I can't help with any info but...Holy crap, that thing is beautiful! 

-Brian


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## dwest (May 11, 2014)

*Looks great*

The L 8 indicates December 1938.


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## Boris (May 11, 2014)

L=December 8=1938
http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...alysis-please&highlight=colson+serial+numbers


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## RJWess (May 11, 2014)

Fantastic bike!!!! Very interesting the waterfall badge and the screw on tank. Great find. Whats the story on how you found it?


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (May 11, 2014)

Thank you on the info on the year of the bicycle and the compliments. It rides great took it out this morning. I will post much better pics of the badge and the bicycle in a while!


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## RJWess (May 11, 2014)

Would this make this bike a Imperial with the screw on tank and the waterfall badge?


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (May 11, 2014)

RJWess said:


> Fantastic bike!!!! Very interesting the waterfall badge and the screw on tank. Great find. Whats the story on how you found it?



I found it from a guy who had this bike since 2002 he bought it as an impulse buy and it was in a L Lbean comercial as well.


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## DonChristie (May 11, 2014)

WOW! She sure is pretty! Nice score!


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## bikewhorder (May 11, 2014)

I'm starting to feel like the only one around here who isn't having great bikes fall into their lap.  Great score!


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## Oldbikes (May 11, 2014)

Great bike!  Should you ever decide to part with it let me know!!


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## frankster41 (May 11, 2014)

Wow George that really cleaned up nice!!!


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## bikesnbuses (May 11, 2014)

> >GREAT bike!!< <


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (May 11, 2014)

I had a few people contact me on this 38 colson streamliner and it is not for sale!


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## jd56 (May 11, 2014)

Come on George I'm sure there a few more of us that would be willing to trade you something for it...Im sure your pms are blowing up with offers but, really, he is a bute!!
L8 is a 1938 ....good to know...that is a great condition bike for its age...we'll done sir.

I wonder does the "L" denote the decade?...Guess I could check out Dave's post on the Colson serial number project.


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## Boris (May 11, 2014)

jd56 said:


> I wonder does the "L" denote the decade?...Guess I could check out Dave's post on the Colson serial number project.




A=January, B=February etc.


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## Boris (May 11, 2014)

RJWess said:


> Would this make this bike a Imperial with the screw on tank and the waterfall badge?




DISCLAIMER: I am no expert, but if I remember correctly from my conversation with fatbike, 1938 was the last year for the screw on tank. 1939 was the first year for snap tank. If your other bike is also a 1938 and has a snap tank, forget what I just said. Yours looks to be a De Luxe model which had the same truss rod configuration as the Imperial Model, which would also allow for the waterfall badge. I'm pretty sure that the Imperial model used the tube and slats rack, The stamped rack on yours looks to be correct for a De Luxe model. A Commander style stem such as the one pictured on RJWeiss's Colson (pictured, but he admittedly took liberties with his bike), would be correct for the Imperial. The headlight may or may not have been replaced with what I think is a highly sought after aluminum headlight found on the high end models, as I thought that yours would have come with the typical front end loader as on your other bike. I'm pretty sure that 1938 was the only year the Delta Firefly reflector would be correct as an accessory on the De Luxe model. I leave myself wide open for correction on any and all of these statements.


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## fatbike (May 11, 2014)

You have 1938 Colson. Screw together tank is called a pinch tank for slang. Typically 38 only tank. And you may find on lesser non Imperial models after 1938. In 38 though the same style pinch screw together tank was used on both Imperial and standard. The only difference was Imperial were chrome plated and definitely had battery tray and horn. Some pinch tanks exist with being deluxe equipped. Any ways the snap tank began in 39 on lesser non Imperial models, 39 Imperial had the snap grill tank, one year only Imperial. WF Streamliner nameplate I'm sure is a repop. I could tell if I saw photos of it off the bike, I know what to look for. I had one if those badges before. There were a few made some years back. Nice NETD which were common on 38 Colson models, never mentioned in catalogs. There were painted silver over steel. Not aluminum. And were never chrome plated from what I understand. Your bike is Not an Imperial.... Never the less a very cool standard model. Nice find.


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## Boris (May 11, 2014)

Derek-
Look in the book at the truss rods on the standard model for 1938 vs. the De Luxe model.


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (May 12, 2014)

fatbike said:


> You have 1938 Colson. Screw together tank is called a pinch tank for slang. Typically 38 only tank. And you may find on lesser non Imperial models after 1938. In 38 though the same style pinch screw together tank was used on both Imperial and standard. The only difference was Imperial were chrome plated and definitely had battery tray and horn. Some pinch tanks exist with being deluxe equipped. Any ways the snap tank began in 39 on lesser non Imperial models, 39 Imperial had the snap grill tank, one year only Imperial. WF Streamliner nameplate I'm sure is a repop. I could tell if I saw photos of it off the bike, I know what to look for. I had one if those badges before. There were a few made some years back. Nice NETD which were common on 38 Colson models, never mentioned in catalogs. There were painted silver over steel. Not aluminum. And were never chrome plated from what I understand. Your bike is Not an Imperial.... Never the less a very cool standard model. Nice find.




Thank you for all the great info. Now as far as the badge goes it looks to be aged and a real original head badge to the bicycle. I don't have any literature on Colson bicycles. If anyone has any on a 38 I'd like to see this streamliner badged bicycle.


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## American Vintage Bicycle Supply (May 12, 2014)

Great bike! Great Original. I know that headbadge is an original. no question. Definitely a Dec-'38.


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## Boris (May 12, 2014)

The difference in the truss rods is why I was thinking that this is a De Luxe model, rather than a Standard model. These 1938 catalog pages were taken from John Polozzi's earlier book.


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## HIGGINSFOREVER (May 12, 2014)

That's it George I am coming up there and hide in the trunk of your car.You sure know how to find the cream of the jersey bike crop.Outstanding find.


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## fatbike (May 12, 2014)

THEGOLDENGREEK said:


> Thank you for all the great info. Now as far as the badge goes it looks to be aged and a real original head badge to the bicycle. I don't have any literature on Colson bicycles. If anyone has any on a 38 I'd like to see this streamliner badged bicycle.




It does look to be age well. Next thing to look for: does the head tube have any indication of head badge screw holes?


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## Boris (May 12, 2014)

I still don't understand why George's new 1938 Colson isn't the De Luxe model rather than the Standard model, based on the two 1938 catalog pages that I posted earlier today?


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## fatbike (May 13, 2014)

Dave Marko said:


> I still don't understand why George's new 1938 Colson isn't the De Luxe model rather than the Standard model, based on the two 1938 catalog pages that I posted earlier today?




It's a standard deluxe. Not a Imperial.


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (May 13, 2014)

fatbike said:


> It does look to be age well. Next thing to look for: does the head tube have any indication of head badge screw holes?



Fatbike the badge looks to be very original to the bicycle in my opinion!, Maybe someone ordered this bicycle at the time from a mom@pop store and had it custom made with these colors and headbadge! That could be a speculation on the Headbadge. Here is a pic of what is behind the waterfall badge ....there are no screw holes at all!


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## fordmike65 (May 13, 2014)

Got a good pic of the headbadge itself?


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (May 13, 2014)

fordmike65 said:


> Got a good pic of the headbadge itself?




Yes mike look through the pics i posted 3 and 5 pics youll see better pics of the badge!


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## fordmike65 (May 13, 2014)

THEGOLDENGREEK said:


> Yes mike look through the pics i posted 3 and 5 pics youll see better pics of the badge!




I said a good pic! Jk. Forgot about those on pg1. Maybe take another _really_ good one nice & close and perfectly in focus? Sorry for being picky, but finding an OG WF badge is pretty rare. I have a couple for my 37's, but they are indeed repops. If yours is real, then you really came up on something special.


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (May 13, 2014)

fordmike65 said:


> I said a good pic! Jk. Forgot about those on pg1. Maybe take another _really_ good one nice & close and perfectly in focus? Sorry for being picky, but finding an OG WF badge is pretty rare. I have a couple for my 37's, but they are indeed repops. If yours is real, then you really came up on something special.




Here are some pics as close as i can take of the badge, i just took for you Mike!


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## fordmike65 (May 13, 2014)

Hmmm...Your's looks a bit patina'd. Maybe OG? I've never seen an original WF badge in person. I think Derek mentioned he can tell the difference. Here's a pic of the WF badge on Scott's '37 imperial which I believe is original.


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## fatbike (May 14, 2014)

THEGOLDENGREEK said:


> Here are some pics as close as i can take of the badge, i just took for you Mike!
> 
> View attachment 151330View attachment 151331




I would personally have to see it off the bike or to really tell. How it hooks into the truss.


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## fatbike (May 14, 2014)

THEGOLDENGREEK said:


> Fatbike the badge looks to be very original to the bicycle in my opinion!, Maybe someone ordered this bicycle at the time from a mom@pop store and had it custom made with these colors and headbadge! That could be a speculation on the Headbadge. Here is a pic of what is behind the waterfall badge ....there are no screw holes at all!
> 
> View attachment 151314




Very cool. Probably real. WF badge from the pattern I've see. Only went on bikes with out head badge screw holes in 37-38. I do not believe WF nameplate would ever have an additional head tube badge. I've had a few real Imperial models and all three frames did not have screws on the head tube. I had a repop badge replicating your Streamliner before. Right on dude. Very cool bike and please leave it just the way it is. Congrats!!!


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## Boris (May 14, 2014)

fatbike said:


> It's a standard deluxe.




A Standard Deluxe. I don't see that in my outdated book, but I'm ordering the revised version. Maybe it will be in there. Thanks.
Great badge George!


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## rickyd (Mar 16, 2015)

I know this is an old post but no one mentioned the inscription on wf badge H S B & Co. Chicago This could be another hardware or department store bike made by Colson. It stands for Hibbard Spence Bartlett and company I think. Seems these stores could get what they wanted. Rick


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## dboi4u (Mar 16, 2015)

i believe thats a 1938 colson judging by the chainguard and the tank pre war for sure love it thats a real nice bike


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## THEGOLDENGREEK (Mar 17, 2015)

rickyd said:


> I know this is an old post but no one mentioned the inscription on wf badge H S B & Co. Chicago This could be another hardware or department store bike made by Colson. It stands for Hibbard Spence Bartlett and company I think. Seems these stores could get what they wanted. Rick




Very cool info, never knew what that stood for until now. I thought all the waterfall badges said that, thank you Rick!


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## fordmike65 (Mar 17, 2015)

'37 Colson LWB double bar I have waiting for a set of fenders.


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