# Huffman Twin Flex 1938??



## Local 13 (Oct 6, 2015)

What do the Huffman experts think?
Been working on this for a while and it's ready........ I think.
It was a basket case when I got it.
I think it's a 38 but not 100% sure.
Can I be in the club?
Oh.. I'm new to The CABE
Chris


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## bicycle larry (Oct 6, 2015)

very nice bike chris well done i like it a lot!!!!!!  from bicycle larry


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## STRADALITE (Oct 6, 2015)

That's a beauty. You can definately join the club with that one. 
Check out this link if you want the correct initials for your front fender tray.  http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?33061-Huffman-Firestone-initials


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## scrubbinrims (Oct 6, 2015)

Well, that's not the right reflector and there's some other personal preferences involved, but I motion to have you and your bike inducted in the twinflex club...but on the condition you bend your fork back into position without harming the pretty paint.
Chris


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## John (Oct 6, 2015)

Nice bike! I would say a 38 because of the flat braces.
John


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 6, 2015)

I don't understand what you are asking.
it is unwise to ask people to tear your bike down publicly, it can only lead to hard feelings.
there's so much wrong or missing it would be hard to date this bike without knowing the serial number. if original to the bike, the fender braces make the bike a 38, the serial will confirm that. the straight down tube lean it toward 38 also, but is not conclusive.
as for the club, you are very welcome in the club. there are people who don't even have a Huffman who are welcome in the club. there are guys with Schwinns in the club, so we can't be that picky. and no, I'm not in charge of the club 
if you are happy with your bike ride or display it proudly, if not ask and we can go through it and get it closer to correct. I have all of the catalogs and photos of a bunch of original bikes.


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## Joe Buffardi (Oct 6, 2015)

Listen to 37Fleetwood he can lead you to the right information. He is the Jedi of Huffman product.


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## larock65 (Oct 6, 2015)

Joe Buffardi said:


> Listen to 37Fleetwood he can lead you to the right information. He is the Jedi of Huffman product.




I think of Scott as the Jar Jar Binks of the club!


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## Joe Buffardi (Oct 6, 2015)

Hahahaha


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## Local 13 (Oct 6, 2015)

Well I asked for it. Hahahaha
If I'm gonna take offense to a little criticism I'm in the wrong place. 
I built what I had to work with and is any project really done anyway.
Hell I'm not even 100% sure it's supposed to be a Firestone.

37fleetwood...... The code stamped on the forks is 11 8     
The serial #s are hard to read and to make it more confusing there are two??
 Almost Superimposed. 
As best as I can tell, they read.         
104164
H30035
  2
  1

Any information you can give me is greatly appreciated.
Thanx, Chris


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## Robertriley (Oct 6, 2015)

Scott will pick it a part if something is wrong but he's the go to guy and is just being honest.  Either way, great looking bike!


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## Local 13 (Oct 6, 2015)

skrubbinrims......
I realize the reflector is not right. May or may not keep it. 
I worked with the forks and I'm kinda nervous that I'm going to break them if I torque on them too much. It rides true and stable now. That picture really exaggerates how off they are. The paint is just a rattle can job that I went a little crazy with. I think this bike deserves better paint than this.... Eventually anyway. Probably leave it as is for a while.


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## Robertriley (Oct 6, 2015)

Great job for a rattle can.


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 6, 2015)

Local 13 said:


> Well I asked for it. Hahahaha
> If I'm gonna take offense to a little criticism I'm in the wrong place.
> I built what I had to work with and is any project really done anyway.
> Hell I'm not even 100% sure it's supposed to be a Firestone.
> ...




the fork and serial make it a very late 38. there are more Firestones than anything else so you're probably not wrong there.
so, I suppose now the question is do you care what correct is, or are you happy with it as is? many things are non painted and can simply be tracked down and replaced. the hardest thing is the rack which will be painted. that will necessitate having some of the paint left.

so, without further ado, here's the catalog page:


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 6, 2015)

you just missed the correct reflector.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-PER...LLt3%2FdTFWPlxXEHjx28%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc


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## Local 13 (Oct 6, 2015)

is this rack correct?


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## Local 13 (Oct 6, 2015)

is it unusual to have two serial numbers?
And where on earth do I find the reflector?


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 6, 2015)

that looks like the rack, and the reflector is near impossible. that one went to a guy who was not going to let it get by him. this is why incomplete Twin-Flexes are seldom a good deal, the parts are too hard to find. if you have that rack you're in, if not good luck finding one of those. the rack itself is common, it's the front mount that's hard. unless they made them both ways, that rack may have been cut down, I have always thought the short legs were round, not flat. also, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's an earlier 38 rack, the later ones have a different front mount, that one was kinda ad-lib from the re-design.
your rack appears to be the one on this bike. is yours that bike?


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## Local 13 (Oct 6, 2015)

That is not my bike but the rack I posted the picture of is in my possession. I just haven't painted it yet. 
I wonder if I could fabricate the reflector mount out of this repop mount? I think so...
Should it be painted to match the fender or bare aluminum?


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## Local 13 (Oct 6, 2015)

If my bike looked like that I sure wouldn't have painted it. 
The rack does look eerily similar, except mine is is beat up and bent. 
I have work to do. I like it that way. 
All the fun is in the work.


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## Local 13 (Oct 6, 2015)

Do you have a good close up of a reflector mounted on a fender so I can work on the fit?


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 6, 2015)

Local 13 said:


> If my bike looked like that I sure wouldn't have painted it.
> The rack does look eerily similar, except mine is is beat up and bent.
> I have work to do. I like it that way.
> All the fun is in the work.




it's not similar, that is the rack off of that bike. it got parted out a few years ago.
you can make that repop housing look similar, but they're a totally different shape.

it's gotten worse since the bike was parted, but here it is.


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 6, 2015)

Local 13 said:


> Do you have a good close up of a reflector mounted on a fender so I can work on the fit?


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## Local 13 (Oct 6, 2015)

Oh yeah. 
That has to be the same one. 
I guess when you deal with rare parts the chances of seeing them again are pretty good. 
Still darn funny. 
Thank you for all your help Scott. I'm sure I will have more questions.


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 7, 2015)

sometimes it kinda freaks people out when I have more photos of their bike than they do. 
we had a guy who had two Huffmans and described them but didn't post photos. I looked through my stuff and posted photos of both of his bikes. it's kinda sad, but I have a bunch of photos of Huffman ads, bikes, parts, and related crap.
my Huffman folder has almost 4000 photos in it, and that's not including photos I've taken or simply haven't gotten around to sorting out and adding to it. :o


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## CWCMAN (Oct 7, 2015)

Nothing wrong with that Scott. I have a very large photo bank of mostly prewar CWC bikes and parts. Its good for future reference material.


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## Joe Buffardi (Oct 7, 2015)

We need more historians!!


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## Local 13 (Oct 7, 2015)

Call it a hobby... Call it an obsession? I think it awesome that people like you guys are saving this information and willing to help people whom you have never met before by sharing your knowledge and information with people like myself who are totally out of luck otherwise.


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## bentwoody66 (Oct 8, 2015)

This site has a vast wealth of info, some good and some not so good. I like relying on a given few for info on here. I may not always agree but Scott, Catfish, and another former member who vanished were my go to encyclopedias. There are a few others who have formed their own opinions on what is correct and incorrect that I take with a grain of salt.


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## Local 13 (Oct 15, 2015)

*Little more help please.*

Trying to fabricate a mount for my reflector.

Think this reflector could pass?
Also painted and installed the rack.


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## Robertriley (Oct 15, 2015)

37fleetwood said:


> sometimes it kinda freaks people out when I have more photos of their bike than they do.
> we had a guy who had two Huffmans and described them but didn't post photos. I looked through my stuff and posted photos of both of his bikes. it's kinda sad, but I have a bunch of photos of Huffman ads, bikes, parts, and related crap.
> my Huffman folder has almost 4000 photos in it, and that's not including photos I've taken or simply haven't gotten around to sorting out and adding to it. :o




It REALLY freaks us out when you have more photos of us than we do


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## oggimyson (Oct 16, 2015)

*I support the IBEW*

You riding around 'pedro?


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 16, 2015)

the rack looks good, the Persons 219 reflector is the right one, and the new mount looks great. the reflector mounts were normally painted the color of the bike.


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 16, 2015)

Robertriley said:


> It REALLY freaks us out when you have more photos of us than we do




with your Munchkin City Jail shirt on...


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## Local 13 (Oct 16, 2015)

*Reflector location?*

I noticed that the reflectors with the base are mounted above the lower fender brace.
I want to be sure on the location as I will need to fill a hole and drill two more.
Seems strange to have it covering the nice darts painted on the fender.
Is that typical?
I'm thinking about repainting the darts higher but then the reflector base should be red?
I guess I could try painting them lower so the base can be blue?
Hope that's not too confusing.


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## 37fleetwood (Oct 17, 2015)

the housing should be blue in your case.


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## Local 13 (Oct 17, 2015)

Thanks Scott. 
I will update as I move along.


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## Local 13 (Oct 18, 2015)

*Ok. What's next?*

I'm pretty happy with the way the reflector came out. I think it's a keeper along with the rack.
Especially considering their rarity.
I have some ouch up to do on the rear fender, unless I completely repaint the darts.
I think they look ok though.
What do you think?
Still the matter of the forks. Not sure how I'm going to pull the back forward.


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## John (Oct 18, 2015)

Great job, looks good.


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## cyclingday (Oct 18, 2015)

Unfortunately, I'm a little late on this discussion, but are we sure that the 1938 model used this type of reflector housing?
 The 1938 models used the standard Persons Majestic #219 in the one hole lower position just below the fender brace.
 The 1939 models used the streamline housing with the twin rivets higher up on the fender. This is probably why there was no indication of that type of mounting on the fender.
I'm sorry for dropping a bomb like that after you've already drilled the fender for the later style reflector mount, but I believe it was correct the way it was before.


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## Local 13 (Oct 18, 2015)

Not to worry. 
The bike will probably never be completely correct.
I'm pieced it together from a pile of parts.
I do appreciate the input.


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## Local 13 (Oct 18, 2015)

I could always fill the holes and repaint but I like the way the streamline mount looks. 
Always wanted this style but I could never find one... This will do.


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## Sped Man (Oct 18, 2015)

Welcome to the Twin Flex club! Awesome bicycle.


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## John (Oct 19, 2015)

I have the 39 fender braces in cadmium if you need them





PM your address if you need them


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## Local 13 (Oct 19, 2015)

Pm sent.... I think?
Having trouble with the mobile application of this sight.


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## John (Oct 19, 2015)

Local 13 said:


> Pm sent.... I think?
> Having trouble with the mobile application of this sight.




You  can also email me at pmi2rfq@aol.com


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