# Morrow hub identification?



## Ricollector (Nov 16, 2018)

What does the S stamped into the brake arm signify? Also, why wouldn't this hub be chromed? I think it is nickel plating?
Thank you for any information.


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## fordmike65 (Nov 16, 2018)

Because it's a Wartime"Blackout"  hub & the surface has either worn away or been stripped.

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/serial-number-and-date-code-information.71542/#post-441223
Morrow Coaster Brake Hub:

Letter and number note the year and quarter of production.
Example: I 3 = produced 1939 July-September

Note: many hubs are marked 36-13, this is not the date code, it notes the # spoke holes and size.

A - 1931
B - 1932
C - 1933
D - 1934
E - 1935
F - 1936
G - 1937
H - 1938
I - 1939
J - 1940
K - 1941
L - 1942
M - 1943
N - 1944
O - 1945
P - 1946
Q - 1947
R - 1948
S - 1949
T - 1950


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## Ricollector (Nov 16, 2018)

Thank you for the information. Still wondering about the "s" stamped into the brake arm? I think I will just clean the hub as is and not replate it for my restoration.


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## fordmike65 (Nov 16, 2018)

Ricollector said:


> Thank you for the information. Still wondering about the "s" stamped into the brake arm? I think I will just clean the hub as is and not replate it for my restoration.



No idea what that S means. Interesting...


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## fordmike65 (Nov 16, 2018)

Here's a similar hub
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1945-morrow-blackout-hub-o1.138573/


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## Krakatoa (Nov 16, 2018)

So your hub is marked M4 ... 36 ?


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## fordmike65 (Nov 16, 2018)

Krakatoa said:


> So your hub is marked M4 ... 36 ?



Looks like last 1/4 of 1943


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## Krakatoa (Nov 16, 2018)

I don't think it's a blackout hub Mike. If the last number is 10 then it's a heavy duty hub and would be correct for G519 military bikes and also service bikes and cycletrucks. These hubs had a Parkerized finish which has a dull sheen. 

At some point during the war Morrow started doing the blackout finishes on next hubs to come down the supply chain. Shaun's example he has for sale doesn't note the date coding or spoke gauge. I have had three or four Morrow blackout hubs and they were all dated 45 and none of them had the 10 gauge spokes they were 13 gauge.

@Mercian


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## Ricollector (Nov 16, 2018)

Yes, I would agree with you. The hub I have is as a M4.....36....10 marking. This hub came off of a prewar cycle-truck. I am guessing that the dull finish plating is nickle only. Because of the war, they didn't chrome because of cost. Nickle plating is a step in the process before chrome. The blackout is paint over nickle for the later hubs.


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## fordmike65 (Nov 16, 2018)

Krakatoa said:


> I don't think it's a blackout hub Mike. If the last number is 10 then it's a heavy duty hub and would be correct for G519 military bikes and also service bikes and cycletrucks. These hubs had a Parkerized finish which has a dull sheen.
> 
> At some point during the war Morrow started doing the blackout finishes on next hubs to come down the supply chain. Shaun's example he has for sale doesn't note the date coding or spoke gauge. I have had three or four Morrow blackout hubs and they were all dated 45 and none of them had the 10 gauge spokes they were 13 gauge.
> 
> @Mercian



My mistake then. I was under the impression that "blackout" hubs were indeed Parkerized? I hope I'm not cornfusing anyone.


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## Mercian (Nov 16, 2018)

Hi, late to the party, but I agree with Krakatoa and Mike,

M4, last quarter of 1943, 36 10, heavy duty spokes. Since only Military G519 bikes from Huffman or Westfield were getting these at this point, it's either off one of these, or a spare produced at the time. M4 would have been used on bikes at the very end of production.

They were originally Parkerised, and these has generally lasted better than plating. Here's some shots of mine from quarter 2 1943.










Below is the original arm, not marked S, but, as you can see, unplated. I have seen the S on other arms, but never thought about it.





I hope this helps,

Best regards,

Adrian

PS, pm'd too.


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## rustjunkie (Nov 16, 2018)

Note the difference in the Morrow "script"









A theory is that the type shown marked with "S" are replacements. Over the years many boxes of NOS replacement arms have surfaced, every one I've seen has been filled with that type of script. I don't recall if any or all were marked with a letter.


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## Mercian (Nov 16, 2018)

Hi Rustjunkie,

I hate you, I'm going to be looking at Morrow arm script now ! (-:

You are right, the S marked one has a plain line under the script.

My ww2 one has a outlined thicker underline, cut off square at the end.

I've just looked at my WW1 one (the only other example I have here), it has an outlined thicker underline, but tapered to a point at the end.

Perhaps S is for subcontracted pieces (based on total guesswork?)

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## rustjunkie (Nov 16, 2018)

Mercian said:


> Hi Rustjunkie,
> 
> I hate you, I'm going to be looking at Morrow arm script now ! (-:








Mercian said:


> Perhaps S is for subcontracted pieces (based on total guesswork?)




or perhaps a date code? s=1949?

just looked at some nos arms on eBay, non-stylized script, no extra letter


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## Mercian (Nov 16, 2018)

> = Rustjunkie
> or perhaps a date code? s=1949?
> 
> just looked at some nos arms on eBay, non-stylized script, no extra letter




As good a theory as mine, that's for certain. Some 1949 dated hubs with these arms would help corroborate this.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## Mercian (Nov 16, 2018)

And just to add to the complication, here is a nice 1949 one currently for sale by Mr.cycleplane.

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1949-morrow-hub-excellant.142495/

No way of knowing if the arm is original, but always a good chance. It has the stylised script close to the 1943 example, but the shape of the arm is different to either the WW1, 1943 or S marked ones.

S could be as simple as Spare, but why would you do that? Dating, or indicating subcontracted pieces makes sense for quality control.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## blackcat (Nov 18, 2018)

fordmike65 said:


> Because it's a Wartime"Blackout"  hub & the surface has either worn away or been stripped.
> 
> https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/serial-number-and-date-code-information.71542/#post-441223
> Morrow Coaster Brake Hub:
> ...





Hello;
Here my G519 NOS MORROW hub U3, after Bozman  1952.







I just got a rear wheel G519 M4  36-10 for my COLUMBIA in restoration with S stamped on the brake arm.
I think it is not original because there are 1939 and 1946 parts inside.


Regards;
Serge


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## Mercian (Nov 18, 2018)

Hi All,

Serge, thanks for reminding me about your green hub. It also has the 'straight arm seen on the post war Morrows (and, I think, on the Bendix hubs which followed). Here is anther example of a straight arm from 1947 Q4. This helps support the 1952 date of your green hub.

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/nos-morrow-hub-in-box.142990/#post-954608

Your G519 arm is interesting, because it has the ornate script and an S, the other S types so far are simple script.

And here is a just prewar 1939 with the necked arm, and ornate script, without an S.

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/m...-duty-spokes-skip-9-tooth-hub-whizzer.142977/

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## blackcat (May 19, 2019)

Hello;
To complete, going back the wheel of my M306, i noticed the S stamped on the original  brake arm of the hub M3 but on the  inside.






Regards;
Serge


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## Vintage-Whizzer (Jun 10, 2019)

Anybody have one of these heavy duty Morrow hubs that they would sell or partial trade for a standard prewar Morrow hub?


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## tech549 (Jan 12, 2020)

came across this wheel this week,has the S stamped on the brake arm and the hub is stamped M-4  36-10 has the 10 gauge spokes


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## JLF (Nov 23, 2020)

Thankful for the search function!  Now I know what year my barn find triple step wheel set was made.  
Rear Morrow shows D2 and front ND is an SM.
1934, 2nd quarter if I am correct.  
I plan on a rebuild by Greenephantom and possibly run them on my 1936 Shelby.


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## Mercian (Nov 23, 2020)

Hi @JLF 

Yes D2 is Apr-Jun 1934.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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