# Just got a Western Flyer, please help identify!



## Rex (Jun 9, 2008)

Friday I picked up a bike not knowing anything about. I actually made the deal before I even looked at the head badge, but I was thinking it looked like a Hiawatha. It has truss rods, a tank, a front fender (maybe not original) with 1 curved and 1 straight brace. Theres the remnant of a headlight on the fender also, kind of a fat one. The rear hub is new departure with an oil hole and the sprocket is skiptooth. Theres not rear fender, chain guard or carrier. I'll have pics up soon.

Rex


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## militarymonark (Jun 9, 2008)

well pictures would be best but it could be a shelby.


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## Rex (Jun 9, 2008)

I'm working on the pics, they'll be up shortly. But for now, here is the only bike I have found with my curved/straight fender brace and fat headlight. Also, the sprocket is a very close match, maybe exact, and it the only one I've seen like mine.

http://www.cyclofiend.com/working/2006/wb015-charliepetry0706.html


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## Langsmer (Jun 9, 2008)

Sounds like militarymonark is correct. Its still hard to tell with no pictures. 

Shelby Safe-T-bike


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## Rex (Jun 9, 2008)

Sorry, not nearly that much curve to the brace. Here are the pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27513978@N04/

The rear of the frame is bent a couple inches to one side, the crank is bent severely, and the fork tube that goes through the head tube is bent slightly. I didn't realize any of this until I took it apart. It was a hasty buy. I wanted it and I knew he didn't really want to sell it, so I was talking to him more than looking at the bike. Fortunately my family owns a machine shop, I use to do a little fabrication, and one of the guys that works here knows a lot about bikes. So I don't think it will be to difficult for me to straighten it out.

Thanks
Rex


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 10, 2008)

Ok, lets try this again. the site conked out while I was trying to post a reply earlier. your bike is a late '40's to early '50's Huffy I don't have any Western Flyer stuff but lots of stuff on Huffman/Huffy. post the serial and I'll try to get the year figured out.
Scott


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## Rex (Jun 10, 2008)

37fleetwood, I looked up Huffman sprockets and found several pictures just like mine. I was told that no skiptooth sprockets were made after the war, is this incorrect? Also, are Huffman and Huffy the same company? Here's a number I found 1H027806.

What do you think the value of this bike is currently? After its straightened out, cleaned, and probably painted, will the value increase much? I've already had one offer, but I'd like to restore it and cruise around some car shows on it. I thought that would be a fun way to get around the big shows and I could probably sell it while I'm there. Are Western Flyer's very desirable?

Thanks
Rex


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 10, 2008)

Rex said:


> 37fleetwood, I looked up Huffman sprockets and found several pictures just like mine. I was told that no skiptooth sprockets were made after the war, is this incorrect? Also, are Huffman and Huffy the same company? Here's a number I found 1H027806.
> 
> What do you think the value of this bike is currently? After its straightened out, cleaned, and probably painted, will the value increase much? I've already had one offer, but I'd like to restore it and cruise around some car shows on it. I thought that would be a fun way to get around the big shows and I could probably sell it while I'm there. Are Western Flyer's very desirable?
> 
> ...




ok, lots of questions lets take them in order:

Huffman used skiptooth after the war as did most others it was slowly phazed out in the '50's

Huffman changed to Huffy shortly after the war. for several years they were Huffy by Huffman and then they changed to Huffy corp.

your serial indicates 1951.

value is a hard thing to pin down, it depends on who wants it and how bad. I have passed on bikes like yours for around $50.00 and I've seen them go for $150.00. fixed up depends on what you mean. do you mean painted and scrubbed, or are you talking about making patterns of the original silk screened patterns and restoring the bike? restored is going to be more valuable though your bike is not a fancy bike with the spring fork, deluxe tank, etc. and you are missing some key parts, the chain guard,rack,etc. if you simply clean and paint it it will gain some value though not lots. 1950's Huffys just don't seem to demand very high prices.

these are great bikes to ride and yours is a nice looking bike painted up. I have a poor scan of a 1951 Huffy catalog taken from ebay on a catalog I considered buying but didn't. sorry if it doesn't help but your bike is about a decade newer than what I focus on.




last question, Western Flyer makes no difference in the value. they made tons of them. you will find this same bike in many different badge configurations. all valued the same to most.

if it were me I would pull it apart, clean everything, paint it however you like and accessorize it as you like and ride it! if someone offers you enough and you would rather have the money then do it. your bike would also make a great start on a custom.
Scott


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## Rex (Jun 10, 2008)

Thanks for all of the information, it was very helpful. Based on what you said, I think I'll probably try to just clean it up very well, replace the missing parts, and give it a cheap (but hopefully good looking) paint job. I would like to repaint the tank with the original Western Flyer letters and such. Is it possible to buy a stencil or something? Even if its not the correct one, I would like to add it.

Thanks for all the help,
Rex


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