# Hawthorne Lite Wate



## 99 bikes (Oct 28, 2019)

Hello. Just excited to share a really interesting and original Wards "Lite Wate" bike I recently acquired. This is a CWC made bike.

Overall the bike is in amazing original condition, though I think it originally had a 2sp ND rear hub, different grips, and the saddle is just there until I find a correct one. Tires and tubes seem to be original as well.

I'm not sure if it's early 40's or post war. My gut tells me it's pre, but i've been wrong before.

Any info would be great!

Cheers.


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## Oilit (Oct 28, 2019)

Nice bike! These CWC light-weights don't turn up that often, but I know they were offered pre-war as well as post-war up until about 1954, when AMF evidently dropped them in favor of imported "Royal Master" light-weights built by Hercules in England. Just from the style of serial number, it's either pre-war or early post-war, but an early post-war bike might still carry some leftover black-out parts. My gut agrees with your gut.


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## 3-speeder (Oct 28, 2019)

Wow! That bike is too cool!  I love it. Those box pin stripes are popping!  Never seen one like it.


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## 99 bikes (Oct 29, 2019)

Thanks for the pleasant words. I'm attaching a few more photos showing original (I think) Wards Lite-Wate tires and Spokane bicycle license tag. I hope to be riding this bike soon.


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## Oilit (Nov 4, 2019)

I just checked Phil Marshall's list and it shows the first two series (serial numbers centered on the bottom bracket with no other markings) used "J" twice, in 1941 and again in late 1946 / early 1947, so that leaves you right where you started.








						Cleveland Welding S/N Project...See Page 58 Post 576 for chart | Classic Balloon Tire Bicycles 1933-1965
					

This is a dual springer (not installed yet) Roadmaster. From what I have read here, this "J" prefix places this on in 1951 But, the owner wants to be sure. I don't own this one but, would like to confirm the year. Serial is J29615 ACw.      Was originally black and the son of the...




					thecabe.com
				




@Freqman1 has some good tips on his personal web page for telling the pre-war bikes from post-war, but I don't know if all these features were the same on the lightweights.








						Cleveland Welding Co. (Roadmaster) -
					

CWC started producing bikes in September of 1935. The serial number location of CWC bicycles from 1935-1956 is located underneath the bottom bracket. The early bikes (1935-36) could have used a serial starting with XX, Z , or A. The very early bikes starting with XX or Z appear rather crude (Fig...




					vintageamericanbicycles.com


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## 99 bikes (Nov 5, 2019)

Thank you for the excellent information. I'm still scratching my head about pre vs post war, either way it is a very nice original bike and I plan to start a gentle rebuild very soon, which I will post photos of.


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## s1b (Nov 5, 2019)

I would say with those adjustable drop outs it’s prewar.


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## s1b (Nov 5, 2019)

Nice bike


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## Oilit (Nov 7, 2019)

If you haven't already, you might want to post it in the CWC serial number thread, some people might see it that wouldn't think to look here.








						Cleveland Welding S/N Project...See Page 58 Post 576 for chart | Classic Balloon Tire Bicycles 1933-1965
					

Since many of us have asked, and many of us has now or maybe had in the past a CWC built Roadmaster, I think it's time to start a List. If a picture/serial number list could be started and updated with new entries including frame characteristics, I think we over time could rebuild a serial...




					thecabe.com


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## 99 bikes (Nov 8, 2019)

Thanks Oilit, I just posted on the CWC serial number page.

I spent a few minutes dusting the bike last night and noticed shiny metal under the a spot of flaking paint on the rear fender. Magnet confirmed steel, but it looks like it could have been chromed before paint?


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## Oilit (Jan 7, 2020)

I'm not sure. I've got a 1953 Roadmaster that's straight and  original, but the paint is flaking off in several places and shows some kind of aluminum primer.


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## Dave Stromberger (Jan 7, 2020)

99 bikes said:


> Thanks Oilit, I just posted on the CWC serial number page.
> 
> I spent a few minutes dusting the bike last night and noticed shiny metal under the a spot of flaking paint on the rear fender. Magnet confirmed steel, but it looks like it could have been chromed before paint?
> 
> View attachment 1092431



I remember seeing this too, but I think it's just bare virgin steel, no primer under the paint.


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## Dave Stromberger (Jan 7, 2020)

Oilit said:


> I'm not sure. I've got a 1953 Roadmaster that's straight and  original, but the paint is flaking off in several places and shows some kind of aluminum primer.
> 
> View attachment 1120471



This would be the undercoating that makes the "candy" red on your bike glow like it does.  Sometimes they used gold instead of silver.  BTW, is that a Flying Falcon?


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## Oilit (Jan 7, 2020)

@Dave Stromberger, Good eye! I bought this on EBay out of Toledo OH, but the seller said he picked it up at an estate sale, so I don't know the history. Do you know when these came out? I'd heard 1954, but this one has "53Cw" under the crank. Maybe a mid-year introduction?


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## Oilit (Jan 11, 2020)

@99 bikes, I just noticed that you don't have a good picture of your rear hub. A lot of those coaster brake hubs can't be dated, but some can. If you've got a good picture, it might be worth posting.


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## Oilit (Jan 16, 2020)

@99 bikes, There's another feature you can check, the early CWC's had the rear axle plates bead welded into the chain stays, later they were spot-welded. I don't know the year they changed over, but I think it was pre-war, so spot welds could be either, but bead welds would point to a pre-war bike.


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