# Shelby built Western Flyer



## oggimyson (May 20, 2015)

So I recently purchased a prewar Western Flyer, equipped just like the "moto-bike" found on the ad shown here: http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle170.
The bike has been repainted several times, final paint was a solid purplish silver. And unfortunately it is missing the seat.
There are no holes in the front fender to mount a headlight which leads me to believe this a moto-bike, but the chain guard and fork rods are chromed.
Not much out there on these Western Flyer models as far as original pictures. Most I've found have white scallops with the rest of the bike either Red (most common), blue and I found one painted green.
I am planning on restoring it as a "moto-bike" model western flyer.
What throws me is I pulled the head badge and the paint under the badge is red.
Just wondering what other paint schemes these models had as mine seemed to have had the scalloped area painted red instead of white.
I think I have seen a Shelby flyer with red scallops and the rest of the bike painted black. 
Similar Shelby branded models seem to have come with more elaborate paint schemes; I wonder if some those were tagged with a Western Flyer badge and sent out to Western Auto stores.  Who knows?


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## bikeyard (May 20, 2015)

oggimyson said:


> So I recently purchased a prewar Western Flyer, equipped just like the "moto-bike" found on the ad shown here: http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle170.
> The bike has been repainted several times, final paint was a solid purplish silver. And unfortunately it is missing the seat.
> There are no holes in the front fender to mount a headlight which leads me to believe this a moto-bike, but the chain guard and fork rods are chromed.
> Not much out there on these Western Flyer models as far as original pictures. Most I've found have white scallops with the rest of the bike either Red (most common), blue and I found one painted green.
> ...




Couldn't tell you but here is a Shelby built Western Flyer in original paint








and here is a Shelby built Peerless


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## SuperTaco67 (May 20, 2015)

Sweetness.


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## hoofhearted (May 21, 2015)

bikeyard said:


> Couldn't tell you but here is a Shelby built Western Flyer in original paintView attachment 215568
> 
> View attachment 215569





*bikeyard ... your foto shows a seldom-seen Shelby-Built.

There is no wishbone feature in the top-tube to the seatmast assembly,
and the machine has straight seat-stays.

I have a frame (only) with identical construction.  The tanker-motorbike of
1935 and the frame / bicycle like that in your foto are my fave of all 
the Shelby-Builts.*






*oggimyson ... would love to see fotos of your Shelby, Western Flyer ......*


Thank you ......


......... patric


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## tjkajecj (May 21, 2015)

Both of mine were dark blue, one with white head tube with red pinstripes, the other with a red head tube.
Unfortunately the one with the red accents had most of the paint removed by a previous owner. But I have the frame painted dark blue again and plan on doing the accents in red with white/ivory pinstripes.
I attached a picture of what was under the badge, red primer, blue then red on top
Tim


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## bikeyard (May 21, 2015)

hoofhearted said:


> *bikeyard ... your foto shows a seldom-seen Shelby-Built.
> 
> There is no wishbone feature in the top-tube to the seatmast assembly,
> and the machine has straight seat-stays.
> ...




Its one of my favorites, its plain, and it rides nice.

Do you have any literature on it?

Thanks Jim


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## oggimyson (May 21, 2015)

tjkajecj said:


> Both of mine were dark blue, one with white head tube with red pinstripes, the other with a red head tube.
> Unfortunately the one with the red accents had most of the paint removed by a previous owner. But I have the frame painted dark blue again and plan on doing the accents in red with white/ivory pinstripes.
> I attached a picture of what was under the badge, red primer, blue then red on top
> Tim
> View attachment 215607




Hello, so your bikes were Western Flyer-badged Shelby's?  If so, I might consider that red/dark blue scheme. But then, I would need to see the blue color to get an idea.  Jim


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## tjkajecj (May 21, 2015)

Jim,

The one pictured above is. Here is a picture of the inside of the crank housing, gives some idea of the blue color.
I was pretty disappointed when I removed the sky blue paint and found mostly bare metal.

Tim

Tim


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## hoofhearted (May 21, 2015)

bikeyard said:


> Its one of my favorites, its plain, and it rides nice.
> 
> Do you have any literature on it?
> 
> Thanks Jim






*No Lit ..... sorry - Jim.  There is plenty of lit on the wishbone-type frame.

None that I have found on the non-wishbone type.

The wishbone-type was introed in 1935, along with the Shelby, big, toolbox-tank
motorbike.*


.............  patric


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## oggimyson (May 21, 2015)

I can't seem to "Insert Picture" in a reply, but here is a link to the bike previously posted on CABE

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?72202-Western-Flyer

Thanks for all the responses and the shot of the BB with the blue color


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## hoofhearted (May 21, 2015)

oggimyson said:


> I can't seem to "Insert Picture" in a reply ...






*oggimyson ..... Added a little horsepower and posted it here.*

........ patric


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## cds2323 (May 21, 2015)

hoofhearted said:


> *No Lit ..... sorry - Jim.  There is plenty of lit on the wishbone-type frame.
> 
> None that I have found on the non-wishbone type.
> 
> Here is a close up of the 38 Western Auto catalog (available on Nostalgic.net). It shows a later Shelby non-wishbone frame. The rear stays are different from Bikeyards bike. Still haven't seen lit of the earlier frame.*


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## oggimyson (Nov 25, 2015)

Well, after some cleaning up here's the Shelby:


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## Jarod24 (Nov 25, 2015)

oggimyson said:


> Well, after some cleaning up here's the Shelby:
> 
> View attachment 253119View attachment 253121View attachment 253122





Wow! great job! looks awesome.


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## rollfaster (Nov 25, 2015)

Love it, and nice work. These are my favorite frames. Nothing like a Shelby wishbone.


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## Joe Buffardi (Nov 25, 2015)

*Moto-Bike*

Great job!! I love those Moto-Bikes. I have one just like the Western Flyer ad from 1937.


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## rollfaster (Nov 25, 2015)

Joe Buffardi said:


> Great job!! I love those Moto-Bikes. I have one just like the Western Flyer ad from 1937.




Love this one joe. Can't wait to see it done.


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