# I need help building a Columbia Westfield



## Aerosedanman (Sep 1, 2013)

One day I hope to join the well moneyed bicycle group but until then I am trying to build a Westfield Columbia copy. I have a 47 Westfield frame and chain guard as a base. I know right from the get go it is the curved frame model with the later chainguard which is wrong but work with me here! I will post a pic shortly of what I am working with. I also have a morrow rear hub to be painted. Could someone tell me what bikes have those arched fenders and whether or not ladies model sprockets are the same size? Also if anyone has parts I am totally looking!

PS - i am new to bikes but I have been restoring cars for a while so go easy on me hehe.


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## skindel (Sep 2, 2013)

*morrow hubs*

hi--you will want to get hubs stamped 36-10 that means 36 spokes 10 guage is the thickness---or if your working on a budget you can drill a 36 -13 but the front will have a cresent moon and say eclispe elmira n.y. --they are also dated so you can determine if it was really war era or not at least on my columbia thats the way it is  a unmarked delta winner is also what your looking for it a torpedo type front fender light but it has a square lens and does not say delta winner on top like later ones--i posted a pic of mine in pre 30's forum when i get  the truss rods and chain guard on i may take it over to military forum when i letter it--not sure about girls sprocket


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## Aerosedanman (Sep 2, 2013)

I am not too concerned with having correctly dated parts since the frame is not an actual military frame. I got a 13 morrow rear hub I will have to drill (1/8" drill bit?) Are there front hubs similar to the eclipse that might be more common? Are the rims pretty standard other than having the larger holes? (1/8" here as well?)

Anyone know where to get the truss rod brackets? It seems like they would be easy to make if it came down to it. I have seen many lights that look similar but have round lenses. Were the square ones only around for the military models?


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## skindel (Sep 2, 2013)

*hubs*

if your looking for a substitute front hub i think my first choice would be a bendix model K its very nearly the same except its got threaded cones for that big beefy front axel (same size as rear axel) which you will need to remember may require you to also drill those truss rod holes-- the rims on mine seem to be the same drop center kind found on many prewar schwinn and since you will paint them O D green you should be able to score some rusty ones cheap---but that fender light needs to be a delta winner for a columbia they are out there most say delta winner on top correct early ones don't-- i scored mine at "memory lane" swap for about 39$--good luck


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## jeep44 (Sep 3, 2013)

Go to Bergerwerke Bicycles website-He builds replica Columbias and Huffmans-you can see closeup photos of all the details. You should start out by getting a correct set of original handlebars-I think Memory Lane may still have them at a very reasonable price. The rest of the needed parts are not going to be cheap-the closer you make your replica to the real thing, the more it's going to cost you-I've spent at least $1000 to get my Huffman to the point where you would have to examine the stamping on the bottom of the frame to know it's a fake. When a correct part pops up on ebay, you'll be competing against restorers all over the world to get that rare part. You're setting out on a long,expensive journey to make that bike. Then, when you take it to a reenactment or whatever, you'll find,like I did, that to 99% of everybody there, any old ballooner painted OD is an acceptable "WW2" bike.


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## MrColumbia (Sep 3, 2013)

jeep44 has some great points. If you are going to make a "fake" there is little point in spending a small fortune on every original part you can find. Those are better left to restoring original military bikes anyway. You will spend $400 on just the handle bar grips. The bars are the most common as was stated, Memory lane was selling them for $10 a pair. If they no longer have them I see them on eBay for $35 all the time.


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## Aerosedanman (Sep 4, 2013)

Does anyone know where I can find the bearing cups for the fork?


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## MrColumbia (Sep 4, 2013)

Aerosedanman said:


> Does anyone know where I can find the bearing cups for the fork?




On my workbench. Send me an email, not a PM with your shopping list. I have most of the small frame and bearing stuff for standard 30's - 50's Columbia Balloon tire bikes.


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## Aerosedanman (Sep 4, 2013)

I uploaded this so thought I would share. I am just mocking up parts as I get them then I will get it looking right.


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## jkent (Sep 4, 2013)

You do know that is the wrong frame. Right?



This would be the correct frame.
Notice the straight down tube and the flanges at the rear drop outs for the drop stand. It doesn't carry a drop stand but the frame has the flanges for them.


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## jeep44 (Sep 4, 2013)

The early wartime Columbias had a curved down tube, as did the Huffmans. Both later changed to straight down tubes. Johan has a photo of one on his website.


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## Aerosedanman (Sep 5, 2013)

Yes, I know. Being post war I don't know if any of their frames had the flanges still. Did the civilian Westfields ever have a straight tube during the war? They kept on making the curved down tube from until when? '49?


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## Aerosedanman (Sep 8, 2013)

Could someone make measured drawings of the two truss rod brackets and tell me how thick they are? It seems easy enough to make...


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## Aerosedanman (Sep 20, 2013)

I got a dogleg crank but it seems the cups/bearings are too large. Is it possible to get smaller parts that fit this crank?


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## jkent (Sep 20, 2013)

You may have a crank for a 28" bike frame.


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