# Who mfg. Pre War Western Flyer?



## tripple3 (Jan 24, 2013)

I am wanting to sell this but am curious to know when it was made and who the manufacturer was. 26" wheels Serial # stamped on BB. H257631 Thanks


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## fat tire trader (Jan 24, 2013)

I think that that bike was made by Dayton.


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## tripple3 (Jan 24, 2013)

*Dayton Huffman ?*

I thought Dayton was a "Model" of Huffman Mfg. in Dayton Ohio. Am I wrong?


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## militarymonark (Jan 24, 2013)

here is my dayton built western flyer


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## Freqman1 (Jan 24, 2013)

tripple3 said:


> I thought Dayton was a "Model" of Huffman Mfg. in Dayton Ohio. Am I wrong?




No you are correct. V/r Shawn


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## tripple3 (Jan 24, 2013)

*Confused*

So is there a "Dayton" manufacturer? And Huffman built Dayton models too? I love riding my Dayton.


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## militarymonark (Jan 24, 2013)

I've always refered to them as Dayton Huffman, Dayton, or Huffman.


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## tripple3 (Jan 28, 2013)

*Thanks to 37Fleetwood*

I have been reading here on the CABE and figure it's not "Pre War" I would like to know what year it is still. For all of us with a desire to learn; Please?


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## tripple3 (Feb 1, 2013)

*Huffman*

I found this quote. "(The Huffman Manufacturing Company began making bicycles in 1934 and continues to this day. The most sought after collectible examples were made in the mid to late 1930′s. Many people confuse the Huffman brand name “Dayton” as the manufacturer. “Dayton” never made any bikes, but Huffman did make Daytons, among many other brands.)" Nostalgia.net I'm still learning so I keep reading.


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## scrubbinrims (Feb 1, 2013)

The first thing to understand here is that a bicycle is known by the badging of the frame...you own a Western Flyer, not a Huffman, not a Dayton.

Huffman was indeed the manufacturer and Dayton was their "house" brand which was also their top of the line bicycles in a given year, having the most deluxe paint schemes and components.

That frame was made both prewar and post war and since is does not sport many of its original components, the serial number, fork, chainguard, and the badge itself are the clues.
To my knowledge, Huffman serial numbers have not been formally gathered, although if you spend some time poking around, you might find a SN posted here with a positive ID on year which you could extrapolate from.
Another reference would be looking through Western Auto catalogs as I do not know when Huffman was a jobber exactly year to year.

My guess is prewar 40-42 in assessing the badge if that chainguard came with the bike.

Chris


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## tripple3 (Sep 26, 2018)

scrubbinrims said:


> The first thing to understand here is that a bicycle is known by the badging of the frame...you own a Western Flyer, not a Huffman, not a Dayton.
> 
> Huffman was indeed the manufacturer and Dayton was their "house" brand which was also their top of the line bicycles in a given year, having the most deluxe paint schemes and components.
> 
> ...



Thanks Chris.
I'm still learning from reading here.
Western Flyers were made by 6 different manufacturers at least; not counting import bikes post WWII
Monark, Shelby, Huffman, Cleveland Welding, Murray, and Colson (Tandem).
Post up some Western Flyer Catalog pages please.




Awesome Murray WF;  not mine.


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## Archie Sturmer (Sep 26, 2018)

tripple3 said:


> *Confused.  *So is there a "Dayton" manufacturer? And Huffman built Dayton models too?



Jonathan Dayton was an American Revolutionary War figure and subsequent land speculator.  The city of Dayton Ohio is named after him.  He did not make Davis or Huffman bicycles, as they were not even invented yet. 

Ohio is a state of many bicycle manufacturers, in Cleveland, Dayton, Elyria, and Shelby, (perhaps others). 

Davis Sewing Machine Co. moved to Dayton and made bicycles, some with a "Dayton" chain ring and head badge.  Mr. Huffman, from Dayton OH, happened to work for Davis for a while.  Davis went bankrupt about 1923 and Shelby Cycle company from Shelby OH picked-up their assets in 1924.
The red bike is not what some might call a Davis Dayton.

Huffman company later made bicycles as we have found out; his company was located in Dayton OH.  Huffman made Dayton bicycles too.  Huffman later changed the company name in 1970's to align with their product, the Huffy bicycle.

I refer to my Western Flyers built by Huffman, in the 1950's - "_Huffy Western Flyers_". 
I could call them "Western Auto Western Flyers" but the acronym WAWF is already taken.


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## Freqman1 (Sep 26, 2018)

..."Huffman later changed the company name in 1970's to align with their product, the Huffy bicycle."--This is not correct. Huffman introduced the "Huffy" name in 1949. V/r Shawn


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## Archie Sturmer (Sep 27, 2018)

Well, they also made lawn mowers too, so I guess it was technically incorrect.
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/huffy-corporation-history/
*"Incorporated:* *1928* as *Huffman* Manufacturing Company".
"By the end of the 1970s, however, the company decided to devote more energy to promoting its own brand name".
"Part of this effort included the decision, in *1977*, to change the company name to *Huffy* Corporation".

The US Patent and Trademark office shows 69 Huffy trademarks.
The earliest on file (71580842) is for the *Huffy Convertible*, first used in commerce on 23 May 1949.
https://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm


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## Freqman1 (Sep 27, 2018)

Sorry I misread that. I guess I need to slow down sometimes! V/r Shawn


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