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What the??? Bicycle Anomalies...Let's see them!

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The nature of manufacturing at the time pretty much assures anomalies. Catalogs would be printed before a model year and couldn't be updated easily. Production changes based on possible supplier changes, wearing and replacement of production equipment, variations in employee capabilities, etc. all contribute to these as well as there being little reason not to deviate from a catalog feature as there was little to anyone to care. Maybe someone wanted to try a different stem or forecasting predicted greater sales of the wrong model and they ended up with too many of a particular part, so they used it to get the ones that were selling out the door. Maybe they had left over parts from the previous year they'd rather use or demand for a model they were looking to discontinue had a surprising demand. Maybe a part was having failures, so they went back to the tried-and-true or had to use an upgrade component on a cheaper model. There are many reasons there would be deviations and not having them would be difficult, more expensive, and less efficient. I believe my 1912 Iver Johnson is an anomaly as the fork isn't nickel (well, it is, but it's painted over) as the Special Racers should have been, nor is it the typical Iver crown fork, but it is painted and striped to match the rest of the bike and it was done contemporarily. Maybe it was a change due to an early repair, I don't know, but the bike seems like it was very well cared for and it really doesn't matter, it's just sort of fun to wonder what it's seen in over 100 years.
 
Bikes became kids toys when cars came around, as such there was not the rigorous attention to detail.
I do not have the catalog anymore but the color airman ad that is floating around showing many bikes by many different manufactures shows what appears to be a strange artists conception of a sheby airflow- till one shows up with the unusual features I would have to say it probably did not exist.
That said, a Huffman super streamline bike recently discussed on the cabe showed up sporting an Airman badge- I think it was correct but others disagree...
 
My Airman, still being researched with a couple members here

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Oh yeah, as more recent examples of anomalies from the car world, I've seen Subaru documentation that listed a first generation Subaru Legacy turbo with fwd, but none is known to exist (AWD wasn't standardized on Subarus until 1995). Also, there was supposedly no turbo 4WD 1983/84 GL hardtops (or even just 4WD, I believe, and yes, they were actual hi/lo 4WD systems), yet someone in my high school had one, complete with very 80s factory decals and that's something nobody would have done on their own (obviously, I used to be a Subaru guy).
 
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Had this for over 20 years, proprietary single sided hubs with black wartime finish and yes, the rear is a functional coaster brake (can you find the coaster brake arm?). Any confirmation on who made this would be great. Have seen a few others over the years usually incomplete. May have been a limited run prototype for Victory bike distribution.
 
Congrats you have one of the rare and not often seen Monarch Victory "Spaghetti" bikes!

Just fooling!! This is too odd for even this thread!

But seriously, that's pretty unusual and certainly wartime with the blackout hubs. It would be interesting to know if there are any serial numbers or markings anywhere on the bike. You could hub date it with the Morrow rear coaster brake. It looks too finished to me to be a prototype, perhaps possible it was produced. Some research into era periodicals might turn up an article....
 
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I've been searching for information regarding my front fork.... Never seen another like it, no-one has pointed me towards any information.... Nearest guess along with the generally regarded Racycle expert is that it may have been a prototype. The general construction of the fork matches the typical single leaf springer but the re-curve tines are what really make it stand out, they are identical side to side with no indication of any kind of repair, we believe they were originally manufactured looking like they do now....


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No offense intended, but those frame graphics were a common transfer available back in the day for kids wishing to repaint their bikes.
The fenders are obviously from another model bike, as the rear fender clearly give this away by the fact that it does not fit this type of frame and still even has one of its original braces attached.
The truss rods are not Huffman at all which the fork clearly is.
So, my conclusion for what it's worth, is that the Airman Headbadge is probably not original to the frame either.
My Airman, still being researched with a couple members here

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While some say the bicycle became a kid's toy after the 1920s, I say that's mostly, but NOT entirely true. While marketers turned their attention to kids, there's plenty of pictures of adults still buying bicycles for themselves. Even my Huffy catalogs still marketed some models to young adults. Marketers changed their tune in the 1970s when fuel prices went high and the environment became a concern. Roadbikes became king.

Detail was not exact on anything "back in the day". There was a margin of error. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, etc. nothing was exact. Nothing we discuss on this site was collectible when it was built. It was an item you used daily and as such, the job of the factory was to send 'em down the line. Some emblems on cars weren't exact, or engines got changed out when there was a shortage or a strike. Bicycles? Seats, grips, pedals, or even tanks or chain guards were swapped out to get the job done.

For me to say that something is truly an anomaly, it would have to be so different as to fall outside of the margin of error. Say, a bike being painted a totally different color than what was even optional (take my black Huffy Impala for instance). Perhaps a model that was so unique, it didn't fit in the normal way of things when new (Bowden Spacelander). Or a special frame with a serial number past the time it was supposed to be sold (like the OP's Colson).
 
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