What are the rarest prewar ballooner bicycles

[Freqman1]

I agree to a point, but their are very few 1938 Bluebirds known to exist. They may not be that desirable to most collectors but they are a rare bird, counting complete bikes, original or restored.View attachment 776052

I've never made it a secret I'm not a fan of this model but this bike Kim is the sweetest '38 I've ever seen. You are correct about rare as well. The '35-7 are downright common compared to the '38. V/r Shawn

 

[tech549]

then there is the 41 iver Johnson super mobike haven't seen many of these.

 

[cds2323]

Seems like several nice...tho not that rare ballooners being posted here lately...Definitely NOT referring to Marty's La France!

I've only seen two of these Manton&Smith bikes with this frame style circa 1937. One owned by a CABEr and another in an old photocopy. Maybe not the most desirable but I really want one.

 

[cyclingday]

The rarest prewar ballooner bicycle has got to be the one that nobody's ever seen.
My candidate is the 1938 Firestone Fleetwood Supreme with the "Safety Streamlined Frame."

Here is a bike that was fully catalogued with specific features that were called out in the advertisement.
The "Safety Streamlined Frame, Ridge Crown Gothic fenders with your own Initials."
But, as far as I know, no original examples of this type of Firestone Fleetwood have ever been found.
Some say, this model was never produced, but my thoughts are, why be so specific in detailing the advertisement, if you never intended to sell that particular bike?

 

[prewarbikes4sale]

« Death Bike »

 

[catfish]

« Death Bike »View attachment 783611

And we have the winner! Game over.

 

[fordmike65]

« Death Bike »View attachment 783611

Ummmmmm yeah. That's gotta be the rarest of the rare right there!

 

[cyclingday]

Yeah, but at least their is one real bona fide example to be seen.
Where is that 38 Fleetwood Supreme with the "Safety Streamlined" frame?
Does it even exist?
Why the specific advertisment, if it never even existed?
It obviously was made up of the leftovers from the 37 Super Streamline model, so you would think there'd be a ton of them.
Never seen it.

 

[cyclingday]

« Death Bike »View attachment 783611

Coolest bike in the hobby for sure.
Where do you go, once you've acquired the "Death Bike"?
I guess, the only thing cooler that that, would be if Steve McQueen formerly owned it.

 

[charnleybob]