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1942 Columbia Westfield Sports Tourist with Chrome?

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eyefrommn

Look Ma, No Hands!
Hello Cabers. I just finished the preservation of a 1942 Westfield (Columbia) Sports Tourist bicycle and it came out great and rides wonderfully. Everything is original except for the saddle and tubes. Even the Gillette tires made in Eau Claire, WI are perfect. My question is about the serial number and chrome part spec. The serial number is "G34280" which I believe makes it a 1942 model. Every other Sports Tourist I have seen from 1942 has blacked out parts because of the war effort. So, my best guess is that it is an early 1942 model, maybe one of the last ones with chrome parts before the change to black? Any info would be greatly appreciated!
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Very nice. Great job.
I don't know anything about columbias but do know some about Schwinn wartime. I think your assumption of this being pre-wartime might be correct. Although, you generally see the enameled ivory rims on lightweights during wartime (and only during wartime). You typically also do not find chainguards on wartime lightweights (but you could add aftermarket ones, and if so I see ivory enameled finish the most...). As you went into wartime years you saw different components get swapped for blackout. Some wartime have almost all blackout and some only a couple/few pieces.

Some other columbia wartime bikes I found on here:
 
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Thanks for the links. Maybe some Columbia folks may know about when they stopped using chrome parts. I guess it depends on the models and as you suggest, some bikes may have a mix of chrome/black-out as the chrome parts ran out. This bike has all chrome parts but yes, ivory enameled rims. Hmm..
 
Hi @eyefrommn

And Welcome to CABE.

That is a really nicely turned out example.

Yes, G34280 is an early 1942 build, before the introduction of 'Blackout' parts.

There should be another stamped two or three letter/number code above the serial number. If you tell us this, we can tell you which month the frame was made. Dating exactly when the bike was built up is a bit of a problem, since bicycle manufacture in the US was stopping and starting at this point as the government tried to work out it's material supply priorities after Pearl Harbor, and how bikes fitted into it. The political machinations are fascinating.

Anyway, what can be said is tha Westfield production in 1942 started with G17434 on 4th January 1942.

By G42988, which would only be a few weeks late than your biker, blackout parts are being introduced, but only as they become available.

See post 4 from @goodvibe here:


Best Regards,

Adrian
 
Hi Eyefrommn, Just saw this post. I have almost the exact same bike, S/N G49433 and am currently adding to a post about its restoration.
Thread '1942 Columbia Sports Tourist Model VG295'
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1942-columbia-sports-tourist-model-vg295.205793/
G49433 was built in late March or April of 1942 and my dad bought it that spring. It had a chrome handlebar stem, seatpost and crank, but the chain wheel, front hub and New Departure coaster brake and arm were “blacked-out,” so it’s fair to say that Westfield Manufacturing was burning down their leftover inventory of chromed parts at that time. The chrome on the chromed parts was peeling, so I just painted them black for now. I hope to re chrome them eventually. The chain guard on yours is period correct, but I don’t believe they were delivered with a chain guard. I would appreciate more pictures as I had scant information of how the pinstripes looked and how the decals were placed. I did some computer artwork and made my own reproduction decals from photos of other models and made some guesses. The gold “Sports Tourist” decal required that I draw the font, too, as I couldn’t find the exact font on-line. Looks like I guessed pretty close. I have the red stripe Columbia head badge, however. Very pleased to see this. - Pete
 
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Hi Eyefrommn, Just saw this post. I have almost the exact same bike, S/N G49433 and am currently adding to a post about its restoration.
Thread '1942 Columbia Sports Tourist Model VG295'
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1942-columbia-sports-tourist-model-vg295.205793/
G49433 was built in late March or April of 1942 and my dad bought it that spring. It had a chrome handlebar stem, seatpost and crank, but the chain wheel, front hub and New Departure coaster brake and arm were “blacked-out,” so it’s fair to say that Westfield Manufacturing was burning down their leftover inventory of chromed parts at that time. The chrome on the chromed parts was peeling, so I just painted them black for now. I hope to re chrome them eventually. The chain guard on yours is period correct, but I don’t believe they were delivered with a chain guard. I would appreciate more pictures as I had scant information of how the pinstripes looked and how the decals were placed. I did some computer artwork and made my own reproduction decals from photos of other models and made some guesses. The gold “Sports Tourist” decal required that I draw the font, too, as I couldn’t find the exact font on-line. Looks like I guessed pretty close. I have the red stripe Columbia head badge, however. Very pleased to see this. - Pete
Hi Pete. Nice to hear your info. Other than the original "Sports Tourist" downtube transfer, let me know exactly what part of the bike you would like photos of. I tried to be detailed with the pics, but you may require certain regions of the bike to be shot. As far as the gold box lining on the frame, it is all over the bike and fork, so let me know what you require.
 
Hi Pete. Nice to hear your info. Other than the original "Sports Tourist" downtube transfer, let me know exactly what part of the bike you would like photos of. I tried to be detailed with the pics, but you may require certain regions of the bike to be shot. As far as the gold box lining on the frame, it is all over the bike and fork, so let me know what you require.
Thank you. A few pix of the pinstripes around the head badge; pinstripes on the fork, distance apart, distance from the top of the fork and how they terminate down by the front axle; dimensions of the placement of the down tube and Sports Tourist decals and height of the lettering. Also, are there gold pinstripes on the fenders? I thought I saw some remnants of very thin gold pinstripes on the rear fender but not the front.
 
I'm curious if you have looked at the photos I originally put in the post, as most of the things you are asking for are in the pics. It will take me about a half hour to get some of the other shots you are requesting, and I'm not in the same location as the bike so I have to go there to get the pictures taken. I'll get to it for the cause, but it may take a couple of days.
 
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