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1935 Production CWC Bicycle Thread.

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CWCMAN

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
The purpose of this thread is to document the different details of a 1935 production CWC bicycle compared to that of the 1936.

CWC started producing Bicycles around September 15, 1935. There was a yearly production estimate of 250,000 bikes per year or approximately 684 bikes per day.

My example pictured is serial A9082 which based on the production numbers above would make this bike build date in late September, early October of 1935.

Let's talk about the details which identify and separate these 1935 produced bikes from the 1936.

Both 35/36 bikes share the triple step rims, small paisley chain ring and the offset rear forks at the bottom bracket. However, where these 1935 production bikes differ is the use of the snub nose front fender, one piece non riveted fender braces, Hexagon style seat clamp, riveted head badge and the non-drop out style front fork. Also note that the paint scheme on these 1935 bikes is usually a solid base color with dual pins on the fenders. No fender darts were used.

Worth noting as well is the serial numbers. The CWC serial number chart lists X, A and Z as 1935-1936. I have seen many that were serialized as X and Z but none of those examples shared the early details. The two examples that I have are both "A" serial.

Please share and post your examples of the early 1935 production bicycles. No need to post any other years that do not have the details listed above. This thread is dedicated to 1935 CWC produced bicycles only.

1578731

Snub nose front fender
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Riveted head badge
1578733

One piece non riveted fender braces. Rear
1578734

One piece non riveted fender braces. Front
1578735

Dual pins on fenders
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Low production serial number A9082
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Hexagon style seat clamp
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Hexagon Seat clamp and nut
1578740


1578741
 
Ok, where does this bent tank frame ( you are familiar with it ), earlier that this model were supposed to be made, A612 # with offset BB, don't have any other parts to go by and not sure of the shimmed hex seat post clamp because they seem to differ a little in the 10 frames I looked at?
1579533

1579534
 
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That’s the frame that I sold you. Yes very strange indeed that it’s very early production yet that bent tank model didn’t appear until 1937, at least in the sales catalogs.

I have seen the hexagon seat clamp into 1936, but I’m not sure when the cutoff was.
It is predominantly used in the 1935 produced bikes. By 1937 the seat clamp bolt was changed.

Mark, your early frame should be fitted with the same snub nose fenders and other parts as my roadster example above.
 
I am aware that the X,Z and A are basically the same as most 1936 models in terms of the off set forks at BB as well as the tripple step rims and small paisley chain ring. However, as intended in this thread, I am trying to document the earliest of production bikes, 1935.

These bikes use the snub nose front fender as well as the one piece non rivet fender braces amongst other small details as outlined on post #1.

Your bike pictured does not share these early detail parts.

I am trying to document those bikes only.
 
Please Folks, I would hate this thread to become like others that get muddied up with random bikes that don’t meet the criteria of the intent of this thread.

Again, this thread is to document only the earliest of production CWC bikes that share the same details as my examples on post #1 and 2.

Thank you
 
Early production would have been much less than your estimate. It took over a year before the first 100,000 units, and many of those went ynsold till 1937.
I’d like to know where you got that information. Please share your source.

The numbers that I posted are not my estimations but rather information that I retrieved from a printing announcing CWC’s entry into the bike manufacturing business.
 
I’d like to know where you got that information. Please share your source.
This chart , originally compiled by Phill Marshall has been widely excepted as the most accurate serial number chart. I have also studied Cleveland Welding bikes for many years, and have had a few dozen examples, including first series "A " bikes with hardware badges and 1937 equipment. This information is based upon observations , and intended to help understand Cleveland Welding bikes
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