1955 Shelby Golden Eagle

[Oilit]

I picked this up last weekend, and it's well worn, but looks complete except for the replaced chain guard. I believe the paint is original, but other than pin stripes on the forks, there's no decals anywhere. So I was looking for pictures of a better example, and there are pictures of the ads, but none of the actual bikes. Has anybody got pictures showing the decals, and does anyone have an original chain guard?

 

[Jeff54]

Not gonna be easy to find one but, they sure advertised the heck out of it. And what the heck color is this? It's looking sort of Chartreuse and in this 54-55 period, same as others with that bright yellow/green or green/yellow like, safety colors.

1954 Shelby Bicycles Ask for it for Christmas Vintage Print Ad 12142 | eBay

Year Published: 1954. NOT a Reproduction - NOT a Reprint. We often get one of a kind material nobody else has. For example rare low print trade publications. internal SKU Code: PM-16100. Condition: G.

rover.ebay.com

 

[Oilit]

Not gonna be easy to find one but, they sure advertised the heck out of it. And what the heck color is this? It's looking sort of Chartreuse and in this 54-55 period, same as others with that bright yellow/green or green/yellow like, safety colors.

View attachment 1238903

1954 Shelby Bicycles Ask for it for Christmas Vintage Print Ad 12142 | eBay

Year Published: 1954. NOT a Reproduction - NOT a Reprint. We often get one of a kind material nobody else has. For example rare low print trade publications. internal SKU Code: PM-16100. Condition: G.

rover.ebay.com

You notice the bike in your ad is slightly different, with painted chain guard and fenders, truss rods and a Rocket Ray(?) head light, where mine has no truss rods and the ad shows a generator light. Evidently yours is the balloon tire version and mine's a middleweight, but I couldn't find any photographs of either version. Pictures would help show how true the color in the ads was to the color on the bikes!

 

[Jeff54]

You notice the bike in your ad is slightly different, with painted chain guard and fenders, truss rods and a Rocket Ray(?) head light, where mine has no truss rods and the ad shows a generator light. Evidently yours is the balloon tire version and mine's a middleweight, but I couldn't find any photographs of either version. Pictures would help show how true the color in the ads was to the color on the bikes!

Thing is, that ad is; xmas 54 otherwise the 55 model and, the same as the ad says: "Balloon Tire lightweight" frame you've got.

 

[Rivnut]

Did you catch the wording in the ad following yellow "Golden Eagle"? "Balloon tired lightweight."

 

[Jeff54]

You notice the bike in your ad is slightly different, with painted chain guard and fenders, truss rods and a Rocket Ray(?) head light, where mine has no truss rods and the ad shows a generator light. Evidently yours is the balloon tire version and mine's a middleweight, but I couldn't find any photographs of either version. Pictures would help show how true the color in the ads was to the color on the bikes!

Did U see this ad, a photo of the later or lesser priced version and it's defiantly yellow. I wonder if it's 'Golden' metlac too? flicker won't let me do any more then link it. :

https://flic.kr/p/7rV2rh

 

[Jeff54]

That

Did you catch the wording in the ad following yellow "Golden Eagle"? "Balloon tired lightweight."

Splains a lot. No wonder nobody has any. Apparently, these bikes got 'tried' out before launch.

 

[Oilit]

Thing is, that ad is; xmas 54 otherwise the 55 model and, the same as the ad says: "Balloon Tire lightweight" frame you've got.

Do you think "Balloon-tire Lightweight" meant middleweight? I didn't think of that, but it might be. The middleweights had been on the market less than a year, maybe they were still getting the terminology straightened out.

 

[Jeff54]

Do you think "Balloon-tire Lightweight" meant middleweight? The middleweights had been on the market less than a year, maybe they were still getting the terminology straightened out.

The 2nd ad I recently posted and more like yours, says: "Middleweight". And for the same frame , yeah, ' Balloon-tired Lightweight' is just the tired out phrase.

 

[Jeff54]

The 2nd ad I recently posted and more like yours, says: "Middleweight". And for the same frame , yeah, ' Balloon-tired Lightweight' is just the tired out phrase.

Now that you brought it up, obviously kids in the day didn't approve of bright colors like this. Even in other manufactures, sort of neon bright failed as there are so very few.

However, potentially, if somebody's got an yellow one or similar yellow-ish gold that stands out like these advertisements do, hiding under house paint; THE HUNT IS ON!.