When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1957 AMF Shelby Airflo

-

Oilit

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
This bike has rust and wear, but is pretty complete, and this frame style only shows up for a couple of years. It's similar to the Schwinn cantilever frame at first glance, but probably different enough to avoid patent infringement. It seems to be AMF's Shelby middleweight, or at least I've never seen this frame with a Roadmaster badge. AMF was keeping the two makes separate at this point, I've seen a couple of '50's Roadmaster catalogs and brochures, and they don't include the Shelby models. Unfortunately I haven't seen an AMF Shelby catalog, so I'm not sure when they started making this frame, '55 or '56 is my best guess. After AMF went to the cantilever frame in 1958, the Shelbys and Roadmasters all look to have been built on the same frames.
Whether it was supposed to be a Shelby or not, AMF would still build it with any retail badge you wanted. @Mr. Monkeyarms posted a nice one badged "American Flyer" in this thread (post #132), and his has a Bendix two speed!

IMG_3959.JPG


IMG_3964.JPG


IMG_3960.JPG


IMG_3961.JPG


IMG_3962.JPG


IMG_3965.JPG


IMG_3963.JPG


IMG_3966.JPG


IMG_3968.JPG


IMG_3972.JPG


IMG_3971.JPG
 
And the seat post decal is hard to read, but instead of "Masterweld - Cleveland Welding Co." it says "The Shelby Company - Cleveland Ohio." That might have hurt a little in Shelby, Ohio.
 
This bike has rust and wear, but is pretty complete, and this frame style only shows up for a couple of years. It's similar to the Schwinn cantilever frame at first glance, but probably different enough to avoid patent infringement. It seems to be AMF's Shelby middleweight, or at least I've never seen this frame with a Roadmaster badge. AMF was keeping the two makes separate at this point, I've seen a couple of '50's Roadmaster catalogs and brochures, and they don't include the Shelby models. Unfortunately I haven't seen an AMF Shelby catalog, so I'm not sure when they started making this frame, '55 or '56 is my best guess. After AMF went to the cantilever frame in 1958, the Shelbys and Roadmasters all look to have been built on the same frames.
Whether it was supposed to be a Shelby or not, AMF would still build it with any retail badge you wanted. @Mr. Monkeyarms posted a nice one badged "American Flyer" in this thread (post #132), and his has a Bendix two speed!

View attachment 1460128

View attachment 1460129

View attachment 1460130

View attachment 1460131

View attachment 1460132

View attachment 1460133

View attachment 1460134

View attachment 1460135

View attachment 1460136

View attachment 1460138

View attachment 1460139
Looks pretty much the same. Long head tube like mine. There is no serial # stamped on the bb. I cant find one, but I’ve had this problem before. After paint striPping one usually shows up.
 
Looks pretty much the same. Long head tube like mine. There is no serial # stamped on the bb. I cant find one, but I’ve had this problem before. After paint striPping one usually shows up.
There were a couple others that were similar, one by Ross and maybe an imported German bike, but the side shot of @Mr. Monkeyarms' bike gives a good view of the frame shape, which was a little different for each manufacturer.
 
Back
Top