3 Speed Balloon tire Rollfast?

[Archie Sturmer]

Firebirds are like Unicorns!

Is the ad below for a unicorn frame?

colson evans frame vintage antique | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for colson evans frame vintage antique at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Oilit]

Is the ad below for a unicorn frame?

colson evans frame vintage antique | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for colson evans frame vintage antique at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

It's close, but in this thread (Post #21) @mrg posted some close-ups of the rear brake mounting bracket, which looks to be brazed to the back of the seat tube. The EBay frame shows no signs of a brake mount.

1953 Roadmaster Flying Falcon | Classic Balloon Tire Bicycles 1933-1965

By articles in the Schwinn reporter seems like Sturmey-Archer had supply problems a few times over the years so weather they could not keep up with Schwinn's & European demands and when Brampton came on the seen ( I have not done any research on Brampton ) but in another thread we had been...

thecabe.com

 

[mrg]

@mrg, going by this ad the mounting for the rear brake looks like it clamps around the seat post instead of being brazed on. That must have been another detail changed in production.

Good eye@Oilit! never noticed that, wonder if there any like that out there but probably a pre production thing?, last pic is my rear brake bracket

 

[partsguy]

Clear zinc is not just a single plating of zinc. We use this plating on our brass grommets and we call it bright zinc.
Clear Zinc plating refers to a colorless chromate conversion coating that is applied over zinc as part of the post plating process. Clear chromate or passivate protects the zinc layer and offers additional protection against corrosion.

Thank you for that great info!