Update - I have been working on her a little each day and progressing nicely. I have actually been spending more time researching here and elsewhere learning exactly what is correct and what is not on her. Additionally, learning some bicycle specific restoration/preservation methods. I am doing everything in my power to preserve her without doing a full restoration being very careful with the remaining paint. Portions of the red on the frame have been painted over at some point but I have had good success carefully removing only it without damaging the original paint underneath. Sure hoping there is enough left but still unsure as of now. Just going to take it slow and see where we end up. The chrome will have to be redone. It is just to far gone for my liking and gouges from “life” can be corrected. I had a thought about just nickel plating instead so that the replated parts were not so in your face if there is enough paint left. Thoughts on that?
The biggest things that has perplexed me on the old girl are the forks and the straight v/s curved down tube. I have spent 40+ hours scouring every original bike I could possibly find online to try and find some answers. I also have been very careful during the disassembly process looking for very small clues along the way (a discipline learned over many years doing cars that no info was available on). I honestly believe, and have found evidence, that most of this bike is original as born with the the exception of the front forks that I’m just not sure about… I did find probably 7 or 8 original Arrows with the straight down tube, and though I don’t have any direct evidence, I have a theory of how this occurred due to being in the manufacturing industry my whole life as well as restoring a cars over the years. Often times when a manufacturer runs out of a part a substitution will be made to fill orders. I think this may be what happened. From what I have gathered Shelby was very busy during this time period and may have ran out of the curved bar frames or received a rush order from Gambles and simply substituted there straight bar frame. I’m sure if Gambles was faced with the straight bar option or delaying an order during this busy time they would take the straight bar… Just a theory but a plausible one in my experience. Much more likely than just an employee messing up as the bike would have went through a bunch more hands before it shipped… At least one of these straight bar bikes is on here from 2017.
Suspect this is a 1938 or '39 ? Not in mint condition by any means but it's intact for the most part. Tank, rear carrier, chain guard and handlebars are there, even the headlight lens. Tires will be fine with new tubes. Chrome isn't great. Fork is bent back and will need to be straightened...
thecabe.com
I don’t know how the Shelby serial numbers were configured but the bike in the link above is very close to mine 618445 v/s 618389.
I had some input saying the stem was incorrect but have confirmed that it is in fact correct and is stamped Shelby. Please correct me if I’m wrong. It seams that the used a verity of different ones…?
Lastly for now, the forks. I can’t imagine that they are correct and born on this bike but I have managed to find several other Airflo bikes with them. Here is what is strange to me. All of them that I have found do not have the pinstriping on them and all of them including mine appear to be painted in what looks like a non matching reddish primer that is more durable than the original Shelby paint… The only theory that I can come up with is that boys will be boys and many ended up doing an endo into something immovable and bending the forks. Maybe this fork was a kind of an off the shelf replacement that a lot of stores carried at the time… This might explain why my front fender is missing and goes along with the link to the other straight tube bike on the link above…
Any of you all with more experience and insight have any ideas?
Progress pics coming and if anyone hears of any parts I need for sale I would sure appreciate it if you could send them my way. Posted a want add here a few hrs ago.
Thanks everyone!
Shon