Evaluate old Firestone

[Covey534]

I"ve restored airplanes & motorcycles but never bicycles (though years ago I was in the bike business.) I recently bought what was presented to me as a 1932 model Firestone. The head badge has what looks like Robin Hood on it & the word "Firestone" only. I bought it partly because it had a 1942 city license plate on it (Waco, TX) & a cute motor attached to the bottom bracket called a "Baby Mosquito".) The serial number on the BB is 2936 [8 on its side] FS with a J under the 2. That's all I know about it. To put it back original I'll have to send some parts out for rechroming (HBs, chainwheel, crank, etc.) It's way past patina & I wonder if I should just make a custom motorized bike out of it. I could easily fabricate an old time fuel tank. I'll try to attach a photo. Ideas, advice & recommendations on chroming would be appreciated. -Mike McMains (FNG)
Well, I don't know know how to reduce the file size so no photo. Sorry.

 

[37fleetwood]

does it look like this

I have all the information you need. this badge is from 1939.
Scott

 

[37fleetwood]

here's the spring summer catalog
Scott

 

[Covey534]

Thanks. I'll try again to send a photo. It looks like a '39 Pilot, but the chainguard is different. Where can I get bars & crank rechromed? Is this bike worth restoring if I do it all myself (my labor is real cheap)? The head badge is like your photo, but only single color- black.

 

[JRE]

1939 Colson Firestone Flying Ace

 

[37fleetwood]

Ok, not a Flying Ace, that was a totally different bike in 1939. your bike is either a 1939 Standard Model, or a Cruiser as shown in the catalog posted higher up. the tank is missing. the Bike was made by Colson. here's a pic of the Standard Model:

Scott

 

[JRE]

OOPs my bad. frame is different. I've got the Firestone flying ace on my Brain. Thats what I want to build one of my colsons into.

 

[Covey534]

1939 Firestone

Thanks for the info. I took some more detail photos & loaded them into photobucket, but I forgot where I found the info on this website on how to get them into this note. That last photo looks like it, including the chainguard. It doesn't have a tank or rack, however. I'm stripping off the rust now & hope to repaint next week. -Mike

 

[rjs5700]

Hi Mike,
The photobucket info is under "general discussion about old bikes" at the top of the list.