Help I.D tricycle

[Chaff1977]

Hi,
Just found this little guy in Australia. It's not native downunder so was just wondering if anyone could help me identify it. Thinking of making an offer, I know it's rough but you don't find them down here....

 

[Freqman1]

Maybe what's left of a Sky Skipper? @cr250mark @ridingtoy V/r Shawn

 

[cr250mark]

Thread '2nd Airflow Tricycle Original Paint'
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/2nd-airflow-tricycle-original-paint.172477/

This is a tough early trike to ID
As Shawn mentioned looks like a early skipper
I thought batwing bars pointed towards Garton when I first found one
But I’m pretty convinced that it is a early American National
The the Winged guards on lower fork is pretty indicative
Of early sky king / airflow design. ( Van Doren sleek style with textbook airflow long spring rubber seat that only seen on AN Trikes

Look at pictures attached below as reference
Yours like the one I have posted here on Cabe are earlier versions I believe
Pre 37 , mine was 12” tot version with original green paint
Had another in the past with 16” wheel in Red
Wings emblems for these airflow trikes pretty much point to American National

thanks for posting

mark

 

[Chaff1977]

Thanks for the information. Unfortunately the guy who has it decided he won't let it go for less than $650. I can't justify paying that for a trike in that condition no matter how rare it is in Australia

 

[Freqman1]

If I have my math right that is about $500 US-he will be keeping that trike for a long time! In my experience finding trike parts is at least twice as difficult as finding bike parts especially on these early, deluxe trikes. V/r Shawn

 

[ridingtoy]

If I have my math right that is about $500 US-he will be keeping that trike for a long time! In my experience finding trike parts is at least twice as difficult as finding bike parts especially on these early, deluxe trikes. V/r Shawn

That's one of my biggest gripes! Sellers who have a "for parts" condition trike but are still asking a price as if it were complete and in very good overall condition. Nobody in their right mind is going to spend hundreds on a tricycle that's missing important parts that may never be found. Shawn, you're absolutely right about the difficulty in finding early trike parts. They would pretty much have to be made from scratch IF you had the tools and knowledge to reproduce them.

Dave

 

[1motime]

Everything is out there. Some of the most rare parts maybe only seen once. Depends

That's one of my biggest gripes! Sellers who have a "for parts" condition trike but are still asking a price as if it were complete and in very good overall condition. Nobody in their right mind is going to spend hundreds on a tricycle that's missing important parts that may never be found. Shawn, you're absolutely right about the difficulty in finding early trike parts. They would pretty much have to be made from scratch IF you had the tools and knowledge to reproduce them.

Dave

Everything is still out there somewhere. The problem is some of the really rare parts are only seen once. Timing is everything. Every part on an old trike can be reproduced. Depends on how much you really want or need it to complete a project. At least they are fairly simple and on a small scale!

 

[Chaff1977]

And like i said, this trike is in Australia so finding parts would be that much harder again. Thanks for the info anyway

 

[Chaff1977]

@cr250mark and @ridingtoy . Turns out the reason this thing was so hard to ID is because it is an Aussie version of some of your American trikes. It's called an Elmee trike made by the L.D. Mee company in Australia. I managed to buy thus trike at a MUCH reduced price. Currently being restored

 

[ridingtoy]

Terrific job researching this tricycle! Never heard of the Elmee tricycle line before....thanks for providing some vintage Australian tricycle history. Since the trike still had the metal seat chassis are you going to remake the leather top or have someone handy with leather work do it? That would look pretty neat! Nice collection you have in the background, by the way.

Dave