I.D. Help, Please

[Freqman1]

The fork on your bike appears to be bent slightly backwards bringing the springer closer. The tank does not wrap around the head tube on these bikes but is a three rib 'Zephyr' tank. V/r Shawn

 

[razinhellcustomz]

Great catalog pic and detective work...looks like the monkey has touched it but still a cool bike.

A wise monkey is a monkey who doesn't monkey with another monkeys Monkey.

 

[bikewhorder]

Its too bad all the $$$ parts are missing but still a great bike.

 

[CeeBee]

@Freqman1 , I had found this image with a similar fork. This is what I was referencing earlier about no room for a tank to wrap around the head tube. For now I believe I will simply take the easy way out by putting some modern wheels and decent seat on it to make it a bare metal rider. Maybe those $$$ parts will fall into my lap some day!

 

[bikewhorder]

@Freqman1 , I had found this image with a similar fork. This is what I was referencing earlier about no room for a tank to wrap around the head tube. For now I believe I will simply take the easy way out by putting some modern wheels and decent seat on it to make it a bare metal rider. Maybe those $$$ parts will fall into my lap some day!
View attachment 1069782

No I believe this is more what your bike looked like. Photo credit @dfa242

 

[Freqman1]

@Freqman1 , I had found this image with a similar fork. This is what I was referencing earlier about no room for a tank to wrap around the head tube. For now I believe I will simply take the easy way out by putting some modern wheels and decent seat on it to make it a bare metal rider. Maybe those $$$ parts will fall into my lap some day!
View attachment 1069782

@CeeBee look at the ad I posted and the pic bikewhorder posted--this is your bike. The one you psted is a 1940 model which used a different frame and slightly different fork. The tank you need is much easier to find than one of those lit, big tanks! V/r Shawn

 

[CeeBee]

I did realize the bike in my last picture was a later curved lower tube frame but assumed the fork might have been the same across the board. I guess that goes back to my original question about if there were variations of the fork. I assume there are variations between models years only? Regardless I do now realize mine has a tweaked lower bracket that should be an easy fix. It looks like my target should be to make the springer trusses parallel to the main fork leg.
The next mystery to me is why would there not be any mounting holes for a head badge? This bike is already blasted down to bare metal so there is no paint hiding any holes or filler.

 

[Jay81]

The next mystery to me is why would there not be any mounting holes for a head badge? This bike is already blasted down to bare metal so there is no paint hiding any holes or filler.

That would lead me to think it had one of the big tanks (either lit or unlit) that wraps around the head tube. @Freqman1 what's your take on the lack of headbadge holes? I'm not that well versed in Huffman bikes, but both examples shown have headbadges.

 

[Freqman1]

That would lead me to think it had one of the big tanks (either lit or unlit) that wraps around the head tube. @Freqman1 what's your take on the lack of headbadge holes? I'm not that well versed in Huffman bikes, but both examples shown have headbadges.

I'm baffled--that frame was not used on big tank bikes and serial is certainly indicative of 1939. The fork is for sure and I believe likely original to the bike. This bike should have a head badge and I can't explain the lack of holes. @New Mexico Brant @John you guys thoughts? V/r Shawn

 

[Jay81]

I'm baffled--that frame was not used on big tank bikes and serial is certainly indicative of 1939. The fork is for sure and I believe likely original to the bike. This bike should have a head badge and I can't explain the lack of holes. @New Mexico Brant @John you guys thoughts? V/r Shawn

Strange for sure. What's the difference between the frames, just the down tube being curved or straight? They look pretty similar to me other than that.
Early unknown big tank???