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Identification help, please
- Thread starter rjb1
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Hi Joel,
This bike is a Cleveland Welding built bicycle. It is a postwar bike and the serial number along with the shape of the downtube and the dropouts dates the bike to 1947-1949. I would guess the bike is from the early end of that period. The frame style is the Straight-Bar style, which was developed for the Luxury Liner models and trickled down to be used on other, lesser equipped, models.
I suspect that the chain ring was swapped out at some time because CWC predominantly still used 1” pitch drivelines during that time. It was probably changed to allow for the use of ½” chain, which is more readily available
The stem and front fender are correct for the bike but the forward most fender brace is on backwards.
Looking at the photos it appears that there is a fillet weld at the joint between the head tube and the top tube, this joint is atypical for this frame as this is usually an internally lugged, electro-forged junction; it may be that this joint failed and was repaired with a fillet weld.
What is not possible from the photos is the ability to determine how the bike was originally badged and branded. CWC sold these bikes through many distributors and retailers and while the location of the badge holes and their spacing or a ghosting of the original badge under the repaint might shed some light, it is still often does not provide conclusive evidence.
This bike is a Cleveland Welding built bicycle. It is a postwar bike and the serial number along with the shape of the downtube and the dropouts dates the bike to 1947-1949. I would guess the bike is from the early end of that period. The frame style is the Straight-Bar style, which was developed for the Luxury Liner models and trickled down to be used on other, lesser equipped, models.
I suspect that the chain ring was swapped out at some time because CWC predominantly still used 1” pitch drivelines during that time. It was probably changed to allow for the use of ½” chain, which is more readily available
The stem and front fender are correct for the bike but the forward most fender brace is on backwards.
Looking at the photos it appears that there is a fillet weld at the joint between the head tube and the top tube, this joint is atypical for this frame as this is usually an internally lugged, electro-forged junction; it may be that this joint failed and was repaired with a fillet weld.
What is not possible from the photos is the ability to determine how the bike was originally badged and branded. CWC sold these bikes through many distributors and retailers and while the location of the badge holes and their spacing or a ghosting of the original badge under the repaint might shed some light, it is still often does not provide conclusive evidence.
Thanks Phil, I was most curious about the date of manufacture. If it was some rare type the manufacturer or seller might be more important.
The post-manufacture fillet welds, presumably a repair job, are an interesting aspect. My dad owned a welding business, and his policy was never to charge kids for bike repairs. Over a number of decades there is no telling how many bicycles he fixed for free.
I have all the parts for this one, and for $25, it is worth cleaning up, painting, and restoring (At least I think so...).
Thanks again,
Joel
The post-manufacture fillet welds, presumably a repair job, are an interesting aspect. My dad owned a welding business, and his policy was never to charge kids for bike repairs. Over a number of decades there is no telling how many bicycles he fixed for free.
I have all the parts for this one, and for $25, it is worth cleaning up, painting, and restoring (At least I think so...).
Thanks again,
Joel
Archie Sturmer
Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
The serial numbers A-95564 make the CWC look like a 1947-A, according to the chart.
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