Hi
@goodvibe
Some background to the two Westfield Columbia bikes.
They are both wartime 1942 examples, and a great demonstration of how production of civilian bikes evolved during that year.
G42988 was made around March 1942 (I can tell you more accurately, if you tell me the number above the serial like J2 or J3, you can see the J11 on the other frame, which we'll get to). It is still essentially a prewar lightweight sports tourist model, except that it is one of the first to have 'blackout' parts, that is, some of the parts like the rear brake and chainwheel are coated black, rather than chromed, to save chrome for the war effort. Production of this bike overlaps with the beginning of the standard Military bikes made by Westfield, G519 MG series, so that the closest known survivor is MG42966, 22 frames earlier, so built the same day, or day before, belonging to
@Goldslinger
I have been looking for a bike to do a ww2 tribute bike. All the junk I have looked at was too expensive. I found this couple hours away and the person was a picker and he just pulled it out of an old barn. He listed it as a 1950s Columbia. The pictures weren't real clear and I didn't want to...
thecabe.com
W106797, J11, was one of the last bikes to be built in 1942 (the last was W112859). It is a Sports Tourist Model VG295. The frame was made in November 1942, and the bike built up in December 1942. Bikes by this point were rationed, and technically, the only way to obtain it was to apply for a permit, working for a specified necessary profession.
The bike has been simplified in comparison to G42988. To save further material it would have been supplied without a headbadge, bell, stand, chainguard, and with blackout parts and in a standard colour. So this bike never had a headbadge, and instead the frame serial number starts with a W to identify it as a Westfield bike. The Red colour is one of the standard colours available. The chainguard and lights are not original to it, but have been there a long time, and I'd be inclined to leave them on. The chainwheel is the first I've seen of that type, and I suspect is not original. It probably should have the same type as the other Columbia, in blackout, but again, war shortages caused strange things to happen, and I wouldn't totally discount it being correct without looking at it first hand for vidence either way. So I'd probably leave it on too.
Coincidentally,
@Goldslinger owns the nearest known survivor to this one too, W105355.
Looking for ideas for replacement tires for my daughter’s war era Elgin sports tourist. I know they don’t make the that size anymore.
thecabe.com
I can't help with the Sears bike.
I hope that makes sense, ask if you'd like clarification. If you do come across the other number for the first frame, I'd like it to help improve my records.
Thanks,
Best Regards,
Adrian