Need some advice and consideration on this old GWM

[palepainter]

I am having difficulty finding any shots of this bike in color. During the sanding CSI, I cam across a brownish orange at the base. Not sure but the observation leaves me thinking it was some where originally that color. Who the hell knows…. So I had the 4 layers of house paint blasted, prime red and polyesters a few small dings. It’s is ready for paint. The world is my oyster as..this is what I do. I would love to keep some resemblance of the original with decor and striping. I was advised that this was a 1922 GWM Crown. I got what appeared to be the correct badge for it, bit the mount holes are not same width apart. I’m hoping someone may have an idea of what this is or what it looked like so I can give it some proper paint.

 

[palepainter]

Perhaps it is a GWM Hawthorne

This is damn close to the color I found in the weld crease of front tube.

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Most GWM in-house head badges had the vertical hole spacing; and about 2+3/4” in the later years. GWM was one 1920’s supplier to Montgomery Ward, who sold Hawthorne bicycles. The smaller-frame black-and-orange bicycle looks like a Westfield product in style and a later timeframe.
Often, Hawthorne badges depend on the manufacturer of the bicycle; however the badges are fairly common, (should one need to check the fit of various badges in one’s inadvertent collection).
There are threads on this site about MW Hawthorne Deluxe bicycles; some with color catalog pictures, or at least a b&w description of the color/finishes offered.
Many of those bicycles were red; I would advise against any pearl (oyster) finishes.

 

[palepainter]

This may help as an identifier.

 

[SKPC]

Now THAT is an interesting GWM fork if it truly is a GWM fork. The truss supports seem detatchable from the fork itself? Never seen that one before....

 

[palepainter]

Now THAT is an interesting GWM fork if it truly is a GWM fork. The truss supports seem detatchable from the fork itself? Never seen that one before....

Yes. But can’t be removed because the lower truss is welded to fork

 

[palepainter]

Here is photo as I got bike.

 

[Archie Sturmer]

It is a classic GWM truss fork, nooks and crannies and all, only highlighted by the sand blasting.

GWM may have used a brick clay filler material in the wider gaps before painting?

 

[palepainter]

It is a classic GWM truss fork, nooks and crannies and all, only highlighted by the sand blasting. GWM may have used a brick clay filler material in the wider gaps before painting?

Thanks for your help Archie. Truly appreciate the expertise. Now hoping I can find an appropriate paint scheme and head badge.

 

[palepainter]

That is the remnant of color that I found under all the latex as well.