New to thecabe, I recently picked up an old Rollfast bike but can't find the serial#?

[Dmack33]

Forgive me, I have no idea how to post pictures, but the Craigslist add is still up:

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/bik/4369085971.html


I stripped it down and inspected it thoroughly, but can NOT find a serial number anywhere. There IS green ?Housepaint? on it, so perhaps it's just covered, but I tried under the BB and no luck there. The only hint I have is on the crank there's a K A2 at opposite ends of the middle section??

Any ideas what year this bike is or where a serial number might be?

https://drive.google.com/?tab=mo&authuser=0#my-drive

 

[Buster1]

Do you have a few more pics? I would think it MUST be on the BB, or maybe the chain stay perhaps.

 

[mike j]

I've had two Rollfasts, a 48 & a 55. Neither had serial # s, however both had the last two #s of the year reversed w/ SN after it, stamped under the crank housing.

 

[Dmack33]

Thanks guys, I'll try peeling some more paint to see if I can find it. I just wanted to make sure I was looking in the right place before I scraped too deep.

Dave

 

[Dmack33]

Ladies don't like to reveal their age...

In regards to my mystery Rollfast (CraigsList find in NC

Thanks again for the assist, as suggested above the serial number was under the crank housing (and 3 coats of paint). Apparently this old gal started out blue, not red, or green as the outer peeling paint had suggested (I don't believe I mentioned I'm new to this, so it hadn't occurred to me that paint would completely fill in the frame stamped numbers?).

SO, finally after some picking scratching and acetone help, I find the serial #: Y 26 526 !!! Yey! Now armed with "knowledge", I googled... and googled, aaaand googled, I tried Bing, even Jeeves. I'm coming up with nothing on the serial number.


The hubs are: New Departure, rear coaster model D.
The Rear dropouts are backward facing, and It has what I assume to be the holders for the old style bracket drop stand (not a regular kickstand, which was DIY welded on afterwords).
The Drive train is 1" (skiptooth), and the crank is stamped (above).
26" wheels.
Odd stem, split down the middle & a plug instead of the 1/2 circle slider thingy.

Any ideas on this old gal? I don't think it really matters at this point, I'm just curious, about age and of course value, but mainly age. 1930's?

 

[Freqman1]

I'm sure a more knowledgeable member will weigh in but looks late '30s early 40s to me. As far as value not too much there-maybe $50 whole and a few more $$ if you parted. V/r Shawn

 

[Adamtinkerer]

The reversed year coding starts around 1940. I suspect this bike is a couple years before that.

 

[Dmack33]

Close enough. Finish?

The reversed year coding starts around 1940. I suspect this bike is a couple years before that.

That's close enough to consensus for me... 1938-ish it is.


Follow up question: To strip & Paint or not? Generally I lean heavily toward not, but given it's been painted an exceptionally sh*(&y house paint green I'm considering it.


Thanks guys,
Dave