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Old Bike Haul, Looking for some Information

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I'm still thinking that Schwinn is an early post war piece. I've been researching the evolution of Schwinn's electro-forging of their frames and that brings me out of the war time pieces and into the period when Schwinn started building retail balloon frames during 1945. Your serial number series H12345 was used in 1941. It's said and is fact that the prewar numbers were also used in 1946 along with the A and B series. The fact that nobody has seemed to take into account is that Schwinn was producing bikes for retail sales in 1945. These first post war models built in 1945 and some even say 44, were the first to have the chain stays EF'd to the BB shell and that process was a learning period for Schwinn. I've also noted there are two kickstand tube angles on these early post war pieces. Yours has the earliest version, but since that is a 24" frame that may be irrelevant. I doubt the crank has a casting date on it, but it's worth a shot taking a look and see if there is.
You make a compelling case 😂 To my eyes, the serial number on the bottom of the Schwinn Flyer looks similar to the one in the thread you posted. I got some pictures of the crank but didn’t see anything obvious. Hopefully somebody else will. The inside of the BB is red for what it’s worth so it looks like the frame was definitely repainted at some point.
 
I just realized I didn’t add the pictures of the crank. Here they are

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The style of that 20" Huffy frame makes me think Convertible model(I know the top bar doesn't remove, but that's what Huffy called their juvenile bikes). I think the ones I've had on my stand were 49 and later with that sprocket. These also had quill(think stem bolt) seat posts, where yours has a clamp. Yours may be early enough to still have year/month stamps on the back of the fork. I'd check there. Meanwhile I'll see what I can dig up.
 
Alright y’all, here are some post-initial-scrub glamor shots for you. Not a whole lot of new revelations but they sure are a lot prettier. It looks like the CWC was repainted at some point which tracks with what my aunt told me (she said grandpa redid one of them for her a long time ago and painted it blue but she couldn’t remember which one). There’s some maroon and gray paint peeking out from under the blue and white.

I still can’t find a serial number on the little fella but I got a better picture of the crank. There’s also a brassy color peeking out from under the paint where the frame welds into the bottom bracket for what it’s worth

The Schwinn Flyer has Western Flyer grips and the seat seems to match them. The springs on the seat are also painted the same blue as the frame so whatever the case, it’s been set up like this for a long time.

All in all they’re not looking too bad for having sat under animal poop for the last few decades.

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I would say the way the bars and stem turned around backwards is different. Something like this was considered KUSTOM back in the day.. Looks pretty COOOL to me.. Thanks for sharing.. RideOn.. Razin...
 
The style of that 20" Huffy frame makes me think Convertible model(I know the top bar doesn't remove, but that's what Huffy called their juvenile bikes). I think the ones I've had on my stand were 49 and later with that sprocket. These also had quill(think stem bolt) seat posts, where yours has a clamp. Yours may be early enough to still have year/month stamps on the back of the fork. I'd check there. Meanwhile I'll see what I can dig up.
The first image is from a 48 catalog, model 61 is what I can best spot in the Huffman catalogs and I believe it's what your bike is. This is the earliest I spot that 1/2" pitch sprocket and seatpost clamp. Unfortunately there are missing years in the catalogs...47 being one of those and anything during the war for that matter...
The next catalog pics are of the Convertibles I was talking about. The Quill seatpost doesn't seem to pop up until 51 here. So I'd for sure say yours is prior to 51...
Check under the crank again, last 2 images are examples from my 45.
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Alright y’all, here are some post-initial-scrub glamor shots for you. Not a whole lot of new revelations but they sure are a lot prettier. It looks like the CWC was repainted at some point which tracks with what my aunt told me (she said grandpa redid one of them for her a long time ago and painted it blue but she couldn’t remember which one). There’s some maroon and gray paint peeking out from under the blue and white.

I still can’t find a serial number on the little fella but I got a better picture of the crank. There’s also a brassy color peeking out from under the paint where the frame welds into the bottom bracket for what it’s worth

The Schwinn Flyer has Western Flyer grips and the seat seems to match them. The springs on the seat are also painted the same blue as the frame so whatever the case, it’s been set up like this for a long time.

All in all they’re not looking too bad for having sat under animal poop for the last few decades.

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I never condone taking a wire brush to remove paint if it's original, but maybe a toothbrush, WD40, and some better lighting/angles? I know I'm reaching with the guesses here, but I think I see some hints of numbers.
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The first image is from a 48 catalog, model 61 is what I can best spot in the Huffman catalogs and I believe it's what your bike is. This is the earliest I spot that 1/2" pitch sprocket and seatpost clamp. Unfortunately there are missing years in the catalogs...47 being one of those and anything during the war for that matter...
The next catalog pics are of the Convertibles I was talking about. The Quill seatpost doesn't seem to pop up until 51 here. So I'd for sure say yours is prior to 51...
Check under the crank again, last 2 images are examples from my 45. View attachment 1518522
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Ok cool! Thanks for the info. I’ll give it another look tomorrow and see what I can see. I kind of shudder to take a wire brush to it too, but I think it might have been repainted at some point anyway though so we’ll see. Either way, we’ll give it a look
 
Hello all! This is my first post, though this is not my first go round with vintage bikes. I went to visit my late grandpa’s old farm yesterday and came back with four old bicycles, a 26” Cleveland Welding Co. Roadmaster, a 26” J.C. Higgins, a 24” Western Flyer, and a 20” that I can’t find a brand on. I’m hoping to get some information on them from anybody who can help. I have serial numbers for the first three but I couldn’t find one on the 20”. I’ll list them and some pictures below. I’m hoping to figure out years of manufacture, model names, etc. Thanks in advance!

Roadmaster: serial# G04598 CW (dated to 1948 from what I could find)

J.C. Higgins: serial# 502 45161 336156 (I think)

Western Flyer: serial# H18630

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That JC Higgins should be about a 54. I have a twin to it in a girls bike with the same chain guard and sprocket.
 
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