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Shelby-badged Serial Numbers-Prewar
- Thread starter SKPC
- Start date
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SKPC
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
I am beginning to see something very interesting. Can't say straight away and am probably wrong, but I see a similarity in terms of one of the numbers frame to frame that seems to be emerging, whether it is a frame with 5 or 6 numbers with the preceding letter.
I have mentioned before that some have one letter and 5 numbers and some have the letter with 6 numbers..."B" through "H" are 5 number frames. "K"-"V" and on have 6 numbers, but this is not what I am looking at. This is very telling for sure...
More frames please..
I have mentioned before that some have one letter and 5 numbers and some have the letter with 6 numbers..."B" through "H" are 5 number frames. "K"-"V" and on have 6 numbers, but this is not what I am looking at. This is very telling for sure...
More frames please..
Archie Sturmer
Riding a '38 Autocycle Deluxe
@SKPC thanks for posting the 30+ sernos, on that other thread.
From looking at the partial list so far, I have a few observations, and guesses.
1) For the most part it looks like the 6-digit sequence numbers pre-date the 5-digit sequence numbers, however, not including some of the oldest (low-digit) 28" Shelby bikes;
2) For the 6-digit sequence numbers, as the prefix letters increase, so do the sequence numbers; (e.g., K's look to be 100,000 series, and M's look to be 200,000 series).
3) The list does not have any 5-digit sequence numbers with the "D" or "E" prefixes, perhaps those were during the war, or just not yet reported(?).
4) It seems that more prefix letters are observed than there are years to account for, indicating perhaps some overlap, or more than one letter used in a single year, not a 1:1 correlation; (maybe suggesting spring-summer & fall-winter sequences?).
5) Looks like Shelby did skip some letters: O, Q, I, J, and maybe L?
Perhaps Ken Swank's 1997 list might be amended, and used for any parts that might work (post-war?). We have seen a few "G" serial numbers lately, maybe Ken S. got that one right, at 1945-G(?).
Perhaps the earlier 1930's numbers (6-digits) still need more data collection & analysis.
From looking at the partial list so far, I have a few observations, and guesses.
1) For the most part it looks like the 6-digit sequence numbers pre-date the 5-digit sequence numbers, however, not including some of the oldest (low-digit) 28" Shelby bikes;
2) For the 6-digit sequence numbers, as the prefix letters increase, so do the sequence numbers; (e.g., K's look to be 100,000 series, and M's look to be 200,000 series).
3) The list does not have any 5-digit sequence numbers with the "D" or "E" prefixes, perhaps those were during the war, or just not yet reported(?).
4) It seems that more prefix letters are observed than there are years to account for, indicating perhaps some overlap, or more than one letter used in a single year, not a 1:1 correlation; (maybe suggesting spring-summer & fall-winter sequences?).
5) Looks like Shelby did skip some letters: O, Q, I, J, and maybe L?
Perhaps Ken Swank's 1997 list might be amended, and used for any parts that might work (post-war?). We have seen a few "G" serial numbers lately, maybe Ken S. got that one right, at 1945-G(?).
Perhaps the earlier 1930's numbers (6-digits) still need more data collection & analysis.
SKPC
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
Here is the rest of my list so far.
This one below is an anomaly...strange with short number in the P series.. There are a few here and there with strange numbers.
Ken Swank decipherment work below.
| Number | Frame Style |
| B23269 | Double curved top offset |
| B32475 | Double curved top offset |
| B54077 | Y-Double Toptube Streamline. |
| B54536 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| B75453 | Double Curved Top Offset |
| B78093 | Y-Double Toptube Streamline |
| B83352 | Y-Double Toptube Teardrop |
| C04480 | Ladies 28-er |
| C48413 | Double curved offset |
| C84994 | Y-Double Toptube teardrop |
| C89161 | Double curved top offset |
| C89183 | Double curved top offset |
| C89493 | Y-double toptube offset |
| F24298 | Double curved top offset |
| G93335 | Moto |
| G70964 | Double curved top offset |
| G72001 | Double curved top offset |
| G93335 | Moto 28-r |
| H111411 | Moto |
| K139826 | Roadster single bar |
| K173446 | Moto Small Tank |
| K192390 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| M221295 | Y-double toptue streamline |
| M224861 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| M231261 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| M239035 | Moto Small Tank |
| M260211 | Roaster single bar(mark) |
| M267387 | Moto Big Tank |
| M????? | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N305981 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N391253 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N56890? | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N318396 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N328362 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N341008 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N344857 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N386678 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N387816 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N391253 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N404666 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N442811 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| P483404 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| P540511 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| P548826 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| P477561 | Double toptube streamline |
| P483404 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| P486833 | Double toptube streamline |
| P488776 | Double toptube streamline |
| P549490 | Double toptube streamline |
| P711841 | Double toptube offset |
| P472104 | Double toptube streamline |
| P98765 | typical Straightbar |
| R586328 | Double toptube streamline |
| R619323 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| T699707 | Typical straightbar |
| T723799 | Typical straightbar |
| T735857 | Double curved top offset |
| V11035 | Y-Double Toptube Teardrop |
| V764903 | Double curved top offset |
| V779831 | Y-double curved toptube offset |
| V820397 | Y-double curved toptube offset |
This one below is an anomaly...strange with short number in the P series.. There are a few here and there with strange numbers.
Ken Swank decipherment work below.
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piercer_99
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
oddly, no step through (ladies) frames in here, until now.
1940/41 Shelby ladies, Red Klinedinst badged. Serial # J82606
1940/41 Shelby ladies, Red Klinedinst badged. Serial # J82606
Hawthornecrazy
I live for the CABE
N435540
SKPC
Cruisin' on my Bluebird
Latest list updated.
1930 – 1939 Great Depression. In the years leading up to World War II, the Shelby Cycle Company grew steadily with several plant expansions in 1930, 1935, 1938, 1941.
1935 Expanded to 180,000 square feet, 250 employed, making 500 bikes a day..
1930 – 1939 Great Depression. In the years leading up to World War II, the Shelby Cycle Company grew steadily with several plant expansions in 1930, 1935, 1938, 1941.
1935 Expanded to 180,000 square feet, 250 employed, making 500 bikes a day..
| Number | Frame Style |
| B23269 | Double curved top offset |
| B32475 | Double curved top offset |
| B40864 | Y-double toptube teardrop |
| B51219 | Y-double curved offset |
| B54077 | Y-Double Toptube streamline. |
| B54536 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| B54726 | WomensBigTank |
| B59577 | Y-double toptube streamlineBT |
| B67339 | Y-double toptube streamlineBT |
| B75453 | Double Curved Top Offset |
| B78093 | Y-Double Toptube streamline |
| B83247 5 | Double curved top offset |
| B83305 2 | Y-Double Toptube Teardrop |
| B85077 0 | Double curved top offset |
| C04480 | Ladies 28-er |
| C46413 | Double toptube offset |
| C84994 | Y-Double Toptube teardrop |
| C89161 | Double curved top offset |
| C89103 | Double curved top offset |
| C89493 | Y-double toptube seat |
| F24298 | Double curved top offset |
| G93335 | Moto |
| G70964 | Double curved top offset |
| G72001 | Double curved top offset |
| G93335 | Moto 28-r small tank |
| H111411 | Moto small tank |
| J82606 | Ladies stepthrough no tank |
| K31097 | Ladies step through |
| K139826 | Roadster single bar |
| K173446 | Moto Small Tank |
| K192390 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| M217364 | Moto Big Tank |
| M221295 | Y-double toptue streamline |
| M224861 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| M231261 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| M239035 | Moto Small Tank |
| M260211 | Roaster single bar(mark) |
| M267387 | Moto Big Tank |
| M????? | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N305981 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N391253 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N56890? | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N318396 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N328362 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N341008 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N344857 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N386678 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N387816 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N391253 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N404666 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| N435540 | Y-double toptube streamlineBanana |
| N442811 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| P483404 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| P540511 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| P458826 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| P477561 | Double toptube streamline |
| P483404 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| P486833 | Double toptube streamline |
| P488776 | Double toptube streamline |
| P54041 | Double toptube streamline |
| P711841 | Double toptube offset |
| P472104 | Double toptube streamline |
| P98765 | Straightbar |
| R586328 | Double toptube streamline |
| R594872 | Double toptube streamlineBT |
| R596090 | Y-double toptube streamlineBT |
| R614690 | Y-double toptube streamlineBT |
| R619323 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| R649961 | Y-double toptube streamline |
| T698303 | Womens BigTank |
| T699707 | Typical straightbar |
| T727608 | Womens BigTank |
| T723799 | Typical straightbar |
| T724196 | Y-double toptube stremlinebBT |
| T735857 | Double curved top offset |
| V11035 | Y-Double Toptube Teardrop |
| V764903 | Double curved top offset |
| V779831 | Y-double curved toptube offset |
| V820397 | Y-double curved toptube offset |
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