Shelby-badged Serial Numbers-Prewar

[tripple3]

M260211​

Camelback??​

West.Flyer​

​

bent​

Straight​

​

badged Flying Cloud;
i miss it, still out for Paint....

Also notice the "Earlier" frames have "Straight" Seat Stays somewhere between 1934-1936???

 

[SKPC]

Actually Mark, back into the 20's they had the straight stays through 35 I think. I like this Shelby completely stripped like that, you can really see the bike. Pinched seat stays were going on since 25 I think. I would hope Mark that you keep the animal parts, streamers and noisemakers to a minimum on this one bike buddy! I know you love that stuff....

Some interesting factoids below:
1921/22 Shelby Cycle Frame Builders formed by A.D. Meiselbach of Chicago. A.D. as GM. He was also superintendent of the Mead Cycle Co. of Chicago.
1923 Chicago Cycle Supply Co. supplies Meiselbach frames for a Shelby branded bike, Shelby Hardware. Shelby purchases Davis and their production assets and may have made some Davis bikes.
1925 Shelby Cycle Co. 1st all-Shelby bikes.
1927 Whippet and Lindy produced until 29? Stock market crashes, depression is on. Shelby Cycle Co. grows.
1934&5 Expanded production
1936 4 Trainloads of cycles a day shipped in the summer. $3mil ave/yr through 41 & each bike custom built after order.
1937 625,000 total bikes made in America. 200,000 in Shelby, OH.
1938 Speedline/Lightning Bolt long tanks.
1940 Shockease springer patent.
1941 Expands again.
1942 War era lightweights mostly & childrens bikes.

 

[SKPC]

Thanks Mark. If anyone else sees any discrepancies on this list, let me know..pete
UPDATED!

Shelby pre-40 serial numbers by letter order….​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
​	​	Orig.​	Year ​	Top ​	Down​	Seattube​	​	​
Number​	Frame Style​	Badge?​	Estimate​	Tubes​	Tube​	Collar​	Fork​	​
141144​	Moto 28. 3.5”Head smalltank​	ShelbyBicycleS​	20’s​	straight​	Straight​	No​	meiselback\​	​
A6430​	Moto 28 Ciga tanked​	Flash​	20’s​	straight​	Straight​	No​	Mieselbacktruss​	​
B17825​	Moto 28-er. “value:​	Value Round​	28-33​	straight​	Straight​	No​	meiselback\​	​
B23269​	Double Offset​	nobadge​	?​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	shockease​	​
B32475​	Double Offset​	GambleEagle​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	1-plate truss​	​
B40864​	Y-Peanut​	?​	​	​	Curved​	Yes​	shockease​	​
B54041​	Y-Double Streamline.​	?​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	?​	​
B54077​	Y-Double Streamline.​	nobadge​	?​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	no​	​
B54536​	Y-Double Streamline.​	nobadge​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	no​	​
B75453​	Double Offset​	WesternFlyer​	​	Curved​	Curved​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
B78093​	Y-Double Streamline.​	​	​	Curved​	Straight​	Yes​	no​	​
B332475​	Y-Double Top Offset​	Eagle?​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	1-plate truss​	​
B833052​	Y-Double Toptube Teardrop​	Safe-T-Bike​	1940​	curved​	Curved​	yes​	shockease​	​
B850770​	Double Offset​	Flyer?​	​	curved​	Curved​	yes​	1-plate truss​	​
C04480​	Ladies 28-er​	WesternFly??​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	no truss​	​
C23720​	Ladies 28-er​	?​	​	Curv/Strt​	Straight​	No​	no truss​	​
C48413​	Double Offset​	?​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
C63835​	Double Offset BigTank​	Hiawatha Arrow​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	Bigtank​	Being restored​
C84994​	Y-Double Peanut(Tanked)​	?​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
C89161​	Double Offset​	Hiawatha​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	shockease​	​
C89183​	Double Offset​	Hiawatha​	40​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	shockease​	​
C89493​	Y-Double Offset​	?​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	no truss​	​
F24298???​	Double Offset​	?​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	?​	​
G48281​	Womens curve bar​	Shelby Flyer​	​	curved​	curved​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
G70964​	Double Offset​	Shelby Eagle​	39-40​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
G72001​	Double Offset​	Eagle​	​	curv​	Curved​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
G93335​	Moto 28​	West.Flyer​	33​	straight​	Straight​	No​	?​	​
G72001​	Double Offset​	Shelby Eagle​	​	curved​	Curved​	No​	2-plate Truss​	​
H30790​	Double Offset​	ShelbyFlyer​	​	curv​	Curved​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
?516960​	Y-Camelback​	??​	​	curv​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
H111411​	Moto 28​	​	​	straight​	Straight​	No​	2-plate Truss/c​	​
K139826​	Camelback​	​	​	bent​	Straight​	No​	no​	​
K145337​	Moto Small Tank 26 w/Tank​	hrdwr​	34/35​	straight​	Straight​	No​	2-plate Truss​	​
K156096​	Moto small tank 5”HT​	Lindy​	34-5​	straight​	Straight​	No​	2-plate Truss​	​
K173446​	Moto small tank 5”HT​	Flyer​	35​	straight​	Straight​	No​	2-plate Truss​	​
K192390​	Y-Double Streamline.​	WestFlyerSqu​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
K31097​	Womens curve bar​	Caddilac​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	?​	​
M217364​	Moto Big Tank 26​	West.Flyer​	​	straight​	Straight​	No​	2-plate Truss​	​
M221295​	Y-Double Streamline.​	West.Flyer​	35​	straight​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss/ c​	​
M224861​	Y-Double Streamline.​	WestFlyerSqu​	35/6​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
M231261​	Y-Double Streamline.​	WestFlyerSqu​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
M234353​	Moto small tank 5”head​	West.Flyer​	​	straight​	Straight​	No​	2-plate Truss/curved​	​
M258146​	Moto Big Tank 26​	​	​	curved​	Straight​	No​	2plateTruss/curved​	​
M260211​	Camelback​	FlyingCloud​	​	bent​	Straight​	No​	?-curved crown​	​
M267387​	Moto Big Tank 26​	?​	​	curved​	Straight​	No​	2-plate Truss​	​
N297178​	?​	Eagle​	​	​	​	​	​	​
N305983​	Y-Double Streamline.​	?​	​	curved​	Straight​	strange​	?​	​
N318396​	Y-Double Streamline.​	Shelb Supreme​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
N324086​	Y-Double Streamline.​	Shelb FlyingCloud​	​	curv​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
N328362​	Y-Double Streamline.​	Shelb Supreme​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
N341008​	Y-Double Streamline(W/Banana).​	?​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
N344857​	Y-Double Streamline.​	Eagle​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
N383476​	Moto Big Frame 5”head​	Eagle​	35/6​	straight​	Straight​	NO​	2-plate Truss​	phondial​
N386678​	Y-Double Streamline.​	Eagle​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	?​	​
N387816​	Y-Double Streamline.​	?​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
N391253​	Y-Double Streamline.​	​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	?​	​
N404666​	Y-Double Streamline.​	​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes-thin​	2-plate Truss​	​
N409951​	?​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
N442811​	Y-Double Streamline.​	?​	​	curv​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
N56890?​	Y-Double Streamline.​	Shelby​	(early)​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
P341973?​	Double Offset​	West.Flyer​	​	curv​	Curved​	Yes​	shockease​	​
P458826​	Y-Double Streamline.​	ShelbFlyer​	37​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
P463057​	Y-Double Streamline. (BananaTank)D​	GambEagle​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
P472104​	Y-Double Streamline.​	shelby​	​	curv​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
P477561​	Double Streamline​	?​	​	curved​	Straight​	NO​	2-plate Truss​	​
P483404​	Y-Double Streamline.​	​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	could be “B”​
P486833​	Double Streamline​	?​	​	curved​	Straight​	NO​	2-plate Truss​	​
​	Y-Double Streamline.​	GambEagle​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	1-plate truss​	​
P488776​	Double Streamline​	?​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
P489910​	Y-Double Streamline. (BananaTank)D​	Traveller​	​	curvedf​	Straight​	Yes​	1-plate truss​	​
P505275​	​	WestFlyer​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	shockease​	​
P536972​	Y-Double Streamline.​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
P54041?​	Double Streamline​	​	​	curved​	Straight​	t​	?​	​
P549490​	Y-Double Streamline.​	​	​	curv​	Straight​	Yes​	1-plate truss​	​
P565410​	Y-Double Streamline.​	​	​	curv​	Straight​	Yes​	2-plate Truss​	​
P711841​	Double Offset(Tanked))​	?​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	shockease​	​
P98765​	Straightbar​	ShelbFlyer​	38/9​	Curv/Strt​	Straight​	Yes​	1-plate truss/c​	​
R586328​	Double Streamline​	​	​	curved​	Straight​	NO​	?​	​
R619323​	Y-Double Streamline.​	FlyingCloud​	​	curv​	Straight​	Yes​	?​	​
R633389​	Y-Double Streamline.​	​	​	curv​	Straight​	Yes​	1-plate truss​	​
R638697​	Straightbar​	?​	​	st/curv​	Straight​	Yes​	?​	​
R670193​	Womens Streamlne Bigtank​	HiawathaArrow​	36\​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	No truss​	​
T699707​	Straightbar(Tanked)​	FlyingCloud​	​	Curv/Strt​	Straight​	Yes​	1-plate truss​	​
T723799​	Straightbar​	ShelbyFlyer​	39​	Curv/Strt​	Straight​	Yes​	1-plate truss​	​
T735857​	Double Offset (Tanked)​	​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	​	​
T735927​	Double Offset (Tanked)​	​	​	curv​	Straight​	Yes​	​	​
V11035?​	Y-Double Peanut​	Hiawatha​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	shockease​	​
V764903​	Double Offset​	Flyer?​	​	curved​	Straight​	Yes​	1-plate truss​	​
V779831​	Y-Double Offset​	Caddilac​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	shockease​	​
V820397​	Y-Double Offset Tanked​	Caddilac​	​	curved​	Curved​	Yes​	1-plate truss​	​
​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
STRANGE FRAMES AND NUMBERS BELOW​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
FW1000771​	Y-Streamline with stand “ears”​	?​	​	curv​	Straight​	Yes-thin​	?​	​
E634U8​	Weird Moto frame 3.5 head tube..maybe not shelby​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
E14430​	Ladies 28-er​	​	​	​	​	​	meiselback\​	​
​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​

 

[Dra]

I just received a flying cloud pre Shelby. I’ve red that on may23 1923 the owner of Shelby bought the flying cloud company then joined the two so pre 23 there was only Shelby and flying cloud. Mine has the toolbox tank 28ers and is in pieces.(shipping) looks mostly complete. I straighten out the fender bruises last night. Going to get the linseed and grease out and start. It looks like there was a sticker of some sort on the sides of the tank with wings on each side of the sticker probably added later Anyone have any schwinn ape hangers?

 

[Dra]

Wow I went through all 9 pages of flying cloud trying to figure out what I have. (Bought from estate) only found one guy with one. The guy that bought the flying cloud company should have kept the two names separate lol

 

[SKPC]

@Dra It would be a better to start a brand new separate thread on your bike with pictures, otherwise your question(s) are futile. Word descriptions are meaningless. Pictures are mandatory in your new post and people will help you provided you do just that..

 

[Dra]

As soon as I have it together I’ll post them

 

[Archie Sturmer]

A modified SN key for your consideration.

Is this XX% consistent, +/-1year, with the examples, for pre-war (<1941), as seen on the CABE, in catalogs, or what owners might believe? Note that some letters are used twice; and other letters are missing.

 

[tripple3]

Found a Shelby (i think) C ser. no.
listed as a Schwinn on eBay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144081937439?campid=5335809022

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Do the cranks look bent?

Didn't you know all old bikes are Schwinn Built? | All Things Schwinn

Schwinn vintage tank bicycle Ha Ha Ha

thecabe.com

I believe that the seller is not referring to the bicycle, when describing the $2k bicycle that “Schwinn burnt in 1940” — although that might explain the missing rubber grips and replacement pedal blocks; but then, why didn’t the wooden seat also burn?