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Shelby-badged Serial Numbers-Prewar

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Hey @ian , I'm not sure where or when either light on the rear of the bike were installed. They were on it as purchased . That's cool they show some in the ads though 🤓

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I think that it is very good to now include examples of bikes without head badges, as they seem to be a significant portion of many serial numbers projects.

Interesting newest examples show that in addition to the N-300,000/N-400,000 series (say below 450,000) there are also some P-400,000 series examples (above 450,000?); [and there are some P-500,000 examples].

What may have triggered the switch from an “N” prefix to a”P” prefix, from about the middle of the 400,000 serial numbers?

And how many bicycles did Shelby actually produce in one year (which years?) and did Shelby round-up its stated capacity to 200 thousand per year?
I've been thinking lately about these letter prefixes and why some letters are skipped (Shelby Cycle Company~1926 founding). The database is getting bigger and so why not focus on missing prefix letters. It shakes out below when you put the current examples together and compare them side by side. I had to draw some freehand visualization to help my feeble brain think. The 1st column are the Years in order starting with "A"- when Shelby Cycle Co. began, post-Shelby Cycle Frame Builders 1923-25. 2nd column shows the lower case letters in order to the year. 3rd column has the known Letter prefix stampings seen so far. I put them in a best guess year location. Column #4 is the most important. It contains the Prefix letters that have NOT BEEN USED (so far). As you can see, if these letters were actually skipped(and therefor not used), then the next Letter in the alphabet could have been used for that year as shown in my diagram.
Shelby had several Plant expansions: 1930, 35, 38 and 1941 from what is known.
I would love to hear some Cabers thoughts on my VERY speculative diagram below.
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I would encourage any early Shelby machine owners with actual 26-30 bikes to stand up taller and post a pic of your bikes and serial numbers please as more numbers will help.
 
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Looks pretty good.
Might be satisfied with the 1930’s portion until more examples are brought to the light.

Perhaps Shelby changed their system early pre-war 1940’s, as they approached (or hit) their one millionth bike? But by that time most Shelby bikes were 26” wheels.

1920’s seems to be a good guess, without more onesie-twosie examples.

Perhaps additional columns with the number of valid examples (i.e., # per letter stamp), and also the highest and lowest sequence numbers for each (letter or year). [Seems like 1936–N was a busy year].

Of course there are some outliers, (might be best to set aside the few), as well the general problem of suggesting that someone else’s bike is a year or so off than what they might have professed to be correct.

Online Shelby documentation seems to suggest that year zero/one, commencing with delivery of frames and forks to Chicago Cycle Supply, might have been in 1925; (perhaps with no letter prefixes, or up to that time).
 
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Yes AS, need to move forward with those thoughts, thank you! The prefix-following "numbers" do need a related-to-the-letter comparison side by side. pete EDIT: And yes, the known prefixes could slide up a year(or down?) in the column as you mention. Again, much is assumed here~ need more examples to show if this direction is valid.
 
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Great thread @SKPC 🤓 👍 I saw my bike listed in your compilation lists. Here are a few pictures . Was also wondering if you can show examples of the Frames and how they are described ? I.E. : Y-Double Top Tube Teardrop - Y-Peanut - Double Top Tube Offset - Y - Double Top Tube Streamline 😗
Yes, this would be confusing. I cleaned up my descriptions on the list for clarity. I am not using "Airflow" in the descriptions like the ads but instead am using "Streamline" when the double top tubes are parallel and whether the "Y" seat-stays are used or not. "Offset" when the two upper tubes are not parallel. There are two or three of these offset tube frames. "Teardrop" is when the lower of the two top tubes meets the upper tube and not the seat tube. Most always a "Y" frame. I eliminated "Peanut" and will use "Teardrop" moving forward and corrected the list. There are anomalies and outliers for sure. Some mis-stamps, weird stamps and/or double stampings exist, so have marked these with a "?" when not sure.
Much thanks to all those who have shown what Shelby metal they have, whole or not. If anyone sees transposed numbers or letters or mistakes in my descriptions, let me know please and I will fix the transgression straight away. I will be reposting the list as soon as I can get it updated with additions and corrections. More are needed, especially pre-32 bikes.
@Colson Tandem Your Flyer frame #C82522 is a Shelby Cycle Co. "Y" double top offset frame but hard to tell. May be "Y" double top streamline if the top bars are parallel, Note that it also has a curved downtube, pointing to 1940 and after? It would follow with the "C" letter prefix. Chain stay bridge with tabs on the bottom is typical Shelby. Flyer badge is damaged, but I think the missing upper portion of a full badge still matches the frames' holes. Regardless, this is a very interesting frame with the curved downtube.
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"Y double top Teardrop bike frame. #B83052 Frame/fork original. "Safe-T Bike" badged originally.
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A few strange "Offset" top tube frames below to compare. #C89493 Y-offset double top.
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C89161 Offset double top.
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"C" frames could be 1941 or 42?
@CURTIS L LINDGREN
P711841 Double offset top. Possibly "B" instead of "P" as some serial number stamps are vague. Also. some completed bikes posted here could possibly be "put together" so to speak. If so, we cannot rely on the frame number supporting period parts if no acurate history regarding the bike is known. Some have switched badges using correct rivets and this muddies the waters a bit as well. I cannot say this bike below is originaly equipped either. In terms of the the Letter Prefix and year manufactured, a large sampling of frames with solid #'s may answer this question as time passes. And as mentioned, it may upset some who claim their frames and parts are "original" when they may not be. Impossible to know.
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Looking back a bit. Without a photo of the actual number stamped on these frames, I can't say for sure, but interesting old post Shelby related. I may add them with notation missing pic. *
 
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