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Shelby Year Please

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Boris

Old fat tired rider
Just purchased this repainted patina Shelby Western Flyer from a fellow CABE member. Serial number is P712156. Any help with the date would be greatly appreciated.
Also looking for a patina bisquit headlight. Would this wishbone frame have had a tank? If so, also looking for a patina tank.
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That's a 1940 and yes Shelby did make a tank that fits that frame. So if you can find one adding it would be fine. Does the headbadge have any numbers stamped on it?
 
That's a 1940 and yes Shelby did make a tank that fits that frame. So if you can find one adding it would be fine. Does the headbadge have any numbers stamped on it?

The number "90" appears on the headbadge. What does that signify? Also the headbadge looks like it's factory riveted on rather than screwed on, as on my CW Western Flyer. Is rivet mounting typical for Shelby?
 
The number "90" appears on the headbadge. What does that signify? Also the headbadge looks like it's factory riveted on rather than screwed on, as on my CW Western Flyer. Is rivet mounting typical for Shelby?

Frankly, I have no idea how those numbers on the badges work. I've been keeping track of Shelby serial numbers since the nineties. I have seen a couple of P numbers from 1940. Both were Western Flyers and had hubs that dated to the third quarter of 1940. Both bikes were also from the Northwest. The closest P serial number to yours had 04 on the badge and a Musselman hub from 3Q/1940. The other had a Morrow. The other P numbers have ND hubs so no exact date. That's why I dated your bike to 1940. Not exactly a definitive date but close. That frame style was used in 40 and 41.

The badges are riveted on instead of using screws like CWC.
 
Thanks for your help. Do you know what the first number after the P is on the bikes you've seen? Not the original rear wheel on this bike, which is too bad, as that might have been helpful to pin down the year, since there seems to be a slight difference of opinion.
 
Thanks for your help. Do you know what the first number after the P is on the bikes you've seen? Not the original rear wheel on this bike, which is too bad, as that might have been helpful to pin down the year, since there seems to be a slight difference of opinion.

The numbers all start with 7, 8 or 9. One of the ones with a 3Q/1940 hub has a number starting with 9.

No real difference in opinion, the bike Rob pictured is at least a 40 or 41. The frame and chainguard weren't used until 1940 and the shock-ease fork first appeared in 39. And Nate probably based his 41 date on the chainguard which I also associate with 41.

Just because your number is lower than the other 1940 Shelbys I've recorded, doesn't mean it's positively a 40. Just likely. Shelby serial numbers are all over sometimes. There are quite a few early 1940 Shelbys that have serial numbers starting with V. But V comes after P, right?

The difference between the Shelby you have from 40 to 41 would likely be found in the chainguard and light. But Shelby switched around their parts more than most it seems.
 
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