Welcome Military Bicycle Enthusiasts!

[blackcat]

Hello Lex;
Your Columbia is from 1941: H 12 ( 1941-Dec) MF17418, mine is from H12 MF17056.
I know your Huffman , leave him as he is, he has his whole story behing him
Regards;
Serge

 

[Mercian]

Hi Lex @Welbike , and all (-:

As Serge says, this Columbia was made very late 1941.

H12 means the frame was made in December 1941.

Westfield's records show that the last bike built in 1941 was serial numbered 17433, and made December 31st 1941, so there's a good chance MF17418 was completed the same day.

Best Regards, Adrian

 

[johan willaert]

Too bad you didn't get the Women's Army Columbia Craig had along with this Huffman...
Wonder where that went...

 

[Welbike]

Thanks for all the replies! I will split the future posts to Huffman and Columbia threads, but first have to go on a trip to the UK.

Serge, I will restore the Huffman fenders, and then see if I change them or not, 3 fenders came with the Huffman, and (one of the two rears) has half of the original paint on them, same color as the bike, the front is NOS.

Thanks for the dating on the Columbia Adrian, I wrote this dating info down 25 years ago in an old bicycle shop in Redondo Beach CA, the guy had a catalog, with that in the back, very usefull info! what date should I look for on the rear hub? slightly earlier than H12?

Johan, I was never offered the ladies Columbia, that's the second time I missed one, the first time at the MVPA convention at Fort Indiantown Gap in 1994, there was an NOS one, still in the crate!! I was 10 minutes too late!! never saw it again, presume it's in a private collection??

Thanks again,

Lex

 

[blackcat]

Hello Lex @Welbike ;
For the rear hub, you have to find this and then we'll explain it to you

M4:
M: 1943
4: October-November-December


36-10:
36 holes
10: big spokes (G519 - cycle truck)



Regards;
Serge

 

[Welbike]

Thanks Serge, but I know that, but have 3-4 wheels, so what is the best date for my Columbia?

Cheers,

Lex

 

[Mercian]

Hi All.

@blackcat ,Serge, thanks for the explanation (-:

@Welbike , Lex. I will be most interested to know what you find. I would have expected K4 (Q4, 1941), but it could be L1 (Q1, 1942) for the reasons below. Your response could help prove/disprove this.

I only have three MF frames listed, including yours. Of the other two, one is an L1 (Q1 1942), and the other L3 (Q3 1942).

For later contracts, the original hub dates usually fall just before the quarter the bike is mde, if it's produced early in the quarter, or during the quarter the bike is made, if it's produced later in the quarter. And there will be some mixing between the two quarters in mid production.

e.g, a bike made in April is likely to have a Quarter 1 brake, May, a Quarter 1 or Quarter 2 brake, and June a Quarter 2 brake.

This is logical due to them being supplied by an outside company, but is also a little simplified, in that if Columbia or Huffman knew that they had a big contract, they'd order the brakes, and the necessary number may have been supplied months before the bike was made.

For the surviving MF frames. L3 is Q3 1942, and this is really too late. I have notes of brakes of the same date being fitted to September 1942 Columbia G519, and Huffman don't appear to have had a contract late 1942, so I think it's been swapped in from a later bike or as a spare.

L1 Is Q1 1942. I have no other Columbia G519's listed with an L1 brake, though I do have two January 1942 Huffman's listed with them.

So, here's my theory, to be shot down if necessary... (-:

We know the MF's were built in December 1941, and that the brakes are slightly unusual being the 10 guage spoke size, so not quite 'off the shelf'. Perhaps they were ordered in December for the MF's, but not made and delivered until January, hence the L1 date stamp?

Let's see...

Thanks, Best Regards,

Adrian

 

[Mercian]

Hi Lex, your reply came whilst I was typing. So, I still don't have a solution...

Never mind. K4 or L1 will work, if you have them.

Best Regards,

Adrian