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WWII Ration Era Elgin Lightweight - Built by Who?

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3-speeder

Wore out three sets of tires already!
I picked this up a little while ago and am about to get started on the rehab. This bike looks identical to the one pictured in the '43 Sears catalog. I'm excited to get it back on the road. Who do you think built it? Is it Westfield? Snyder or D P Harris? Seems like a standard looking Sears serial number, perhaps a little sloppy, but maybe there is an S8 stamped a little above the rest of it? Any thoughts are appreciated. Thank you

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Possibly Murray built. Absolutely love this bike!! Probably Westfield though.
Except that Murray did not build any bikes during the war. Only Westfield and Huffman were allowed to due to government restrictions and the war effort.



In 1939, Murray introduced its Pacemaker Series Mercury bicycle at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Styled by the industrial artist and designer, Viktor Schreckengost, the streamlined machine, with an elaborate die cast metal headpiece, was finished in black, chrome, and polished aluminum, the deluxe version of the Mercury Pacemaker line. However, the Mercury was an expensive bicycle, and sales were few. It was produced only in limited numbers until 1942, when the war stopped consumer bicycle production.

After the war, Murray became known as a manufacturer of low-cost bicycles, and placed its own brand on some products.
 
I stand corrected, Schwinn built bikes for the Army and Navy.


1942-1945
In 1942 the Schwinn catalog saw most of it's bikes discontinued and the "Defense models" introduced.

army-navy-e-award.jpg

These models were Schwinn bicycles stripped of their fancy (and metal) accessories. The company received the Army and Navy "E" Award for the excellence of it's performance in the production of war materials. Commander Singer of the Navy said of the Schwinn company (at the presentation of the "E" award)...

"Not only have you consistently met or anticipated your delivery schedules, but you have kept a high standard of quality that resulted in a need for rejection less than 1% of your production. That makes you practically perfect."​


It is just odd, that no one who collects military bikes has ever seen one.
 
I have a 1941 schwinn used in the navy ship yards...I showed the bike in the military blog ..apparently the military bike collectors don’t see it that way... it dosent exist in their eyes..even with a solid documented “plaque” markings on it... :0:0:0....
I stand corrected, Schwinn built bikes for the Army and Navy.


1942-1945
In 1942 the Schwinn catalog saw most of it's bikes discontinued and the "Defense models" introduced.

View attachment 1064730
These models were Schwinn bicycles stripped of their fancy (and metal) accessories. The company received the Army and Navy "E" Award for the excellence of it's performance in the production of war materials. Commander Singer of the Navy said of the Schwinn company (at the presentation of the "E" award)...

"Not only have you consistently met or anticipated your delivery schedules, but you have kept a high standard of quality that resulted in a need for rejection less than 1% of your production. That makes you practically perfect."​


It is just odd, that no one who collects military bikes has ever seen one.
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Nice! War era bikes are super cool. Although I am no expert, I would have to agree with Rustjunkie. Looks like MOD 502 as part of the serial identification. Thought I have read before that this puts it in the Murray made category. Cool info on it too.
 
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