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Right. Shelby, as well as other manufacturers, built bikes for Gambles department stores which were branded as Hiawatha. Just like both Murray AND Westfield both built bikes for Sears but they were collectively branded as Elgin. I've had Murray built Hiawathas, CWC built Hiawathas and Shelby built Hiawathas. Hope this helps to clear things up even more!
 
heres a poor pic of the headbadge.its on my dark front porch at the moment
gambles002.jpg
 
ohdeebee said:
Right. Shelby, as well as other manufacturers, built bikes for Gambles department stores which were branded as Hiawatha. Just like both Murray AND Westfield both built bikes for Sears but they were collectively branded as Elgin. I've had Murray built Hiawathas, CWC built Hiawathas and Shelby built Hiawathas. Hope this helps to clear things up even more!
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You da man!! thanks sir!
 
Anytime! If you have any other questions just let me know. Enjoy the new rides!
 
Xcruiser said:
any idea when the shelby/gambles was made? I havent had a chance to research that one yet.
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That I don't know. My guess would be '40 or '41. That frame style came out about that time and the stem is prewar. It's tough to tell from the pics and I'm no Shelby expert. Unlike Schwinn, a lot of their style and parts carried over after WWII. You may have to compare pics of original bikes with that frame AND that fork. The frame was used into the 50's I believe, but the fork design was changed prior to that frame being discontinued.
 
Terry66 said:
Well, trust me...I am far from an authority. I just did a search on the DB I used to identify my Schwinn. I have no idea how accurate it is. Total Schwinn newbie here.

Interesting that the chart said the serial number was found under the Bottom bracket up through and including 1951. In 1952, they supposedly started putting them on the left rear dropout. By code, the chart says yours was build in 1952, but clearly your serial is under the BB housing.

Further proof that I have no idea what I am talking about, so I'll defer to someone who has a clue on things Schwinn
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The actual month that they moved from the BB housing to the rear dropout may vary some. I've got a Feb 1970 Stingray and it has the serial on the rear dropout and not on the head tube. The database serial location isn't exact but is a good way to narrow down approximately what year you've got.

Also, the rear facing dropouts are another varying feature that are not a sure fire dating feature.. In the years after WWII some manufacturers were using up some of their left over parts. I've got an oddball 1946-7 Murray built Higgins with rear facing dropouts with NO adjustment screws. I haven't seen another like that but there are others from the same model year with fish hook dropouts.

For the most part I don't think Schwinn did as much piece meal as a lot of the others did when building.
 

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