CWC Roadmaster

[MazdaFlyer]

Found this well rusted Roadmaster at the Hurst, TX swap meet and show. Jerrykr had some nice old bikes.
The plan at this point is to take it apart, lubricate, add new tires, rebuild a saddle I picked up at the meet and ride. Not sure about the chain yet. The original white striping is still showing.

 

[Black Crown Tattoo]

Super cool...I love curved fender braces! Bummer the straight rack arms take away fro
That curve!!! Cool cwc

 

[ndaway]

Good find Ed . I found one a lot like that earlier this year.I gave it to my oldest son Jesse to fix up

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Good find Ed . I found one a lot like that earlier this year.I gave it to my oldest son Jesse to fix up

They look like they are almost identical, even the racks? We have a girls with the same frame curves at rear triangle, peaked fenders, curved braces that was supposed to be a 40 or 41 but could be post war 40's. On second looks yours has a chainguard that looks similar to our girls. Is the back side of the guard enclosed?

 

[ratina]

Good find Ed . I found one a lot like that earlier this year.I gave it to my oldest son Jesse to fix up

They look like they are almost identical, even the racks? We have a girls with the same frame curves at rear triangle, peaked fenders, curved braces that was supposed to be a 40 or 41 but could be post war 40's. On second looks yours has a chainguard that looks similar to our girls. Is the back side of the guard enclosed?

Post them up with the serial numbers, I can tell ya what they are

 

[KansasRollFast]

Nice one Ed. I like those CWC frames. We have done a couple flyers like that. I might have a few parts that you can have if you want them. Oh by the way your KT 22 is here.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Good find Ed . I found one a lot like that earlier this year.I gave it to my oldest son Jesse to fix up

They look like they are almost identical, even the racks? We have a girls with the same frame curves at rear triangle, peaked fenders, curved braces that was supposed to be a 40 or 41 but could be post war 40's. On second looks yours has a chainguard that looks similar to our girls. Is the back side of the guard enclosed?

Post them up with the serial numbers, I can tell ya what they are

Serial Number=D15890 Boys

Oiled chain it rotates, New Departure front hub, Bendix rear hub.

Serial Number=J71943 Girls

Before

After

 

[ratina]

Serial Number=D15890 Boys

Oiled chain it rotates, New Departure front hub, Bendix rear hub.

Serial Number=J71943 Girls

Are there any stampings after the serial numbers? Like Cw, ACw, etc? Can you post pictures of the dropouts on each bike? Thanks

 

[rms37]

Serial Number=D15890 Boys

Serial Number=J71943 Girls

After

Both of your bikes are post-war/late 40’s Cleveland Welding built bicycles. The three-rib tank on the girls frame is a postwar tank and while the shape looks similar to the standard pre-war girl’s tank, the postwar girl’s tanks will not fit the prewar girl’s frames. Another post-war CWC identifier is the lack of dropstand tangs on the rear toe plates. The style of the rear toe plates shows it is likely too early to be serailed as an ACw bike so that leaves either a plain serial number or one followed by the Cw suffix stamp.

J71943 would indicate a build date during late 1946 (as a 1947 model) whereas J71943 Cw would indicate a build date in 1949

Your D15890 serialed boy’s bike is also postwar and the deep curve of the down tube separates it from the first prewar run of “D” serial numbers as well as the second run from approximately 1944/45. This frame also has rear toe plates that show it is too early to be serailed as an ACw bike so that leaves either a plain serial number or one followed by the Cw suffix stamp. (I have seen “D” bikes both ways.)

Either way the bike probably was manufactured between mid 1947 and mid 1948; the non-suffixed serial numbers probably running earlier than those with the additional stampings.

 

[ndaway]

Good find Ed . I found one a lot like that earlier this year.I gave it to my oldest son Jesse to fix up

They look like they are almost identical, even the racks? We have a girls with the same frame curves at rear triangle, peaked fenders, curved braces that was supposed to be a 40 or 41 but could be post war 40's. On second looks yours has a chainguard that looks similar to our girls. Is the back side of the guard enclosed?

yes the back side of the guard is enclosed and it has wartime black hubs the rear is a morrow serial# is F28720

 

[rms37]

I found one a lot like that earlier this year.I gave it to my oldest son Jesse to fix up

yes the back side of the guard is enclosed and it has wartime black hubs the rear is a morrow serial# is F28720

F28720 dates to approximately the end of 1945 or early 1946.

Notice that the down tube intersects the crank hanger at an angle on this frame and on this second frame, the curve is deeper, and where the down tube intersects the crank hanger it runs virtually parallel to the ground.

This is the main change CWC instituted during 1946 to bring the construction of the "3-Gill" frame inline with the new "Luxury Liner" frame. The serial numbers can confuse dating these bikes because the basic numbers repeat several times and the Suffix often goes unnoticed or unreported.

In this case the "F" bike is earlier than the "D" bike. Your "F" bike can also be circa-dated by the year code on the Morrow hub, provided of course it is the original hub to the bike.

It is also interesting to see all of these bikes with the same accessory rack. Double rear fender stays on CWC bikes mean the bike was not factory equipped with a rack. Obviously this particular rack was a popular accessory at that time.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Hey RMS37 thanks for the origin dating information and comparison details on the two bikes. Also thanks to NDAWAY for posting pics of the red one.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Both of your bikes are post-war/late 40’s Cleveland Welding built bicycles. The three-rib tank on the girls frame is a postwar tank and while the shape looks similar to the standard pre-war girl’s tank, the postwar girl’s tanks will not fit the prewar girl’s frames. Another post-war CWC identifier is the lack of dropstand tangs on the rear toe plates. The style of the rear toe plates shows it is likely too early to be serailed as an ACw bike so that leaves either a plain serial number or one followed by the Cw suffix stamp.

J71943 would indicate a build date during late 1946 (as a 1947 model) whereas J71943 Cw would indicate a build date in 1949

Your D15890 serialed boy’s bike is also postwar and the deep curve of the down tube separates it from the first prewar run of “D” serial numbers as well as the second run from approximately 1944/45. This frame also has rear toe plates that show it is too early to be serailed as an ACw bike so that leaves either a plain serial number or one followed by the Cw suffix stamp. (I have seen “D” bikes both ways.)

Either way the bike probably was manufactured between mid 1947 and mid 1948; the non-suffixed serial numbers probably running earlier than those with the additional stampings.

I checked the boys D15890 and it has a "C" with a small "w" stamped inside it after the serial #, so I'm looking at 47 to 48 range.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Serial Number=D15890 Boys

Oiled chain it rotates, New Departure front hub, Bendix rear hub.

Serial Number=J71943 Girls

Are there any stampings after the serial numbers? Like Cw, ACw, etc? Can you post pictures of the dropouts on each bike? Thanks

The boys bike has a Cw stamped after the serial #. Dropout pics follow:

 

[vintagebiker]

Rust never sleeps

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Replaced the tires, had a black pair and red pair. We decided the red ones accent the rust. The original bike color showed up on the underside of the fenders, a maroon red.

Took the chain off today, degreased, derusted, oiled it up. Lubricated rear hub and bottom bracket bearings, need to do front hub. I'm leaving all the rust at this point, trying not to disturb it. Natural Rat Rod as result. Rides pretty smooth for a 1947 to 1948 vintage bike.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Ready to ride, just need a seat cover.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Nature made Rat Rod in naked patina with seat cover over rusted seat pan.

I've had it apart and lubed except for the stem and fork. Never had a stem seized up as tight as this one. Of course the stem bolt broke. I have soaked with PB Blaster, WD-40, beat on the wedge to no avail. I've twisted, hammered up on the stem with no results. The stem is just as tight as it was before twisting off the bolt and rides OK. Of course the fork fender screw is also seized.

 

[Onewheelsqueel]

You can always lightly scuff it with steel still to nock the loose rust scale off then shoot it in polyurethane clear, flat, satin, or gloss. it will bring out any paint left and give the rust a nice rich color. I did that with my Columbia, i ride it with a bare seat pan as well. its actually comfortable.

 

[MazdaFlyer]

Bike still in rat rod rust. Adding a few tweaks. Bike is said to be in the 46 to 48 range so the tag is somewhat era appropriate and the 45 fits my birth year.