Inquiry on WW2 US Bicycles

Military Motorcycles, and Other Military Two and Three Wheeled Cycles, Wanted, For Sale (NO AUCTION or EBAY) and Knowledge Base
Post Reply
Ghostrider5211
G-Sergeant Major
G-Sergeant Major
Posts: 157
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2015 8:20 am
Location:

Inquiry on WW2 US Bicycles

Post by Ghostrider5211 » Sun Sep 02, 2018 6:28 pm

Hello,

I was at the county fair today and saw a large display of military vehicles... it was a great little set up. And I came across... a bicycle. Now, I know that the Germans had bicycles, and I knew the British had bicycles, but this was a Schwinn US made bicycle.

It got me thinking... that would be a pretty cool touch! To have a bicycle stowed in the bed of my Dodge WC and have something to display or get around a large show or reenactment... but what I don't know is if any of these bicycles remain, or what their price would be. I've never seen a US WW2 bicycle before!

What does it take to obtain and restore a WW2 US bicycle?
1942 WC-21
1942 WC-24
1942 WC-55/52
1943 Ford GPW
1952 M37
1952 M38A1
1955 M152CDN

RIP Adam R. Lang 10/2/87 - 9/8/16


Travelfix
G-Second Lieutenant
G-Second Lieutenant
Posts: 593
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 1:54 pm
Location: Dudley, MA

Re: Inquiry on WW2 US Bicycles

Post by Travelfix » Mon Sep 03, 2018 5:00 am

Hi Ghostrider, I've been down this same road a few years ago. I have a Dodge WC12 that I take to military shows regularly and I too thought by having a WWII bicycle, I'd ease the pain of tired feet from walking around all day long at huge military rallies... why walk when you can ride. After searching around and educating myself on WWII bicycles, I found a US Army WWII Columbia bicycle (G519) and have never looked back. I now have 4. Displaying and riding them around at shows is a pleasure and attract more attention than you can imagine.


Two US companies produced the G519. Columbia and Huffman. These bicycles can be found for sale in all conditions from a parts bicycle needing full restoration to fully restored ones. Needless to say, the condition usually dictates the price. A complete unrestored or fully restored G519 can fetch 3K and more so be prepared.

A civilian bicycle can be sprayed OD green to look like an original for $100. but that's like spraying a civilian Dodge pickup OD green and calling it a WWII military truck

Scroll up to WW2 Bicycle Data a couple of topics up from yours.....a wealth of knowledge.
Good luck in your new endeavor

Bob

User avatar
Pat Walker
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1654
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 2:50 pm
Location: Lincoln, CA
Contact:

Re: Inquiry on WW2 US Bicycles

Post by Pat Walker » Mon Sep 03, 2018 7:02 am

I am just finishing my bicycle. It currently is not a military frame. I used a 1941 Columbia which was identical in all respects.I still have not found an original frame there is one FS on Cabe right now. But asking is $1600. I used as many original military parts NOS and old as I could. This way when I find that MG stamped frame I can swap everything over. Check out the Cabe. It is a bicycle forum and they have a section on military bicycles. It took me over a year to collect the parts. Purchasing from the Cabe and Ebay.

I can tell you that collecting all of the correct parts will cost you over $1000 in parts alone.
42 GPW 82603 Matching serial Numbers
43 MB jeep salad
45 MB
45 MB
43 Bantam
45 Bantam
M101 canadian
Converto Dump

to many projects so little time
http://www.tacticalblunder.com/g503/sho ... &ppuser=62

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: Inquiry on WW2 US Bicycles

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Sep 03, 2018 7:20 am

My first bike was an immediate postwar Dayton or Huffman SN 8H200815.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

User avatar
Bozman
G-First Lieutenant
G-First Lieutenant
Posts: 676
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2004 4:25 pm
Location: Northern Virginia

Re: Inquiry on WW2 US Bicycles

Post by Bozman » Tue Sep 04, 2018 5:41 am

Welcome to the wonderful world of G519 bicycle collecting. They frames are still out there but the parts for them, especially the seats, seat ckamps, bell, truss rods and brackets along with the hubs and wheel sets are getting hard to find. My best advice after restoring 5 G519s and two clone bikes (war dated civilian Huffman and Columbia frames) is to research and keep your eyes peeled for parts. Stock pile the parts for trade or use. The frame will show up but it probably won't be cheap.

Best of Luck,

Boz

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

JD Boswell
1942 GPW 25717 "Lorin's Lament"
1942 MBT Trailer "Swiss Miss"
1943 Columbia G-519 Bicycles MG137342 and MG151142
1946 Compax Folding Paratrooper Bicycle "Uncle Chinky"
MVPA #21677
http://www.classic-pinup.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

User avatar
Johan WILLAERT
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1672
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2004 2:50 am
Location: Belgium
Contact:

Re: Inquiry on WW2 US Bicycles

Post by Johan WILLAERT » Thu Sep 06, 2018 2:08 am

Basic info on WW2 US Army contract bicycles:

http://www.theliberator.be/militarybicycles.htm
MVPA#14204
Huffman D50546 (1942)
Westfield Columbia MG138969 & MG140418 (1943)
HD 42WLA31854 (1943)
Ford GPW272xxx (1945)
Bantam T3 56433(Est) (1945)
John Wood M3A4 17564 (1943)
Johnston Lawn Mower Co RL35-A 1255 (1944)
BSA Mark V* T136102 (1944)
The Liberator

User avatar
Bozman
G-First Lieutenant
G-First Lieutenant
Posts: 676
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2004 4:25 pm
Location: Northern Virginia

Re: Inquiry on WW2 US Bicycles

Post by Bozman » Thu Sep 06, 2018 3:36 am

Johan WILLAERT wrote:Basic info on WW2 US Army contract bicycles:

http://www.theliberator.be/militarybicycles.htm
Best place to start when you want to learn about G519s. This is the go to place. This is where I started.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

JD Boswell
1942 GPW 25717 "Lorin's Lament"
1942 MBT Trailer "Swiss Miss"
1943 Columbia G-519 Bicycles MG137342 and MG151142
1946 Compax Folding Paratrooper Bicycle "Uncle Chinky"
MVPA #21677
http://www.classic-pinup.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Post Reply

Return to “Motorcycles & Bicycles”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 4 guests