|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
WW2 Bicycle Mystery
I offered to help out a fellow MLUer with an old bicycle said to be a war time model of some sort.
__________________
1943 Willys MB Willys Trailer 1941 Fordson WOT 2H 1941 Fordson WOT 2H (Unrestored) 194? Fordson WOT 2D (Unrestored) 1939 Ford 1 ton utility (Undergoing restoration) 1940 Ford 1 ton utility (Unrestored) 1941 Ford 1 ton utility (Unrestored) BSA folding bicycle BSA folding bicycle 1941 Ford/Marmon Herrington 3A gun tractor 1941 Ford/Marmon Herrington 3 gun tractor (Unrestored) 1941 Diamond T 969 (Unrestored) Wiles Junior Cooker x 2 |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
It bears similarities to the British Army BSA bicycle in the frame and obviously the pedals but the headstem has a decorative pattern whereas the British model I understand has a plain headstem. There were no serial numbers like the British bicycles.
The seat stem and rear brake hub look correct.
__________________
1943 Willys MB Willys Trailer 1941 Fordson WOT 2H 1941 Fordson WOT 2H (Unrestored) 194? Fordson WOT 2D (Unrestored) 1939 Ford 1 ton utility (Undergoing restoration) 1940 Ford 1 ton utility (Unrestored) 1941 Ford 1 ton utility (Unrestored) BSA folding bicycle BSA folding bicycle 1941 Ford/Marmon Herrington 3A gun tractor 1941 Ford/Marmon Herrington 3 gun tractor (Unrestored) 1941 Diamond T 969 (Unrestored) Wiles Junior Cooker x 2 |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
I stripped the bicycle and scraping off the paint underneath the crank I found something interesting.
Someone may know what the letters and numbers mean but there is no mistaking the D^D stamps. The numbers on the outside appear to read 19 39 but reading the other way could also be 62 61. There is also a faint 4 in the centre.
__________________
1943 Willys MB Willys Trailer 1941 Fordson WOT 2H 1941 Fordson WOT 2H (Unrestored) 194? Fordson WOT 2D (Unrestored) 1939 Ford 1 ton utility (Undergoing restoration) 1940 Ford 1 ton utility (Unrestored) 1941 Ford 1 ton utility (Unrestored) BSA folding bicycle BSA folding bicycle 1941 Ford/Marmon Herrington 3A gun tractor 1941 Ford/Marmon Herrington 3 gun tractor (Unrestored) 1941 Diamond T 969 (Unrestored) Wiles Junior Cooker x 2 |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Removal of the front forks located the only other numbers.
Hoping someone can offer some further advise or information.
__________________
1943 Willys MB Willys Trailer 1941 Fordson WOT 2H 1941 Fordson WOT 2H (Unrestored) 194? Fordson WOT 2D (Unrestored) 1939 Ford 1 ton utility (Undergoing restoration) 1940 Ford 1 ton utility (Unrestored) 1941 Ford 1 ton utility (Unrestored) BSA folding bicycle BSA folding bicycle 1941 Ford/Marmon Herrington 3A gun tractor 1941 Ford/Marmon Herrington 3 gun tractor (Unrestored) 1941 Diamond T 969 (Unrestored) Wiles Junior Cooker x 2 |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
Half Baked Knowledge
From my limited knowledge Jack...
Malvern Star supplied ALL bikes to the Pacific theatre and used up a huge amount BSA parts in the process. It is quite likely this is a Malvern Star manufactured bike and it will have BSA stamped bits. Just bought a WW2 pushie and am reading a book called The Bicycle in War Time. Amazing feats performed by Canadians, Aussies, New Zealanders, South Africans, Rhodesians and Brits on these machines.
__________________
Pax Vobiscum.......may you eat three meals a day & have regular bowel movements. |
#6
|
||||
|
||||
Interesting to see an Australian made one. I really like military bicycles, but there is not a lot of info available.
Here's a thread I started a long time ago on my bicycle: http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=20143 You can look at http://robvanmeel.nl/?q=search/node/bicycle for reprints of period manuals. Googling for Malvern Star, finds you results like these: https://oldbike.eu/ww2-malvern-star-military-model/ There's an Australian forum with some references too: https://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/ HTH, Hanno
__________________
Regards, Hanno -------------------------- |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
BSA Folding Bicycle | rob love | The Restoration Forum | 33 | 07-04-19 03:43 |
Wanted: BSA folding bicycle | Rileydavis | For Sale Or Wanted | 0 | 07-10-15 07:44 |
Sold: BSA folding bicycle | Rob MacDonald | For Sale Or Wanted | 1 | 23-09-12 17:36 |
BSA Folding Bicycle | servicepub (RIP) | The Softskin Forum | 7 | 11-09-05 23:27 |
BSA bicycle identification please | Keith Webb | WW2 Military History & Equipment | 7 | 17-04-03 20:11 |