I need some advice folks. I need to know if anyone here has any experience with "vinatage bicycles". Recently my father in law and I came into the possession of a vintage 1940's Firestone 500 bicycle. It is in restorable condition, probably still ridable too. It also appear to have the (original) white wall tires. Anyone know anything about them?

Squeak

Squeak , I Googled, and came up with...$200 to $14,000.

Thanks Fran, I've been doing some research and man what a cool collectable. I like antiques, but never considered vintage bikes. Boy there's some beauties out there.

The one I have appears to be a 1940's Firestone 500. It came from the original owner, and has sat in a garage for the last 50 years. It's in fairly good shape too, and even has the original 1940's white wall tires. Fully restored it would be a beautiful bike.

Squeak

Old bicycles are COOL! Since I've been restoring old Cushman motor scooters, I've also done some research on early motorcycles, which, in the early 1900's, were simple bicycles with bolt-on gas motors. These things had pedals, and you started the motors by pedaling either on a stand or down the road.

In the 40's (I believe), the Whizzer was a big seller. It was a bicycle with a small 123 cc. (1.6 hp.)motor. The Whizzer is being built again (around $1700.00), with lots of available options. I've seen original, restored ones for $6000.00.

There's a big community of antique bike collectors/restorers, and most are more than glad to help with parts, old literature, etc.


Have Fun!

Russ

Yeah these old bikes are cool alright! I'm having some problems though and some things about this bike are really confusing.

I got an email from a restorer who told me the Fireston 500 was a bicycle produced in the 60's. However, my bicycle doesn't match ANY of the body styles produced by Firestone in the 60's that I have seen. Mine has a huge tank that runs the length of the bar, and everything else including color, and design matches those found in the 1940's and 50's.

I did some research and the model Firestone 500II came up. I wonder if I have a first generation Firestone 500 that wasnt' very common.

I'd like to keep and restore the bicycle, but can't get any information on this model.

Has anyone here on this forum owned a Firestone Bicycle as a child? There were numerous models. Does the Firestone 500 ring a bell.

A thought just occured to me. On the chain guard it has Firestone 500 with two graphics of "checkard indy flags", which are what I would assume a reference to the indy 500.

Squeak

Man, this brings back memories! My first job right out of college was with Firestone. I was an office/credit manager, but had to assemble bicycles...LOTS OF BICYCLES, in my downtime. Huffy made most of the brand labeled Firestone bicycles, and, at least after 65', there were no Firestone 500 bikes with the large tank you describe. In fact, I don't recall ANY Firestone 500 bikes. There were regular bikes with the two flags, usually on the front fork. I believe that the one you have is at least from the 50's...maby before.

ENJOY!

Russ

Squeak, have you contacted THESE people ...
http://members.aol.com/oldbicycle/index.html#anchor0