There seems to be little rhyme or reason to a lot of the early serial numbers seen on Huffman bicycles. An amazing amount of variety exists between numbers even on the same models such as the ’37 Firestone Fleetwood Supreme. The below examples are what are generally found. Notice some of these numbering systems overlap years and may be specific to how the bike was branded for example the Firestone bikes.

Determining the exact year of a bike is usually done based on the frame design as well as other features on the bike.

Note: I have not found the serial number list for the Western Flyer Huffmans contained in the “ABC Book” to be accurate for the pre-1947 serial numbers.

1934-36 generally used five numbers.

1937-38 generally used five numbers with one number below.

Another way to date a lot of 1938-1944 bicycles is by looking at the back of the fork crown which will have either two or three numbers e.g. “8 11” (Nov 1938), “9 2” (Jan 39), etc… . I have seen the month and year reversed as well.

Many but not all 1937 Firestone Fleetwood Supremes have a serial that starts with “H” followed by five numbers Ex: H10376

1937-1941 a letter followed by four or five numbers with, or without, one number below the other numbers is used. This seems to be more common after 1939.

It appears some Western Flyer bikes may have “W”, “HW”, or “HBW” in the serial from 1937-41

1939 Firestone bikes generally have four numbers followed by “FAH” and may or may not have a number underneath  Ex: 7820FAH

1940 Firestone bikes generally have four numbers with “FBH”     Ex: 3467FBH or FBH4910

A lot of 1940 bikes have a serial starting with “B” followed by four or five numbers. In the example below there is also a number (2) underneath.

1942 to 1944 generally used one letter followed by five or six numbers.

1942 to 1944 Military Model G519

Military models are referred to as “G519 models and the frame can have either a straight or curved down tube. It appears most ’42 bikes have a serial number starting with “D” followed by five numbers starting with a “5” Ex: D52680. The 1943-44 bikes have serial numbers starting with an “H” followed by six numbers starting with a “1” Ex: H115639. Most, but not all, have another number (or numbers) as well as the year stamp below the serial number.

1945-1947 generally used a “H” followed by six numbers.

The font on the postwar bikes is slightly different than the earlier models (1942-1944) using same format.

Postwar serials starting sometime in 1947 begin with the last number of the year followed by “H” and usually six numbers Ex: 1947 (or 1957) = 7H052211.

Frames and other differences will differentiate the decades.
1949 and 1950 bikes will have a serial stamped on seat post binder clamp. This system ran up until about the mid 1960s. Starting July 1, 1954 the serial number was moved to the rear left dropout.