Gilson but what kind?

[UnorthodoxCreat]

Just picked up this bike this morning. What you see is what I got. I know it's made by Gilson but is there any way to tell if it's a Gilson/Montgomery Ward/Allis Chalmers? I don't have the engine and I can't find a serial number on the frame anywhere. The orange-red paint would lead me to believe it was likely an Allis Chalmers but I didn't know if there was any way to confirm. There are no stickers on the bike any more.

 

[f150tilt]

Without stickers or serial data plate its hard to say...I would guess branded as a Gilson based on forks being orange and not black like the Allis Chalmers bikes. Wards bikes tended to be lime green, yellow, blue, black and red but there seems to be a lot of variations

 

[buckeye]

Nice start to a great project. If you don't love it, I know someone that would.:wink:

 

[Stangrcr1]

If it was mine, I would paint it orange and call it Gilson.

Doesn't really matter since they are all the same under the paint.

 

[minibikin']

My survivor Gilson was orange... View attachment 65818


Sent from my Texas Instruments Speak and Spell...

 

[jrzmac]

guessing model #54701

 

[UnorthodoxCreat]

Thanks guys. I hadn't noticed the black forks on the Allis Chalmers so I think the correct answer is most likely a Gibson branded bike. Since I'm planning doing a bit of a restomod and to trying to do a perfect restoration, I think I'm going to make it a Wards. I like the colors they came in and the graphics they had.

 

[SimpleTom]

Montgomery Wards bikes also came in orange. :thumbsup:

But I would say that jrzmac got it right that it was a Gilson model 54701