CAn anyone tell me what year this is?

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6

68riviera430

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Its a JC Higgins flightliner I just bought, just dont know the exact year.
Is it supposed to have a light? The tank only has a little button that I was told is a horn. I got a parts bike that I will be peicing this together with once I sandblast and fix this frame.
Thanks for any info on the bike.
c406bde2.jpg
 
I've got a frame like that, but no chainguard or anything else.

HotRodJen has a bike very similar to yours in the build off, but the chainguard is different. I think all the tanks on these had headlights, the front should have a place where it would have 3 or 4 screws to attach it.

JC Higgins was the Sears brand and became branded just as Sears after 1963, so I would guess yours is early 60's judging by the chainguard and chainring.
 
68riviera430 said:
Its a JC Higgins flightliner I just bought, just dont know the exact year.
Is it supposed to have a light? The tank only has a little button that I was told is a horn. I got a parts bike that I will be peicing this together with once I sandblast and fix this frame.
Thanks for any info on the bike.
Click to expand...
That chainguard, with the raised 'swoop' on it, was used only in 1958-9 on JCH's. It probably had a light that mounts to the front of the tank. There are 3 sets of numbers on 50s-60s Sears bikes. The first is usually 'MOD 502', just company code for 'made for Sears. The second number should be a 4 or 5 digit number starting with a 4. This is the catalog #, and if you find it, I may be able to match it up to either year. 3rd number is just a sequential serial # and doesn't tell us anything. -Adam
 
Thanks for the info. Im at work but when I get home ill look for some numbers on it. The seller swore he thought it was a 60's bike, thatd be cool if it was a 59 though
 
I could be wrong... but Sears had Huffy and Elgin make their bikes...you could check their #'s. Hence the built for sears code.
Adam...is this right?
 
FOUND OBJECTS said:
I could be wrong... but Sears had Huffy and Elgin make their bikes...you could check their #'s. Hence the built for sears code.
Adam...is this right?
Click to expand...
You know it almost looks like a spaceliner ??????
 
I love this frame...So I did a little research. Looks like Murray made these bikes for companys such as Sears and Western Flyer.
They marketed them with the same frame under model names such as Spaceliner, Flightliner and Cosmic Flyer. As Far as the year I have no idea. Sorry.
 
68riviera430 said:
It says:
MOD 502 45130
Then in big numbers underneath

416471
Click to expand...

4513, 1958 "fully equipped Flightliner, girl's model...with deluxe spotlight mounted to the handlebars...push-button horn in tank...single speed Bendix coaster brake." It came with a front book rack, rear rack w/light, chrome fenders, and bow style pedals with red 'jewels' on them. Shipping weight 64 lbs., price $ 60.45 -AdAm
 
My frame is identical, and had a front rack on it, but the serial number is MOU 41.... 555966. Any idea of what it is? I didn't exclude numbers, there are dots after the 41.
 
Rustinkerer said:
68riviera430 said:
It says:
MOD 502 45130
Then in big numbers underneath

416471
Click to expand...

4513, 1958 "fully equipped Flightliner, girl's model...with deluxe spotlight mounted to the handlebars...push-button horn in tank...single speed Bendix coaster brake." It came with a front book rack, rear rack w/light, chrome fenders, and bow style pedals with red 'jewels' on them. Shipping weight 64 lbs., price $ 60.45 -AdAm
Click to expand...
You the man, thanks!
 
Nice work Adam you rock!! Where do you get your info?
I also found that Murray made bikes for Gambles under their Hiawatha brand.
This would explain the Hiawatha Astro Flite having the same frame too.
 
FOUND OBJECTS said:
Nice work Adam you rock!! Where do you get your info?
I also found that Murray made bikes for Gambles under their Hiawatha brand.
This would explain the Hiawatha Astro Flite having the same frame too.
Click to expand...
Also Found Murray Making their own model using this frame for their Meteor Flight.
This stuff is fun to look up :D Sorry...I just get a kick out of it.
 
FOUND OBJECTS said:
Nice work Adam you rock!! Where do you get your info?
I also found that Murray made bikes for Gambles under their Hiawatha brand.
This would explain the Hiawatha Astro Flite having the same frame too.
Click to expand...
Mostly from the 'Elgin/JC Higgins/Hawthorne' book by Jim Hurd. Basically photocopies of og catalog pages from 1933-65. It has at least one for every year, but some are spring/summer, some fall/winter, and some years they have both. I read about the catalog number deal on the Cabe, I can't claim figuring that out. :lol: But it does work! Wildcat, your numbers sound like regular Murray #'s, I'd guess '64 from the 4.There's a science to the Murray numbers, and Hiawatha and Western Flyers have different prefixes and stuff. Most of it has been decoded by Cabe member 30thbird. -Adam
 
Actually, Wildcats bike is a 62. MO = Murray of Ohio. U = 1962. Then the model number of 41. Thank you for the honarable mention above.

Wildcat, what size wheels are on your bike? I don't have a 62 catalog, but in 61 it was a girls 20" bike. Could have been a 24" or 26" the previous year.

It's hard to believe sometimes at how old some of these bikes are just by looking at there design. They used this same girls frame all the way up into the early/mid 70's. Even as a banana seat bike. Just finished resto modding and early 70's 5 speed for my Cindy. Here is a pic of hers. It's a 24".
Thank you, Kenny.

CindysSpyder500001.jpg
 
30thtbird said:
Actually, Wildcats bike is a 62. MO = Murray of Ohio. U = 1962. Then the model number of 41. Thank you for the honarable mention above.

Thank you, Kenny.
Click to expand...

Ah, I have your list written down, somewhere! Just don't remember exactly where! And couldn't recall if you were a member here either, thanks for setting it straight! -Adam
 

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