1956 JC Higgins

[yoothgeye]

Saw it pop up on CL yesterday for $50, made arrangements and drove the 160 mile round trip today, getting the bike for $40. The seller found it in the shed when they purchased the house a few years ago and the previous owner over the years had said he would eventually come pick it up, finally they got tired of it being in the way and sold it. Nice guy, we talked ministry a while and he said "If this bike is for the ministry, I'll give it to you." but I quickly told him this would not be a giveaway bike, this one was for me, so I paid him for it. Here are the photos...

The wedge is free, but stem is stuck, I'm sure the previous owner loosened it to turn the bars to make room in the shed, so a little soak should free it up.

3 piece crank... odd, I thought, I'm sure someone else can explain.

Goodyears! Soon to be trashed unless there is some reason I should hold onto them.

Komet Super... not a brand I'm familiar with.

Serial numbers, the paint looks coppertone here.

Now, before any of you say "I wish I could find stuff like that around here." Shut your mouth! I'm that guy! This is the first pre 70s bike I've seen on my CL all year and the first tank bike I've seen on my CL ever, this never happens around here, so I'm with you, I wish I could find stuff like this around here. haha

 

[rusty513]

Very cool find!!!

 

[axsepul]

very nice!

 

[Xcruiser]

some guys have all the luck..lol,,nice find-really nice

 

[Unchained]

Awesome find!

By the way, I think this bike is fairly rare. The tank and guard look like Murray parts, but the fork and 3 piece bottom bracket suggest it was made overseas. I think this could be one of the bikes made during the strike at the Murray factory in '55 (? hope someone can verify the year, not sure if I am recalling that correctly)... I don't know much about the bikes made during the strike, but if it is indeed a strike bike, that makes it kinda unique. I think that makes it a hybrid of American and European parts. I have seen others like this, before I read about the strike on this forum, and I always thought they looked like Murray parts slapped on a European frame...

Can anyone shed some more light here??

 

[jalopyjimmy13]

oh man :shock:

 

[user 135]

I think the King Sting looked better on your roof. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Cool bike. I know you will do it up right.

 

[yoothgeye]

By the way, I think this bike is fairly rare. The tank and guard look like Murray parts, but the fork and 3 piece bottom bracket suggest it was made overseas. I think this could be one of the bikes made during the strike at the Murray factory in '55 (? hope someone can verify the year, not sure if I am recalling that correctly)... I don't know much about the bikes made during the strike, but if it is indeed a strike bike, that makes it kinda unique. I think that makes it a hybrid of American and European parts. I have seen others like this, before I read about the strike on this forum, and I always thought they looked like Murray parts slapped on a European frame...

Can anyone shed some more light here??

Yes, please someone share with me about strike bikes.

 

[SCHWINNRAY69]

Sweet score yoothgeye! Komet Super made some nice hubs, very smooth :wink:

 

[jerrykr]

lot of similarities to this ladies JCH that I got recently.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=49853

 

[nwt76]

Awesome you got it, now what you gonna do with it ?
If you decide you want to part it out I sure could use that tank. :wink:

 

[yoothgeye]

lot of similarities to this ladies JCH that I got recently.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=49853

Nice bike, so confused about this model though, yours has a different headbadge than mine, which looks like other US ones I've seen.

Awesome you got it, now what you gonna do with it ?
If you decide you want to part it out I sure could use that tank. :wink:

Keep your dibs off my bike! Since this is, as far as I can remember, the first actual tank I've ever *touched* I'm gonna hang onto it. Will it remain patina? Will I paint it? Pinstripes? Who knows. I have to stare at it for a while before I can really know.

 

[nwt76]

Couldn't help myself, I don't like to get rid of the tank bikes either.
This one being your first I don't blame you at all, plus you got the
super cool non cantilever style.
I can't wait to see what you decide to do with it, mine's a work in progress as well. :wink:
I'm still waiting on parts to come in the mail. :roll:

 

[yoothgeye]

Couldn't help myself, I don't like to get rid of the tank bikes either.
This one being your first I don't blame you at all, plus you got the
super cool non cantilever style.
I can't wait to see what you decide to do with it, mine's a work in progress as well. :wink:
I'm still waiting on parts to come in the mail. :roll:

My first project frame was given to me, a 1950 Columbia, but no tank. I've built a cantilever frame (see the 76er, rat rod biker build-off 6), and I've built weird bikes, tall, long, swing, etc... I'm thinking this bike might be an upgraded antique, ratted of course, I just don't have it in me to build something completely shiny. As for this being my build off bike, no, I'm going non-vote getter this time, my plan is different.

 

[dvnport]

EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WHAT I SAY OR THINK DOES NOT MATTER(LEARNED THAT FROM MY EX LOL) I WOULD JUST TAKE ALL THE MOVING PARTS OFF CLEAN THE INTERNALS GREASE IT UP REAL GOOD PUT IT BACK TOGETHER AND RIDE IT THE WAY IT IS.I LOVE THE LOOK IT HAS RIGHT NOW. AWESOME SCORE YOU DID GREAT FOR 40 BUCKS. IF YOU WANT TO SELL IT....175$ HOLLA LOL

 

[yoothgeye]

EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WHAT I SAY OR THINK DOES NOT MATTER(LEARNED THAT FROM MY EX LOL) I WOULD JUST TAKE ALL THE MOVING PARTS OFF CLEAN THE INTERNALS GREASE IT UP REAL GOOD PUT IT BACK TOGETHER AND RIDE IT THE WAY IT IS.I LOVE THE LOOK IT HAS RIGHT NOW. AWESOME SCORE YOU DID GREAT FOR 40 BUCKS. IF YOU WANT TO SELL IT....175$ HOLLA LOL

I like your idea... everyone heard it. I'm just kind of thinking big apes, I guess everyone has to do it at least once.

 

[Pudge]

Yooth, what an awesome find! Please tell me that was 80 miles south or west of you! I'd hate to think that one got by me over here to your east! Again, great find!

 

[yoothgeye]

Yooth, what an awesome find! Please tell me that was 80 miles south or west of you! I'd hate to think that one got by me over here to your east! Again, great find!

It was south, slightly east in Goldsboro, NC, just below Wilson. If you ever check out Eastern NC craigslist you will understand that this was an anomaly.

 

[KC so-cal]

it almost looks like the forks are bent i dont know but everytime i see a bent fork i think of a guy out there that has a scar and talks about that bike i think we have been there before or at least some of us have some bike crash story. ooh maybe i see another theme thred starting?

 

[yoothgeye]

it almost looks like the forks are bent i dont know but everytime i see a bent fork i think of a guy out there that has a scar and talks about that bike i think we have been there before or at least some of us have some bike crash story. ooh maybe i see another theme thred starting?

Yeah, the fork is definitely bent, noticed it in the CL ad, but not too concerned, straighten or replace, it's a rat, not a museum piece.

Oh, and link me once you start the crash story thread, I've got stitches from one of my stories, I'm sure others have x-rays.