The answer I hate the most is: “It’s worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.”
My thoughts: someone may pay $100 for its condition with the seat and racks. Basically a Cantilever which there are so many. It would need a real “service” which costs money, unless it’s a builder/tinkerer like us. I can find a quality Electra (example) for around the same price through market places. Part out is the way to make money. I think most, in this age and condition could get $100 unless it’s something special.
FYI I got the Hellion frame for $40. Schwinn Corvette, painted and pinstriped. Lamia step through fame with tank for $20, bundled with a CWC at $85 total. I paid $160 including shipping for my Wards Hawthorne frame. That was for my last build Thunderbolt, which is what I would consider a “special” frame.
I learning along with you. My current predicament
Is attempting To flip a women’s Electra “Paisely” 3 speed.
I bought it for $40, basically for the awesome aluminum wheels and easy to use 3 speed setup. I picked up the bike and thought it was too nice to rob the parts from. It has bars I really want to take from it. It had flat tires. Bought slime tubes for it for $8.00 and the cool 8 ball white wall tires blew out their bead while airing them up. They were toast. So I spent $40 on the cheapest white walls I could find. I’m in for $88 now. Then I realized that the rear wheel is super wonky and I don’t know if I’m good enough at trueing to fix it. So,$$$??? Maybe $20 to $40 more. Call it $20. Oh and it didn't have the 3 speed push rod to make it all work so I’m hunting for that. I plan to redo the tassels on the grips and seat, which would be another $14. So I could be $125 invested in the bike. In the spring I could maybe ask $200 and take $150. Most I see would sell around that price. And it will be ready to enjoy.
If I can’t sell it, I will take everything I want from it and probably ditch the frame. Too hard to sell and shipping is expensive.
Would it be worth the trouble to make the $75 large? I’m not so sure.
Good luck man! I hope you find something useful from my ramblings. ✌🏻
Yeah, it's annoying when I can't get an actual value or estimate when I ask for one.
I think your "ramblings" help add some much needed perspective, honestly. It might be tough to sell this bike for $100 if it's going to take about that much just for someone else to fix it up.
Admittedly, I didn't even buy this bike; I traded a MTB rack and Stingray frame for it, and I didn't have any money in either of those items. The only investment on this bike so far was just the trip to Oklahoma City and back to get it, and even then I was already in town for something else. So basically, even if I only sold this bike for $100 right now, I'd still basically get a $100 profit. That said, while I could certainly use the $100, I do wonder if it'd be worth the trouble to try and sell it at this time for that price. I might fare better if I sold or traded it at a swap meet, but the season's practically over for that where I live, and the next bicycle swap meet that's close enough to home is over 6 months away. Plus I don't know too many bike builders/tinkerers here around Tulsa, especially those interested in old cruiser bikes. The scene around here is more about BMX, mountain biking, and high-end multi-speed skinny-wheel bikes.
I could toy around with parting out this bike, but I'd feel more comfortable doing that with a bike that's not as intact as this one. This old Murray's survived 65 years a lot more gracefully than most bikes tend to, especially when left out in the elements, and it wouldn't feel right to part out such an odd and unusual survivor, at least to me.
Unless someone tells me otherwise, it might just be best to hold onto this JC Higgins, fix it up when I have the time/money, maybe even add my own minor enhancements, and then sell or trade it when the time is right.
Thanks for your input SHP. Much appreciated!
