Bought a western flyer and need help

[rustmonkey]

I bought this western flyer bike but have no idea what year or model...it is a murray made bike SN# MO 2020 97 .....does anyone know anything about this bike...it is all there and original...barely used but someone tried to paint it as it's original paint was purple with yellowish orange pinstriping...

 

[kngtmat]

Late 70's - Early 80's by the look of it but too bad it doesn't look like it still has the sticker above the bottom bracket anymore which would have had the date. Any numbers on the stem above the insert line or the pedals axle shaft?

 

[rustmonkey]

haven't tore it down yet to see if there is any numbers on the pedal axle shaft.....although if there is. it would be original as there isn't a scratch on any of the bolts to indicate removal....as also whoever painted it. wanted the rat rod look and painted over everything..ha ha :lol:

 

[kngtmat]

You don't need to take the pedals off to see the numbers because they should be stamped on the outer metal piece of the shaft between the rubber blocks because Wald started adding the years on them at the time. I could have said it better than what I did but I never got to learning the names they call each part of bicycle pedals :lol: .

 

[rustmonkey]

there is no manufacture marking on the pedals whatsoever....I looked them over very thoroughly. what about the serial # ...or when did they make that type of sprocket design? I have been led to believe that it is much earlier because of the MO in the serial #...any clues on that? thanks for all your help ...at least I'm getting somewhere

 

[kngtmat]

They had MO since they began all the way through the last year I believe. Which I found out the serial numbers for the late 70's to the 90's are not known to be able to date them unlike the early 70's & older. Most Murray's starting in the late 70's to late 80's had put on black with white lettering decals above the bottom bracket with where they were manufactured in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee then the month & year.

They used the same sprocket design through most of the companies life except on some models like the little kids bikes and the 10 speeds & such.


I noticed in the 1 pic you posted the serial number. The stem which was made by Wald has numbers on it that I can see which shows 8074 so maybe it's from 1974 or maybe 1980 but usually the last 2 numbers are the year.

 

[Rustinkerer]

The chainguard and short fenders indicate an 80s-90s bike.

-Adam