Frame ID help

[Tychevelle]

Hey guys,

Ive had this frame for a few years now, wanting to restore it to whatever it used to be, thats where I need your help... its a boys frame, 20" wheels. has a schwinn sticker on it but I havent been able to find any pics of older boys bikes that look like it...

heres some pics, as well a serial number and other numbers off the bottom of the bottom bracket.

 

[udallcustombikes]

Murray built JC Higgins(?) Early to mid 50's

 

[ratina]

Definitely Murray

 

[Tychevelle]

cool thanks guys! any ways to tell the exact year?

 

[ratina]

to my knowledge there is no way to decode Murray serial numbers. I would guess mid 50's though

 

[dogdart]

to my knowledge there is no way to decode Murray serial numbers. I would guess mid 50's though

yep :!: :wink:

 

[udallcustombikes]

to my knowledge there is no way to decode Murray serial numbers. I would guess mid 50's though

I have a feeling if Adam (Rustinkerer) or Phil (RMS37) chime in they could narrow it down for you.

Here is a page from a 1949 Sears Catalog and your frame is on the lower left.

And again in 1950

 

[M.Martian]

Definitely Murray. The seat tube/top tube junction is identical to my 46-47.

Phil should be able to pinpoint down what year it might be. He's been working on the serial numbers for Murrays.

 

[Tychevelle]

awesome, thanks guys

Very cool ads by the way. the 2 bikes on both pages on the lower left are 26" this ones a 20" look like the boys bike top right of the second page too bad the gun holster wasnt with it

Im still going to build it up but im thinking more of a muscle bike style?

the seat post is uber small like 1/2-5/8's is that common? how do you put a normal seat on it? shims? I had planned to make one up find the same size steel and weld and blend it into your standard 7/8's seat post at the top

 

[KJV]

2nd digit 0 ;1950.

 

[M.Martian]

On my Murray frame I used some 5/8" solid rod for the seat post. Just heated it up with a torch so I could bend it into an '7' shape . My frame was slightly worn so I had to have a washer in there as a shim to get it nice and tight and not turn. I think the original seat post size is considered 5/8"

I ended up taking a small piece of metal and put it in the standard seat clamp to take up the gap and it tightened up fine. Just experiment with some different things to shim up the clamp on the bottom of the seat.

 

[Tychevelle]

Cool thanks guys! least I know what it is now this ones a few behind in priority for being build but itll happen :roll:

 

[Tailwinds]

Isn't that a Schwinn???

Seriously though, I think I have a J.C. Higgins out in the shed with the identical frame, I can go check.

 

[Rustinkerer]

to my knowledge there is no way to decode Murray serial numbers. I would guess mid 50's though

I have a feeling if Adam (Rustinkerer) or Phil (RMS37) chime in they could narrow it down for you.

This is one of those confusingly stamped bikes! The "MOD 502" is a Murray code that means built for Sears. Most of the time, the next number is a 4 or 5 digit #, which is the catalog #. Note the bikes in the ads are mostly in the 4500 range. 201 may be the actual model #, which there's no way to decode generally. "MOS-R" is a Murray code that you don't usually see on a Sears bike. I'd guesstimate somewhere between 47 and 55. -Adam

 

[Tychevelle]

Thanks a bunch Adam! thats cool i know some of its history now hmmm wonder how it looked all new and shiny in the sears store

 

[M.Martian]

Based on the numbers on my Murray frame Phil estimated that mine was either a 46 or a 47.

The big difference on mine is that the rear dropouts are rear loading typically seen on pre-war frames.

 

[Tychevelle]

Very cool that's basically along the lines of what I'm wanting to do with mine. Is yours a 24"?

 

[Rustinkerer]

Based on the numbers on my Murray frame Phil estimated that mine was either a 46 or a 47.

The big difference on mine is that the rear dropouts are rear loading typically seen on pre-war frames.

Yeah, there were a few rear drop JCH's made, very early postwar. And conversely, there were a few postwar ELGINS made with specifically postwar frame designs!!! -Adam

 

[M.Martian]

Very cool that's basically along the lines of what I'm wanting to do with mine. Is yours a 24"?

My Murray is a 26" frame. It's running a 26x1.25 tire and a 27x1 1/4 front. I don't have pics of it yet, but it currently has a full wrapped fender (bottom bracket to the ground) and a Raleigh front fender that wraps to the ground.