I just got a...???

[outskirtscustoms]

Just got a ladies bike from a friend that really intrigues me (the bike not the friend) :mrgreen: . It looks either Schwinn, Murry, or Sears. Has the two screw holes for a head badge like Schwinn, but the sprocket looks very Murry. Pointed dropouts that scream Sears, Also noticed at the point where the upper bar meets the seat tube it is lugged but no other lugs on the frame. Bendix RB2 hub in the rear wheel, Troxel seat but it's ripped up, also the tires say "The silver star" on the sidewalls and look as though they may be original to the bike. Also chainguard looks sears, (pointed in the back over the seatstay.

I'll get some pics later.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Well i got a closer look and I'm even more stumped, can't find a serial # on it, I checked the BB, checked the head tube, checked the dropouts, Maybe it's under the paint. Of corse it has the BFS Bent Fork Syndrome

Don't know if you can see it or not but the tires say the silver star

Bendix RB2 Woo Hoo!

Ripped up Troxel seat

Here's the grips, maybe it'll be a sign as to what it is.

 

[SSG]

Murray built, Maybe Jc higgins badged?

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Cool, being a girl's bike it'll probably get parted down. Some die so others may live. I know the wheels would be great for my '58 Schwinn American so I can finally get it on the road. The pedals will find their way onto my Hawthorne to replace the red ones I sold. The rest will probably get hung up in the shed till I find a use for it.

 

[scott brownsey]

girls bikes sure r great parts donors

 

[outskirtscustoms]

girls bikes sure r great parts donors

Yes they do :mrgreen:

 

[Unchained]

That is Murray built for sure. The dropouts, chainguard, and crank are all signature of Murray. :wink:

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Well I aired up the tires and rode it around the block to test it out before break-down and it feels like it is stuck in high gear, I have never owned a Bendix RB2 that was in a good wheel (had one hub that I sold, but wheel was toasted) so I don't really know how they shift or how to shift them, I thought you just pedal backward but it feels like a normal coaster brake hub and just stops. Does it need to be re-built and cleaned? If so how dificult is this to do? I have never done a 2 speed hub and would be interested in learning. I have done several normal one speed coaster brake hubs and never had a problem but I've never been inside a multi speed.

 

[ozzmonaut]

I bought a set of NOS Silver Star tires from Goodwill still in plastic. So are they original to Murray?

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I'm not sure if the silver star tires are original or not, I just know they are on the bike and look like they are of the same vintage as the bike. As far as a seat goes I'm not building it I'm parting it out so I'll have to pass on the seat for now. I know I'll probably use the seat guts on my Schwinn as it's the same size and I've been looking for one for months.

 

[tnt1]

It dont look like a two speed hub. rb2 dont mean its a 2 speed

 

[outskirtscustoms]

It dont look like a two speed hub. rb2 dont mean its a 2 speed

it doesn't? I thought RB2 was a 2 speed.

 

[M.Martian]

That is Murray built for sure. The dropouts, chainguard, and crank are all signature of Murray. :wink:

The lug on the top tube is the biggest tell tale sign that a frame is a Murray. I've got a mens 47 Murray with those same type of lugs on the top most tube.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

How old do you think this is 1940's? 50's? 60's?

 

[SCHWINNRAY69]

60's Murray, maybe a Meteor Flight :wink:

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Well i was bored today so I tore the bike down and started it on it's transformation from girl's bike to rusty parts, from rusty parts to clean parts, from clean parts to boy's bike. Got the fenders and handlebars cleaned and most of the rust off with a little steel wool. and I started on the back rim but just lost momentum so I'll leave those for another day.

Almost forgot to take a before picture, I had a test spot done on this one.

After:

Also found these markings on the fenders that MIGHT be a clue to the bike's maker M W 26F on the front and M W 26R on Rear.
M W...... Montgomery Ward???

Bars before:

Bars after:

And I started on the rear rim:

Here's the frame I am building up. My 1958 Schwinn 90% sure it's an American.

Some of you may remember when I got this one with a girl's Wasp at the scrapyard November of last year. Actually still have both of them! The Wasp is ridable now although I still need to do some work on the fenders before I put them back on.

 

[Rustinkerer]

Also found these markings on the fenders that MIGHT be a clue to the bike's maker M W 26F on the front and M W 26R on Rear.
M W...... Montgomery Ward???

Middle Weight, I believe those are Wald replacements to be stamped like that. -Adam

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Also found these markings on the fenders that MIGHT be a clue to the bike's maker M W 26F on the front and M W 26R on Rear.
M W...... Montgomery Ward???

Middle Weight, I believe those are Wald replacements to be stamped like that. -Adam

Ah, sounds right the bars are also Wald. I got most of the Schwinn torn down today, fought the crank, took it apart, cleaned, re-greased, and re-assembled, wrestled the chain guard off, got it cleaned up a bit, cleaned the frame and fork, could not for the life of me get the stem out of the fork or loosen the fork bolt so I just left it together for now. Also went to drill out one of the fender braces so it would fit the axle and my drill slipped ripping one ear off so now I need to fabricate or get another fender brace. Finished cleaning the rims, and got 90% of it back together. Not removing all the patina just brightening it a bit and making the chrome pop again. Lots of work but it's been in the shed too long just sitting so it deserves it. I'll get more pics tomarrow.

 

[jerrykr]

the Bendix 2 speed kick back I had, had the word "automatic" on the brake arm.