Ladies Bike Frame - Factory or Bent?

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Murray001.jpg


This is a ladies Murray Nassau approx. 1984. It has the Olympic Rings decal from when Murray was the "official" bike of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Frame is steel, 26-in wheels, took 1-3/8' tires I believe. Check out the seat post where there is a forward bend just above where the top tube connects. These tubes are lugged by the way. That bend is curious and I've just about concluded that the bike left the factory that way rather than this thing having crashed and gotten bent. I can't fathom the force that would bend the seat tube like that and there is no corresponding crinkle, broken welds or brazes around the rear fork, rear stays, or drop outs. There's no tell-tale paint crinkle at the bend either. It looks like everything on the bike is original except for a pedal and an extra long kickstand. I've seen one other Men's Murray Nassau and that seat tube did not have a bend it. I've seen one other J.C. Penny Ladies Murray of similar age that did not have the same bend in the seat tube but also the tubes were welded up w/o lugs. Anyone have any insights into this frame? Is it factory or was it bent? It doesn't look too bad in the picture but has a good bit of rust so I'm going to strip it down all the way, paint and detail it back up, and change out brakes, and maybe replace the 3-speed Shimmano internal hub thumb shifter, all the cables, pedals, etc. It'll be an easy cruiser for one of my daughters.
 
Bent. I loaned my moms old montgomery wards special to a buddy and when it returned it looked just like that. My paint didn't crack either, he said he had been jumping curbs and didn't notice that it bent. The "extra long" kickstand, isn't. That is what happens when the frame bends there and the BB ends up lower than it originally was. Technically the front geometry of the steering fork has been altered also(the head tube is leaning back farther than it did), just not noticably. Bent doesn't mean broke around here, it means custom. If it works for you then go with it.

Lefty
 
My vote is for Bent 8)
The seat tube bent from the force applied by the top tube when the previous owner (a person of rather large size) caught some serious air. :wink:
 
Thanks for all your input! The consensus is "BENT!" I'll go ahead and strip it down and then the options are 1) straighten it, or try to, 2) use as is, 3) butcher it for pieces, or 4) put it in the pile for the metals recycle. Any suggestions for rigging or techniques to straighten the thing? Thanks again!
 
I'd really like to find a Mixte frame that I could build up otherwise. If that Mixte was made for 26-in wheels that would be even better. Any leads from you all? Thanks.
 
If you have access to a porta power or evn a bottle jack you could try rigging a piece of wood on the inside of the two rear dropouts (between the seat stays and chainstays). Then you could jack against that and the seat tube.
 
I'm in Albuquerque, NM. I'll send you a private message with my email and you can let me know what you have. Maybe we can work something out. Thanks!
 
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