Re: WESTERN FLYER,MYSTERY TANKS FIT!

[Pappy]

Took a vacation day today.I was catching up on some computer work part of which included posting an ad for the PEDDLERS SWAP MEET on
C/L for this Sunday.Anywho...C/L,Friday,day off...you following me? I saw this ad for a antique Western Flyer.Called the guy,drive for 1 hr. to
the sprawling metropolis of Pleasant Hill,MO. & scored this beauty.Here's the kicker...I get out my truck & the first thing I say was "you look familiar to me."So we chat along & it turns out I had a booth next to him 2yrs.ago at the Shriners Hot Rod Swap...small world.But ,alas,I digress...

I'll have it this Sunday At...(c'mon,say it with me)...THE PEDDLERS SWAP MEET!!!........................P 8)

 

[Pappy]

Re: WESTERN FLYER

By the way, the 2nd digit in the serial number is (8) eight,for those of you bicycle sleuths whom I know are trying to help me with the year &
manufacturer....and Thanx...P 8)
PS-Uh...the 3rd digit is also an (8) eight

 

[Spokeshave]

Re: WESTERN FLYER

Way cool. The rack is killer.

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

Re: WESTERN FLYER

Hey Pappy yea, it sure looks to me to be a Murray chain guard and frame. Frame & fork look just like my 1950 Higgins Header bike, just different chain guard and rear rack. But can't tell the year, cause the SN# is a little puzzling to me, I thought most Murray's had a MO (for Murray Ohio) stamped on them somewhere. But the little letter stamping above the big SN# does seem to be consistent with other Murray's I've seen. I'm hoping my mystery tank will fit that frame. I'll be sure to bring it to Peddler's swap Sunday so we can try a test fit.

 

[B607]

Re: WESTERN FLYER

I love that patina. You couldn't pay someone to make a bike look like that. All you need is a big fat deep spring seat and you'll be set. Gary

 

[aka_locojoe]

Re: WESTERN FLYER

I love that patina. You couldn't pay someone to make a bike look like that. All you need is a big fat deep spring seat and you'll be set. Gary

Agree.

 

[ratina]

Re: WESTERN FLYER

It's a Murray built western flyer

 

[Pappy]

Re: WESTERN FLYER,MYSTERY TANK FIT!

Well,I'm sure you've all been waiting with "baited breath"(what's that even mean?) :shock: ...THE MYSTERY TANKS FIT!!!Dang,now me & Marty have to find sumth'in else to play mind games on.Needless to say,this beaut now resides in the "10~18 KUSTOMS" corral over at Marty's place.Hey Marty...wanna guess which way that grasshopper's gonna jump & do you have an emergency banana?...P 8)
We'll have to get Marty to post a pic of the bike with the mystery tanks on it!

 

[barkeep]

i figured it would fit as i think it originally looked like this or similar...

 

[Pappy]

That's AWESOME barkeep...Thanx...is that yours?...P 8)

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

Barkeep, Very nice bike, thanks for the pics!

OK as Pappy said, our mystery tank does fit the WF frame, so that mystery solved. Also, after I got it home last night I was able to confirm that the small letters above the SN# that looked like KO??? in the pics are in fact MOQ, which would make it a Murray Ohio 1951 , so 2nd mystery also solved. But the 3rd and final mystery about his bike that may never be solved????? How many bikes have you ever seen that were re-painted red over their original color? Yea, lots. Seems like every kid wanted a red bike back in the day. Well not every kid! As I started to take this bike apart tonight to do a lube and make it ride ready, etc. I started to notice that the blue paint on the fenders/chainguard etc. had been repainted at some point in the past probably very long ago I'm guessing due to the patina. And you guseed it, over red! Yea, this bike looks to have been repainted blue, over red, so the question is, who was that kid that had a red bike like everyone else wanted but painted it blue??? Well that one we will never know!

Anyway, ran into some stripped thread problems with the crank, so didn't get it put back together in time to take new picts with the tank and all. Plus I have a few suprises to add...Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. More tomorrow.

 

[B607]

so the question is, who was that kid that had a red bike like everyone else wanted but painted it blue???

The kid must have been a liberal. Gary

 

[Pappy]

so the question is, who was that kid that had a red bike like everyone else wanted but painted it blue???

The kid must have been a liberal. Gary

Maybe he didn't have a can of red paint...just blue...P 8)

 

[dos cruiser]

Maybe it was stolen and the kid rode in the same neighborhood.

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

Well for all of you out there waiting with bated breath (whatever that is) for the pictures of the tank and frame together. OK, I'm sure there are probably not that many waiting????...Yea, allright probably only Pappy. ha! But anyway. Here it is.

And yea, it is pretty much a crazy miss match of color, but oh well. I put some new balloons on it and did a full service so it is ready to ride. Also added a set of struts that I had laying around and were about the right patina, and a fit good, also a glass reflector jewel to the rear rack that just seemed to finish it off.

I'm not real happy with the seat. First I put a black seat I had on it but it was just to nice and shinny, so I went with the rusty/crusty brown one. Still not sure It's the right one, but will have to do for now. Also need to get a headlight and tail light on it before this weekends pub crawl...I have a pretty wild idea in mind, so stay tuned.

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

Oh...and here is a pict with older brother J.C.

 

[Pappy]

Looks FANTASTIC,Marty...how did you solve the crank problem? I can't believe I was the ONLY one waiting to see how it would come out!!! That seat looks fine by me...hear any more on that bike in Olathe yet? Talk at you soon...P 8)

 

[barkeep]

Looks cool man

 

[10~18 Kustoms]

Yea, the crank was a bit of a problem. It turns out the threads were stripped about 3 threads back on the right side, so everything was loose. It appears to have been ridden quite a bit this way 'cause the inside bearing race was worn way out of round. No problem I though, I'll just put in a new race and add extra washer to move everything over to the left a bit to get away from the stripped threads. But, to add to the problem the welded on pedal was also bent. I tried to cold bend it back, but it snapped off. Soooooo........time for a new crank. As luck would have it I found a Murray crank and sprocket in my junk parts pile, it's a little newer style, but close enough to work for now. I also added a headlight and tail light today to get it ready for the pub ride Sat. They are probably way to shinny for the rest of the bike (and for Pappy's taste) but seem to fit the theme! Can you guess???? Well sorry, no pictures till after the ride debut.

 

[Pappy]

Yeah...I got it...P 8)