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I'm going to pick this up Sunday. It's going to be a good base for a girl's muscle bike for my daughter, but I'll let my sons ride it till I start it.

5I35K95J13nb3M13Ncc9c73fa8fc0a66618b3.jpg
 
My girl is 4. She's getting a 16" with training wheels for Christmas. This is for a few years down the road. But, I'm always too excited about my next project, and I found this and couldn't wait. We don't get these out in California.
 
:mrgreen: I understand... my 3 yr old son has 3 bikes, one of which he helped me build and my daughter has 2 and she picked things out for her bike. but the just learned to ride without training wheels, and now th possabilities are endless :mrgreen:
 
Great find, looks near perfect in the picture. Your daughter's going to be the queen of the sidewalks someday with that beauty!
 
You may want to reconsider stripping it down &/or letting young sons ride it.I think you may have a fairly rare Murray-built Sears 5-speed Spyder in coppertone with the rare Troxel tiger-stripe seat in real good condition.I'm certainly no expert but I'd check in with Raleigh Ron,some of the other Muscle Bike guys here or the Muscle Bike forums...Very kool bike...P 8)
 
:shock:

The paint in the picture looks pretty good. I really hope this isn't something rare I need to preserve as a survivor. It would destroy my premise of getting it in the first place and instantly put me in the dog house with the wife. If it is, maybe I can trade it for something less awesome.
 
Great looking muscle bike! That seat is over the top.

I took a close look, and unless they had a special edition, I'm guessing that is not the right (murray) sprocket. It looks a little too big for the bike, and the stretched chain, even though it's in low gear, verifies that. See how the derailler is pulled forward? Unless they shortened the chain for some reason.

Here's some good reading. Check out the 67 Spyder, maybe that is the right sprocket.

http://murrayeliminatormusclebikes.yuku ... Grw4q7EeKo
 
Holy smack! So this is a '67 survivor? I though someone added an aftermarket weird seat. The sprocket looks different than the picture, like you said. I'll have to check chain length to see if that is causing the stretch in the chain. However, in the lowest gear, which it may be, it should stretch pretty good, but maybe not that much.

Thanks for that link! That's awesome! I want to try to find something in color to have printed as a poster.
 
I'd have to side with the others. If you enjoy customizing on your own, I would sell this and pick up several other bikes that are not in as good shape and complete. I'm all for customizing, but I also like to see clean original bikes preserved.
 
Wildcat said:
Great looking muscle bike! That seat is over the top.

I took a close look, and unless they had a special edition, I'm guessing that is not the right (murray) sprocket. It looks a little too big for the bike, and the stretched chain, even though it's in low gear, verifies that. See how the derailler is pulled forward? Unless they shortened the chain for some reason.

Here's some good reading. Check out the 67 Spyder, maybe that is the right sprocket.

http://murrayeliminatormusclebikes.yuku ... Grw4q7EeKo
I couldn't find a 1967 Sears catalog, but I did find a 1968. On the 5-speed on the page below you'll see the same sproket I have, so it looks good to go. Someone pointed out that the sissy bar doesn't look correct, however.

1968%20Sears%20Wish%20Book%20408.jpg
 
Sissy definately looks like a Rollfast Skoot bar to me, possibly others, possibly changed out, rest looks good - awesome find.
 
The sissy bar is correct. Are you sure the chain has been put on correctly? It appears to me that it may not be on the derail arm as it should be...does it shift OK?...P 8)
 
Pappy said:
The sissy bar is correct. Are you sure the chain has been put on correctly? It appears to me that it may not be on the derail arm as it should be...does it shift OK?...P 8)
I'll know more when I pick it up tomorrow.

I've heard the sissy bar is and isn't correct. Either way I'll stick with it.
 
I picked it up today. It's completely original from the original owner. He said when he was done with it as a kid they hung it in the basement and that was that until now. So it gets me excited thinking I have something so original! But I'm hearing an estimated worth of only $300, so... not sure what to do with it.

The paint is a bit worse than the picture, as expected. It's got a good bit of wear right behind the shifter, and the typical scratches/scuffs associated with a 45 year old bike. The chrome seems to be in good shape. I think the front wheel is an S7 size, and both tires are original and in great shape. The back has almost no wear, and the front has a little weather cracking and a wear on the middle. This makes me think the rear was a replacement, but still from that time period anyway.

Shifter went through all the gears fine. All that needs cleaned/lubed of course. Front wheel is missing a spoke that I can replace. He may have replaced the seat clamp blot as well, it's a little long. Also it's missing the round reflector under the back of the seat, and the reflectors that went in the wheels. Other than that...

The dilema I have: I bought this bike because I'm going to build my daughter a 5-speed muscle bike on a girls frame. I found this one complete for a good price. But now that I know it's all original, I'm having a moral dilema thinking about taking it apart to use the parts on a different frame. However, I'm told it's only worth about $300 as-is. So it's not like I'm going to make a mint if I sell it, and I may not find anything this complete again.

What to do, what to do....
 
Original or not it's yours do what you want with it we are Americans that's what we do so do what you do brotha make a statement show your pride in your ride
 
Get more bikes. Lots of them, and hang them up in a long row by hooks in the garage. Then you never have to worry about taking an original apart, it can sit there while you scavenge parts off other bikes. I have a row of 14 bikes along one side of my garage, with more frames tucked up in the rafters out of the way. It doesn't seem like I have 30 bikes to the wife. There's a rack of wheels and a neatly stacked pile of tires. I have a file cabinet loaded with parts, with the top drawer designated as the paint locker. Five portable toolboxes with assorted parts, all organized, are right under the workbench that has a 4 x 8 pegboard loaded with tools and cables and bike stuff. A dremel hangs there with droplight right at hand. The safety glasses and dustmasks are a necessity. I use an old transistor radio that sits on top, but a modern CD player would do well.

That's all you need to do.
 

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