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metal obsession

metal obsession

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Hi all-Im new to the group and looking for your expertise. What I do know about this bike (I think) is that:
  • Its a J.C. Higgins pre war model?
  • Its a skiptooth?

My questions are:
  • Are the holes in the side of the tank where the horn use to be OR is there a missing description plate?
  • This is not a color flow bike because it does not have the portholes in the side. What is it called?
  • In its present condition (owner said it rides well) what is it worth?
  • Is there any advertisement (original) that would help me figure out what year it is?
  • Total newbie question-there is no springer front end-is that because its a cheaper model or not old enough to have that feature.
s-l1600.jpg

Thanks for your time,:)
Laura
 
Someone will probably correct me, but I believe it to be a post war skip tooth. Higgins are tricky. If it were prewar It would be an Elgin, I believe. I have the same model in men's. Colorflow is the name. No springer was just a "price point" option as the reps like to say.

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Looks very original. That headlight could be worth a fair bit. Seat & truss bars a great. If I was looking for an antique, slightly ratty ladies bike in rider condition.. and it's in your price range. Id get it.

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk
 
I recently read something about pre/post war Elgin, Higgins. I don't know about this bike or its value, but someone here does.
Welcome to the site, don't forget to put something on the intro page.
 
If you haven't already discovered, Elgin and J. C. Higgins are Sears brands, and were made by a couple of different manufacturers. The blue one shown by ChimeraCycle was made by Westfield, nearly identical to their own Columbia brand. Not sure about the original post, but I think it's a different maker. A good look at the dropouts and bottom bracket joints would help to ID it.
 
I was going to say Hawthorne I had a customer with a very similar bike contact me only hers had the beehive springer on the front it could be a Murray or Higgins though judging by the chain ring I also know the fender skirts were on Elgin's as well but there are so many modified bicycles these days it is hard to make a positive id just on parts the best bet would be to check the serial number with someone who knows these bikes and see what comes up I know I do not think I have any bikes that are original and if I can modify them anyone can lol
 
There was a model line under the color flow which had a bulbous rack and jewels in the tank. It was the color stream, but this bike is not that model. That one had wrap around fender braces that made a line that ran from an inch above the front axle down the brace, through the chainguard and throw the rear fender brace around the fender. Also had a tombstone reflector housing.

I think that bike would be a basic deluxe type since it has a horn tank, skirt guards and tail light in the rack.

Will most likely be a 1948 or later bike.
 
The bike chimera posted is a color stream. Not a Murray built though. Murray had a 'knuckle' joint on the seat tube and a built in seat post bracket.

Look at the fender braces that wrap around and make note of the front axle mount.

The rack on the original post was a very common Murray Jc Higgins rack. Both of my color streams have it and I've got another off a 24". I've seen at least three different variations of it. Like above with the added bezel both with and without the light, without that added bezel, and without that bezel but with a reflector tab. The rack first appeared on some Elgin bikes before the war.
 

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