I THOUGHT it was a Flightliner, BUT....

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brett4christ

brett4christ

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Guys and gals,

Help me out here!

I purchased this bike a while back thinking it was a Higgins-built Flightliner, but I was looking at it last night thinking about how to build it!

Something different caught my eye! On Flightliners, the two mid bars "dead end" into the bottom bar. On this bike, the two mid bars terminate on EACH SIDE of the bottom bar.

The serial number (40. |. 78084) is on the left (non-drive) dropout. The "digit" between 40 and 78084 is not a 1, but is definitely not a scratch. Looks more like a mark from he edge of the stamping tool....

Can you help me identify this one?
 
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IMG_2887%5B1%5D.JPG

IMG_2886%5B1%5D.JPG

IMG_2885%5B1%5D.JPG

IMG_2884%5B1%5D.JPG

IMG_2881%5B1%5D.JPG
 
brett I think the guys/gals here will be asking to see some photos of it. (no sooner asked for you post um. ask and you shall receive) Just my hunch. I have a bike which has a number that goes like this 74X6..691838. Since it sort looks like a Flightliner or Spaceliner thats the way I'm going to build it up. Right now it has the name Junkyard Liner.
 
Thanks, Alistair! I started the thread on my iphone, but couldn't figure out how to load pics. So I came in to work to download pics...

Does your mid bars end like these above or do they "dead-end" together on the bottom bar?
 
My bars end at the drop outs. So It looks more like a Sears Spaceliner. But the thing that says it's not a Sear's bike is the serial number. Sear's Numbers start off with "401,501" mine does not. So I'm thinking that it's from the same company (Murray?) supplied "Sears" bikes but this spaceliner is for a different retailer. You have the same drop outs that I have and the same chain wheel as well. My bike is all chrome not painted like yours. So mine is not a Flightliner. Is your bike chrome plated or is it painted? I can't tell.
 
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Painted, originally a dark red, probably metallic.

My mid bars merge with the to bars at the seat tube. A Spaceliner's mid AND top tubes run from head tube to dropout. Flightliner's mid bars run from bottom bar to seat tube, similar to a standard cantilever frame, but the front ends are "butt-welded" to the bottom bar. THIS frame has mid bars that are welded to EACH SIDE of the bottom bar.

Flightliner
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Spaceliner
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Frame in question...
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I have two or three bikes thats like that. I still have the bike I totaled in the bike accident in 2013. Lets see I have OCC Schwinn, Spaceliner (Junk yard Liner), Road bike from the accident. I have projects plus.
 
You don't have to tell me about project overload! I have 13 bikes...in the garage! That doesn't include the multitude of others I have in different locations!!!
 
brett4christ said:
... thinking it was a Higgins-built ...
Click to expand...

No such thing as "Higgins-built"... JC Higgins was a badge, not a builder. Your bike is, as Allistair said, Murray-built. They had made a lot of frames with similar construction but slight variations in details. Personally, I'd consider it a Flightliner-style frame, and not worry about what badge and stickers it once had....
 
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Bicycle808 said:
No such thing as "Higgins-built"... JC Higgins was a badge, not a builder. Your bike is, as Allistair said, Murray-built. They had made a lot of frames with similar construction but slight variations in details. Personally, I'd consider it a Flightliner-style rame, and not worry about what badge and stickers it once had....
Click to expand...

Learn something new everyday! Thanks! Now, not that it matters, but I'd love to know at least a year of production on this one!
 
Thanks 808, I've seen that info and have posted there to request any info on my serial number.

My serial number does not match the typical number pattern that is described in the first post.

Still looking though....
 
Im not sure., many are mentioned through the link I offered from the Cabe., the variations have been mentioned,. where they're all listed in one forum link, Im not sure.
 
After scanning through the CABE thread, I looked a little closer at my dropout and found "MO5" ahead of the fender strut bolt...1965! And since there is not a 502 or WC# between the MO5 and the ...40, I will be assuming it is a Murray-branded bike.

So, now I'd love to see a brochure showing all of Murray's offerings in 1965...
 

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