J C Higgins late 50's Bike

[hotsprockets]

I have a Higgins Bike with the numbers MOD 502 46861Y. I have not found a Sears catalog with that number, or a picture. I think it is a '59. It may be a Sportflite. No tank, chrome fenders, black wall tires, front rack, and chrome head light. Can anyone decode the model number for me?

 

[Rustinkerer]

'59 "Sport middleweight". This model was one below the Sportflite, and the Sears cat. # was 6 Y 4686. Your stamping is typical, having the exrta digit at the end, a 1 or 0 usually. -Adam

 

[hotsprockets]

Thanks for the info Adam. I wonder if they had any lettering on the seat post. Do you know if there is a picture in a Sears catalog? I have looked in '58 and '59 catalogs, but I don't see it.

 

[roadmaster]

The serial number sequence tells me that your J.C. Higgins is built by Murray, as most J.C. Higgins late 50's up untill 64' when they dropped the J.C. Higgins name, were built by either Murray or some Huffies, too.

 

[Rustinkerer]

Thanks for the info Adam. I wonder if they had any lettering on the seat post. Do you know if there is a picture in a Sears catalog? I have looked in '58 and '59 catalogs, but I don't see it.

It's in the 59 spring/summer catalog, top of the page reads "The all-new 1959 JC Higgins bicycles". It has a closeup of the Sportflite at the top, it has a checkerboard decal on the saet tube. The Sport is at the bottom, can't tell if it has one or not. What I have is James Hurd's "Collectable Elgin-JC Higgins Hawthorn (sic) Bicycles" book. It's just photocopies of original catalog pages, these are on p128. -Adam

 

[hotsprockets]

Thank you so much Adam. This is the info I've been looking for. I ordered the book. Sounds interesting. When I find the correct chainguard, I can paint this bike and finish it.