I just started in the old bike game, and I'm hooked! After resurrecting a couple of Schwinn's ('79 Continental for my son, '66 Speedster for my wife), I decided that I wanted to build a custom for myself. I'm going for the "board racer" look. Anyway I found a frame, fork, and sprocket for what I believe to be an early '60's Murray Flightliner. I'm basing this on pictures I've seen on ebay and this site (sprocket style, pointy rear axle area). It was red with no dicernable decals. When I started to take the paint off with a rotary brush, it came up REAL shiny, like chrome. I'm wondering if this is common, and if it's hyper-valuable or not. Thanks!
Murray, possibly Flightliner, chrome frame?
- Thread starter volksportguy72
- Start date
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CCR
Mouth-Breather
sounds like a sears or j.c. higgins mens flightliner. they were chrome but painted red over the chrome for a two-tone effect. it seems there are alot of them out there, only a high dollar bke if they are complete and in mint condition really. the tanks are the high dollar parts on those bikes, frames not so much though. keep buildin and have fun 
there were hiawatha and murray versions of the same bike though
there were hiawatha and murray versions of the same bike though
Thanks for the info. I'm not even sure it's a Flightliner, some of the pics I see have two top bars, some only one. Plus, it had no "bodywork" at all, just a twisted back fender. The bike shop I bought if from (Cranked in Neenah, WI, awesome guys) mentioned that it might be a Hiawatha as well. Is there a database somewhere where I can match up the serial number to find out year, brand, etc? I know Schwinn has a pretty comprehensive list.
CCR
Mouth-Breather
whoops, look like theres been something started over at the cabe a while back
http://www.thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth ... #post32212
http://www.thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth ... #post32212
The serial # is on the brake arm side rear dropout. If it starts with 'MOD 502', it was originally a made for Sears bike. 'WG' is Gamble's Dept. store (Hiawatha). MO is Murray badged, and X is usually Western Flyer. Murray built these style bikes for all of them, but as stated, only really valueable as a complete original bike. -Adam
Found on the left drop out: 502 451610 750626
So a Sears bike, built by Murray. Still having a hard time with the "catalog number".
I'll try to get pics of the build up as I go.
So a Sears bike, built by Murray. Still having a hard time with the "catalog number".
I'll try to get pics of the build up as I go.
The cat # is 4516 or 45161, i looked in the book and didn't see that number, which sometimes happens. -Adamvolksportguy72 said:
HTrying to load pic...
Here it is:
Definitely a Flightliner frame. The red ones were usually lower end models, like this mid 60s version I have:
Interesting that it's chrome underneath, it does look like a factory color. Could be they had a leftover one after they discontinued the chrome version... Seeing as I couldn't match the number, and there isn't a chainguard with it, tough to nail down a year. -Adam
Interesting that it's chrome underneath, it does look like a factory color. Could be they had a leftover one after they discontinued the chrome version... Seeing as I couldn't match the number, and there isn't a chainguard with it, tough to nail down a year. -Adam
Here it is, mostly done. I'm having a hard time seating those big balloon tires on those rims, any suggestions?
volksportguy72 said:
This appears to be your bike, but I'm not finding a date for it there.
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdi ... t=&shdMod=
