Murray springer

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Can anybody tell me if this is an original fork? I believe it's a jet flow. I have the opportunity to buy this bike. Obviously the tank is missing and the wheels look to be incorrect. Nothing seems original besides possibly the fork. I'm considering buying it just for the fork. What would be a good price to pay for this?
20191109_2030041.jpg
 
Hmm, I'm no expert but...
original to what? That's a picture of a quarter of a bike and no head badge.
But if you're gonna build a rat that's a cool fork.
If you're gonna try and flip it then eh' it looks to be repainted and probably mismatched like you noted. Worth is relative to what you are willing to spend and what else is on the bike like what rear hub, seat, fenders, rack... not much to go on for a valuation. It is an original fork to something as I don't think anyone has repopped those beehives.

Carl.
 
Hmm, I'm no expert but...
original to what? That's a picture of a quarter of a bike and no head badge.
But if you're gonna build a rat that's a cool fork.
If you're gonna try and flip it then eh' it looks to be repainted and probably mismatched like you noted. Worth is relative to what you are willing to spend and what else is on the bike like what rear hub, seat, fenders, rack... not much to go on for a valuation. It is an original fork to something as I don't think anyone has repopped those beehives.

Carl.

Thank you. I guess I should have been more clear. It will definitely be going on a rat rod of sorts. I was mainly verifying that the bee hive had never been reproduced. I don't think I can really go wrong with the price though.
Thank you
 
Not an expert, just a guy with a googulator and spare time...
I don't think that's a Murray springer. All the Murrays I've found are either two springs, like this:
bimurrayfleet16.jpg

or single, but mounted horizontally, like this:
2317896372_4485acd7dc_z.jpg

However, JC Higgins made a springer like this in the late 40s and 50s:
vintage-jc-higgins-colorflow-bicycle_1_b30083d56133bdb39829851e197599a6.jpg

Now, the experts can laugh at me, after typing all that, I learned that Murray made JC Higgins. Higginses?:headbang:
 
Not an expert, just a guy with a googulator and spare time...
I don't think that's a Murray springer. All the Murrays I've found are either two springs, like this:View attachment 109316
or single, but mounted horizontally, like this:
View attachment 109317
However, JC Higgins made a springer like this in the late 40s and 50s:
View attachment 109318
Now, the experts can laugh at me, after typing all that, I learned that Murray made JC Higgins. Higginses?:headbang:

I wasn't clear at all when I started this thread. It should be a jc Higgins fork made by Murray.
Thank you
 
That is a Murray made for Higgins beehive springer fork. What I can see of the frame it could be JetFlow or ColorFlow possibly. I would value the fork alone at $100-140. If the frame is for a JetFlow, you should consider getting the whole bike. Here is a JetFlow frame and fork that I picked up last year. The easiest way to to identify the difference is the JetFlows midtube is mostly horizontal flat with just the curve at the front. Colorflows and other higgins midtubes have a somewhat sweeping curve to them from back to front. JetFlow higgins frames are great looking in my opinion.

By the way, the rockers are flipped on your springer. The correct way to have them is so that the springer arms mount behind the fork legs as shown in my pic below.

51172560_800933750247911_5179774191548760064_n.jpg
 
That is a Murray made for Higgins beehive springer fork. What I can see of the frame it could be JetFlow or ColorFlow possibly. I would value the fork alone at $100-140. If the frame is for a JetFlow, you should consider getting the whole bike. Here is a JetFlow frame and fork that I picked up last year. The easiest way to to identify the difference is the JetFlows midtube is mostly horizontal flat with just the curve at the front. Colorflows and other higgins midtubes have a somewhat sweeping curve to them from back to front. JetFlow higgins frames are great looking in my opinion.

By the way, the rockers are flipped on your springer. The correct way to have them is so that the springer arms mount behind the fork legs as shown in my pic below.

51172560_800933750247911_5179774191548760064_n.jpg
Thank you for the good info! I knew the fork was somewhat desirable. I'll definitely be buying the whole bike although I have no immediate plans for the frame. My idea is to see if that fork will work with a later Murray built flightliner frame. I'm optimistic that there will be a decent hub too because I'd like to use the wheels.
Thank you
 
The beehive will be great on a Flightliner. It should fit just fine. However, if you have the tank, there may be some clearance issues between the tank front and the beehive. Have fun!
 
The beehive will be great on a Flightliner. It should fit just fine. However, if you have the tank, there may be some clearance issues between the tank front and the beehive. Have fun!
I thought there would be some clearance issues with the tank and springer. I have a golden flyer style chrome tank with the delta bug eye lights, which didn't originally have a bezel. I believe that one may work.
An all original survivor jc Higgins jet flow is definitely a bucket list bike for me. Rebuilding one from a bare frame and springer wouldn't be very cost effective so I'll just keep putting parts together and making things I don't mind looking at.

Steve
 
Nice score
 
Looks good!
Kingfish is right, the rockers need to be reversed to be right. But they look cool that way, extends the front a few inches. But the built in stops so you don't flip over when you hit a bump don't work when it's stretched out forward like that. I did that with my forks, added to an old CWC built frame. But it rode much better and safer with the forks as they were made. So those forks should fit a lot of different frames.

2ih9q51.jpg
 
Looks good!
Kingfish is right, the rockers need to be reversed to be right. But they look cool that way, extends the front a few inches. But the built in stops so you don't flip over when you hit a bump don't work when it's stretched out forward like that. I did that with my forks, added to an old CWC built frame. But it rode much better and safer with the forks as they were made. So those forks should fit a lot of different frames.

View attachment 109363
Thank you for your reply. I'll be flipping them back to their original position tomorrow. I like the stock look.

Steve
 
Interesting combination, an early '50s heavy springer with a ~'60s speed-weight frame.
The '51 patent springer was the second beehive design, as the '47 had short truss rods also.
US2660455 Murray Springer 1951-53_Page_1.jpg

Always wonder about the effect of a heavy springer on a frame; does extra weight add stress; some intuition might suggest that the spring action actually reduces the stress.
 
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I've got a few of the later rat trap style springers and they're fairly heavy too. They also don't have much spring action. I've always enjoyed them more for their cool looks than for their characteristics. I'd never seen the combination of the beehive springer with the flightliner frame and tank so I thought I'd give it a go.
 
That is a Murray made for Higgins beehive springer fork. What I can see of the frame it could be JetFlow or ColorFlow possibly. I would value the fork alone at $100-140. If the frame is for a JetFlow, you should consider getting the whole bike. Here is a JetFlow frame and fork that I picked up last year. The easiest way to to identify the difference is the JetFlows midtube is mostly horizontal flat with just the curve at the front. Colorflows and other higgins midtubes have a somewhat sweeping curve to them from back to front. JetFlow higgins frames are great looking in my opinion.

By the way, the rockers are flipped on your springer. The correct way to have them is so that the springer arms mount behind the fork legs as shown in my pic below.

51172560_800933750247911_5179774191548760064_n.jpg
Nice catch on the Jetflow.
Now that I look at that first pic I see the frame dip.
I gotta remember to look at the whole picture...lol

I've got a few of the later rat trap style springers and they're fairly heavy too. They also don't have much spring action. I've always enjoyed them more for their cool looks than for their characteristics. I'd never seen the combination of the beehive springer with the flightliner frame and tank so I thought I'd give it a go.

I love rat traps but I always flip them...
Just a bit of stretch but no problems with the steering.
Your combo is cool.

Carl.
 
I know its been a while.Any updates on the flightliner with the beehive springer.I'm doing the same thing.Hope your not mad.LOVE the combo.Please post some pix if you have any please.
 

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