Jan 28, 2009 The only thing we still have to add is a 1950 J.C. Higgins speedometer, it needs a little work before we can put it on. For it's maiden voyage, we're hoping to ride the Color-Flow in the local 4th of July parade on Friday.
Comments., 9 years agoThese old Tank bikes are a hot ticket item right now, big demand. In mint or restored condition it would be worth $700 to a grand. Yours looks to be in very good condition, although not mint. I would expect it to fetch between $250 and $400 at auction. Schwinndian, 9 years agoPre WWII.
The skip-tooth sprocket. Those are rare because most of the pre WWII bikes got melted down to make arms for the war. Thomas, 9 years agoHi - this is a great 'Original' JC Higgins late 1950's boys bike. They were sold originally thru Sears. I have owned several 'Originals' and had several I restored to Mint / Show condition, they get a lot of attention when restored and dailed in - but yours is too nice of an Original too go down the restoration Path - leave it as is!!!!!!
- This bike is medium average when it comes to collector appeal. But don't take any less than $1,000 dollars for it, if you do sell it - no matter what anyone tells you!!!! They will flip it all day long for $1500 to $2500 or more ( sorry Guy's on TV, Love you Guys and the Shows - but I've been doing this for over forty years and the internet effects nothing when it comes to an items value - only access to it.!!!! Trust me collectors are tricky little people, they Will come up with the Cash if they want something bad enough!!!and if they tell you value is less because you can find others on the internet for less - tell them to go buy those bikes!!!!
If you don't need to sell it hang on to it - it is a Cool example of Americana and what We used to Pridefully make in the USA!!! Thanks for sharing it!!!! Happy New Year.
T Mac - Colorado ( if you want to sell it be patient - get your price - it is worth it!!! )., 8 years agoOoh, found the original paperwork on it. It's stock number 4584 and model number 501.267. Does this help anyone put a bettwe value on it?., 8 years agoOops, 'better' value on it. And does having the original paperwork increase its value?., 8 years agoKaitGriffin, found this for you, it's not the very same model but very close just google: GUNKER'S RECYCLED BICYCLE CO.Refurbished J.C. Higgins Bicycles from the 1950's.
And custom built cruisersMain Custom Bikes J.C. Higgins Bikes Parts Reference Photos Contact Links Back to KEVZOARTThe 1950 J.C. Higgins Equipped bicycle.You'll want to be the first in the neighborhood to have one of these beautiful new J.C. Higgins Equipped Bikes.
You get smart new styling and many features of the De luxe at and economical price. New massive tank with 3 exhaust rings and push button electric horn. Torpedo headlight/ Jet tube luggage carrirer. Two jet tubes and with red reflector ends.
Extra wide deep crescent fenders. Comfortable troxel saddle with double action springs, flexible nose. Full length streamlined chain guard.
Big red Stimsonite safety reflector on rear fender. Rubber tread pedals with ball bearing action. Chrome-plated handlebars, stem sprocket, truss rods. Cadmium plated steel kick-up parking stand. 26-inch Allstate tires and tubes.
Welded tubular steel frame specially brazed and reinforced points of strain. Special undercoating protects frame. MOS-P. MOD 502 271. SERIAL# 41542. Dick, 8 years agoHi, i have the same bike,drive bij the NY popartartst James Rizzi and is signd by him self, ther is a picture(his gread book) of him self on this bice 1979 i can send you if you want, bay by DICK. elaine, 8 years agoI have a jc huggins bike that is in mint condition anyone know the value?.
T Powers, 8 years agoThat's a beautiful bike. Higgins bicycle in the 60's and rode it forever. It was the best Christmas present I ever had. It was not nearly as fancy as the one you have pictured.
I wish your bicycle could talk. I know it would be able to tell you many beautiful stories about your family. They kept it for a reason.Good luck on finding more information about it!. c risen, 8 years agoThomas,you have to stop smoking that stuff! Years have passed since your addiction started! Come into the new century! This bike is 600 tops to a novice collector.400 to a seasoned one.
Flipping for 1500 to 2500? A full dressed higgins colorflow in 9 condition might bring 1800 on a very lucky day. Next to rollfast and columbia higgins is the least valuable to collectors.
This is no rare model.And yes the internet has driven down prices! Supply and demand. Theres thousands of bikes coming out of the woodwork on ebay daily. Before the internet this would be a rare bike. Not any more. Theres more sellers than buyers.And to Schwinndian,get a clue!
Skiptooth doesn't automatically mean prewar! This is a post war bike with original sprocket. Explain that? Never has there been a prewar JC higgins! Elgin was the sears brand name in prewar.
Joe Ellsworth, 8 years agoAnyone know where I can locate/purchase a JC Higgins 3 speed from the early 60s?. DENNIS kuter, 8 years agoHI I HAVE THE SAME BIKE, CAN U TELL ME THE COLOR OF THE TOP OF THE BACK RACK, LOOKS LIKE GRAY ON THE UNDER SIDE, WHITE ON THE SIDE, CANT SEE THE TOP IF U COULD SEND A PIC OR TELL ME WHAT THE PAINT COLOR OF THE TOP SIDE IS I WOULD BE GRATEFUL. THANKS DENNIS. laura, 8 years agoI have a 1950ish J C Higgins girls bike, my uncle gave me. Although I'm not a collector it appears to have all original parts, in very good condition & obvious sentimental value to me. I would like to know true date of issue and actual monetary value., 7 years agolooks like about 8.000 usd., 7 years agoIf you want I cann a Foto send to you or to J.C.Higgins Fan,s its no fake!Want to post a comment?or in order to post a comment.
This is my mother in law's bicycle from when she was a child. While cleaning out a lean-to on the back forty I found this bike inside. I was hoping to give her a bike that is identical to hers that is restored for a birthday or Christmas.With that I need to learn more about this specific bike.My Mother-In-Law was born in 1952 in Eastern, NC. Given that I would assume that the bicycle purchased at a local hardware store, from the sears catalog, or was handed down from a sibling. Her three older sisters were born between 1932-1942 - thus if this was a bike of theirs it would probably be from 1937-1948.
But I find this scenario less likely as they are half siblings.All of that together, I would have to assume that the bike was built in the 1955-1960 time frame.Thank you for taking time to look through these photos and any guidance is appreciated. A classic girl's bike of the era. Not much to distinguish it except that the style of joining of fork times to head tube was often a 'trademark' of a particular brand. You can also fairly easily determine whether the rear hub is Bendix or New Departure. IIRC, Bendix was mostly Schwinn, while New Departure was most other brands.
Also, Schwinn usually had a welded-on kickstand. My take is that it's not practically repairable to riding condition but it can be cleaned up for use as a lawn ornament or whatever.–Jun 25 '14 at 18:42. Your serial number description STATES that this is a 'Murray of Ohio' manufactured bike. Serial number on bottom bracket means before 1965.
The factory was removed from Ohio and located in Tenn. From 1952 on. The 502 means Sears. Check out late 1950s to 1960s catalogs for the 5 digit model number that's between MOD and the lower larger serial number.The man above who ID'd your bike as a JC HIGGINS sold by Sears was telling you correct. Murray was ONE of the manufacturers of Sears JC Higgins badged bikes.
The blue example with basket is right on.A Schwinn? Frame joints where rear stays meat seat post under seat and top down bar from head-tube meats seat post above bottom bracket. See the 'collets'? and even tubing size are not Schwinn work or design Where two 'down-bars' are joined by small welded tube (and so is Schwinn you found) Your 'welded tube is longer. Bars are further apart.
Than the Schwinn. I've a zillion Schwinn and a few Murray bikes. One Murray built bike called a Marfield made for Marshall Field's department store.The rear of your frame. Behind the drop-out. Where one is split. The Murray frame extends about two inches to a point, beyond the drop-out slot. NO ONE else's does.
Look @ the Schwinn again and that distinction will come alive for you. Thank you for all of your help and encouragement.
When I arrived home from work I flipped the bike over, got some of the serial numbers. From what I can tell the bike seems to be a 1956/1957 Schwinn Spitfire Ladies - Model F71c.Below is a 1956 Schwinn Spitfire - Model F71c.I have come to this conclusion on two parts.1 - the Serial NumberThe M0D502 serial renders this on the Schwinn Cruisers Website.Built: 08/13 to 08/23 of 1954. Built: 09/06 to 09/07 of 1956.2 - The only example I can find of a Top Tube connected to the down tube with a Welded tube (I am unsure of the term used to identify this) was on a '57 Spitfire. (See below)My mother in law was given the bike at 6 or 7 years of age.
So I would assume that the bike was built in the Fall of 56, sent to a local hardware/farm storm where it sat for a year in inventory and picked up that next fall/winter.Would an expert agree on the likelihood of this bike being a 1956/57 Schwinn Spitfire?Thanks again for all of your help.The Serial reads M0D502 (small top left)The Serial reads 46772 (medium right)The large Serial reads 13 5 124Bolted kickstandDoes anyone know about this Komet Super denotation?Thanks again for all of your assistance. @Blam I am not giving up. I have been sanding the bike down every night after work. I have started with soaking all of the structurally sound parts in kerosene. Next day I will take it out and use a brillow pad to remove as much rust as possible and then let it soak again. For some of the flat metals I would soak, then hand sand, then use a random orbit sander at 600 and have moved down to 1500 for some areas. Structurally a lot is still strong so I am not giving up.
I would still love someone to confirm the year model and information about the serial numbers and the Komet Super. Thanks!–Jul 1 '14 at 17:27. I'm no kind of an expert but your bike doesn't look like a Spitfire to me. The Spitfire's top tube and down tube are significantly curved but your bike's top and down tubes are almost straight, with only a slight curve. The Spitfire top tube meets the seat tube on the horizontal but yours is angled up. The short welded tube between the top and down tubes on the Spitfire points above the front axle; on your bike, it points roughly to the point where the tyre touches the ground.–Jul 28 '14 at 22:52.
I would not give up on that bike.Stuff that is definitely bad you can most likely replace: wheels, fork, headset, handle bars, crank, seat post and seat.Stuff that would be hard to find is OK. Fenders and chain guard are fine.To me it is worth seeing how bad that frame is. At the crank it looks pretty good.Pull the rear wheel and check the dropout - if bad give up.Pull the seat and fork and see if it is rusted from the inside.If you have rust from the inside then give up.If inside looks OK then hit the worst rust with 600 sand paper.If you can sand to bare metal by hand in a few minutes then you only have surface rust.Yes you may have more than just surface rust here but it would only take an hour to find out.If you could restore THAT bike that would be cool.Based on a comment to your own answer you trying a restore. When (if) it comes paint time consider a car paint shop where they have a real paint booth and professional paint.
They will tell you if you got all the rust. If you leave any rust it will eventually bubble through the paint.
It is hard to paint like pro (with a booth). Be flexible on the color and live with a color that is going on a car. A custom color is expensive as they have to buy the paint and mix it.