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Very nice. 👍

Did you look at the Murray Serial Number Project thread? X6 indicates it might be an Otasco branded bike, but I don't know what model. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/murray-serial-number-project.7014/

Haaa haaa.... No, my reply was to vincev's post (for some reason the image isn't displaying properly). I thought something was funky when I read your reply and thought to myself "are we talking about different pictures". LOL

The spotting is from points of rust beneath the paint, correct? I don't have a definitive answer to how to deal with that, but have you tried soaking in Evapo-Rust? It's non-destructive to paint and it might be able to get at, and remove, the rust. I've soaked painted items in it before, with...

That's correct. The mid and entry level chrome models came with a standard, painted, rear rack.

WOW... those all look like you just picked them up from the store. Gorgeous!

Wow... that is an absolute beauty! What an amazing find. Would you mind if I include those pictures as part of my Spaceliner Reference for that model? Also, I'll see if I can find the contact info for the person I have purchased replacement lenses from in the past. It's been awhile, but I'll...

Both the Forward Thrust and straight tank Spaceliner designs were Sears specific. There are other variations of straight-tank bikes that are similar in style to the straight-tank Spaceliner, of course, but they all vary in different ways. The Forward Thrust style, however, was specifically...

Evaporust is a miracle cure for things like this.

You have a couple of pre-1964 Flightliners, there. Try posting in the Middleweights Forum where the Flightliner experts hang out.

Here's another pic that makes it easier to see the difference between the Spaceliner and Flightliner tanks, and the under-mount position of the tank and tab on the '65 Spaceliner.

How's the condition of the chain? If it's rusted, soaking for a day in Evap-o-Rust will make it like new. Check out these before and after pics of an old Spaceliner chain I was able to salvage when I thought it was a 'throwaway'.

Is it a Spaceliner or a Flightliner you have? The posted pic is a pre-64 Flightliner, which has a different frame design and tank attachment than a '65 Spaceliner. If you do, indeed, have a '65 Spaceliner, these pics of the rear frame tank tab will help you to Macgyver a fix. For reference...

When you have a bottle of Hendrick's Gin in your carrier, does it matter?

I wouldn't worry too much about swapping the fork. If you want to remain pure, you will need to fix the chain guard and the current fork anyway, and swap to an original saddle (chain guard should be chrome and the decal on the fork is wrong)...

The rarest model is is the one in pristine condition with all original parts. Those are really hard to come by. Not many have survived in good, unmolested, condition. I would guess the 64/65 deluxe versions are probably most difficult to find because they were 1) top of the line, and 2) made...

You can't find it in the serial number reference because it isn't a Spaceliner. I can't tell you for sure what it is, other than to say it's a Murray, but someone else no doubt can.

Thanks for that tip. When I saw Bronco on the handlebar stem, I assumed it was the brand of the stem not the bike. Good observation.

Apparently there were no manufacturer stampings, but the S/N on the bottom bracket is 0567 11090. I don't know whether any of that can help identify the manufacturer, or not.

Mexico... interesting. My friend who owns the bike spent several seasons in Mexico running bike tours and bought some vintage bikes while there. I'll ask him if that's where his is from. EDIT: He did bring it back from Mexico. The seat might be aftermarket. He doesn't know anything about...

Interesting. Odd that someone would go to so much effort to badge it as a Schwinn. It certainly has similarities to the Phoenix in your link.

A buddy of mine is putting this up for sale but doesn't know what the model name was (if any) or the year. I'm not a Schwinn guy (usually hang in the Middleweight forum giving advice on Spaceliners), so here I am to solicit opinions from the Schwinn experts about the year and model.

Nice find. The woman's is 64/65 vintage and the men's is 66-68 vintage, so they aren't really matching (if you want to get picky). They're both the bottom level Spaceliner and normally I would say not worth $500 for the pair, but because they are both in such good condition I think that price...

I can't tell you how many times I have put tools like these to use to recover errant bearings and other bits and pieces. Worth every cent. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TWD298G/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4

It took me a while to locate the catalog scans on one of my back-up drives. I have re-uploaded the scans to Mediafire as a single zip file that you can now download (the link in my original post has been updated). You can also download it directly from here. Just click on the green download...

Sorry for the delay. I didn't get notified about any of the recent posts. I'll look into it. EDIT: I just discovered that everything I have ever stored on Mediafire has been scrubbed. All the directories are empty. I'm going to need to rebuild my files.

That asking price is insane. What the heck are people thinking? It has the wrong tank decal on it as well, but it's easy enough to source the proper J.C. Higgins decal.

I'm looking for a good condition pair of men's Spaceliner pedals. Can be either the large single jewel or small triple jewel version with white & black treads, as long as it's from a men's bike (wider pedal than the women's version). Let me know what you have. Cheers, Brent

The third letter refers to the date of manufacture. If you search the forum you can find a reference for Murray date codes. "W" is the code for 1963. MOS is the code for 1960. The code for Sears bikes in the 60's was 502.

1964 through '68, actually (5 years).

MO = Murray of Ohio W = Year code (1963)

Check out this old post of mine, with pics, about ressurecting an extremely rusted chain. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/metal-rescue-has-anyone.28382/#post-148972

Nice. Nothing beats a new pair of 'shoes'. ;)

Nice bike. Call around to a few auto body shops and see if they can recommend a local company that can chrome plastic parts. Some body shops have the equipment, but if not they might be able to make a recommendation.

JC Higgins branding was dropped in 1964.

Nothing makes me happier than winning a vintage Molteni jersey autographed by the greatest cyclist of all time, Eddy Merckx.

Racing 'old school' on vintage steel.

Sure does. 'Stone age' suspension. I used to ride my Spaceliner on the fire roads of Marin County CA, well before the invention of the mountain bike.

You're correct, Rivnut. For the equivalent women's models, the fourth digit in the serial number is 1 greater than the men's model, so the deluxe women's 4617 model is equivalent to the deluxe men's model 4616. The same numbering convention applies to Spaceliners as well.

It's not uncommon for non-original (and wrong) parts to be swapped onto a vintage bike. In many cases a previous owner may have bought the bike with parts missing, and simply replaced them with what he could get his hands on. It looks as though, in addition to the chain guard being wrong, so...

Flightliner.

My guess (subject to further investigation) is 1964 when they switched over from JC Higgins to Sears branding and introduced the Spaceliner.... but that's a guess as I haven't looked into it. EDIT: Ed, I'm retracting my above comment. I came across the following post from someone with the...

Not a Spaceliner. The serial number is for a 1961 Flightliner. The seat, pedals and grips are non-original, as is the remnant of a light on the front fender. The chrome chain guard is also an aftermarket add-on (part 5299 from Sears for $0.97). Here's a link to get you started on your...

Wow... I've never known anyone who actually owns one of these. Nice!

That model (4690) was from the first year of Flightliner manufacture, and can be found in the 1959 Sears Catalog. The relevant description from the catalog is the following. 26" (wheel size) Boys' J.C. Higgins 'Fully Equipped' Flightliner Boys' models are red with dual headlights in the tank...

That's a beauty. Hope you can find a light for the rear rack.

Nicely done!

Too bad. I assumed the rear tire was an original Allstate. If it's not, the date coding I mentioned won't apply.