J C Higgins Ladies Jetfow fresh find

So I just got this one. I am not sure what year it is and I know it is missing the tank and headlight but the lady was the original owner and said it is original except for those (and the tires). She didn't know what her dad did with the tank and light after he took it off so she wouldn't dent it. I think the serial number reads: MO 502 454 (?) and 178226 maybe. Not sure what is stamped above the MO 502 454. Took it for a 20 ft ride before the skiptooth chain broke (it was lubed and freed before hand). Need a chain if anyone has one. Musselman rear hub. Please point out anything that doesn't look like it is original.

nice find,you should be able to find a tank for that,see them on e bay,the light might take a little time.good luck

Thanks Tech549. I am still not sure I believe it is original paint. There is some chrome showing through the white paint on the fenders.

I believe the jet flows came with chrome fenders

Above the 'MOD 502' (the code for Murray/Sears, sometimes the stamps are light on a digit) is MOTS-V, Murray code for '56-7, also the years the Jetflow was offered. Looks like the chrome fenders have been painted.

That looks like a pretty clean chain; I'm surprised a link broke. I would just find a replacement link and slop two new pins in instead of trashing it. I'm pretty sure I have some NOS skip links. You can use a bench vise to press them most of the way in and a chain breaker to finish it off. Better than spending 50$ on a different chain.

jpromo said:

That looks like a pretty clean chain; I'm surprised a link broke. I would just find a replacement link and slop two new pins in instead of trashing it. I'm pretty sure I have some NOS skip links. You can use a bench vise to press them most of the way in and a chain breaker to finish it off. Better than spending 50$ on a different chain.

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Well my problem is I didn't just break one link. I broke two and found cracks in two more. I am thinking at some point someone heated the chain maybe the way those areas looked after I put them under the magnifier to look at the ones that cracked. Can you post pictures of the NOS skip links you have? I may decide to go that route if only those few are bad (I haven't had time to inspect the rest). I'm not totally trashing this one either way because I have another '47 Higgins with skiptooth as well. I just haven't put the chain back on it either, but not willing to chance breaking it until I personally take the rear hub apart on this one and make sure everything is good. Thanks to Rustjunkie I have the diagram still from the last time.

I also took a really good look at the fenders and they do look like chrome under the white paint. I also read the 1956 Sears Christmas Wishbook page and it described the paint as a royal blue and pastel blue. So I looked at the places the paint has rubbed off a little and sure enough there looks like a darker blue underneath as well as some red paint on the ends of the front fork. I am betting originally it had the two tone blue paint job with about 4-5 inches of the front fork painted red. I know I have seen one with that color scheme before too. Either way it is a project for sure.