# please help me date a murray with the serial number



## treepainter (Nov 7, 2011)

I found this bike but not sure of the date of production or where.  I know it's a Murray but thats all.


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## elginkid (Nov 7, 2011)

Looks like early to mid 60s.


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## bikerdenis (Nov 7, 2011)

1977 !
------------------------------------- 
Here are the serial number for  Murray cycles

1.	Murray serial number project. 
Needed to do this for a while, so here is what I have figured out so far. There has been many people along the way that has contributed and a few that has helped set me straight. hahaah.

I don't know how far back this goes , but I know that Murray used a single letter to represent the year since at least 1949. Most of these bikes up until the early 60's had the serial number stamped on the bottom of the bottom bracket. I have seen the letters MOS stamped on most of these. I ASSUME that they stand for Murray of Ohio Supply. This is usually followed by a - and a single letter. That letter will be the year code. After the year code will be a 2 or 3 digit number that stands for the model number. This excludes bikes built for Sears and Gambles(Hiawatha). Sears bikes had a 502 and Gambles bikes had a WG or a WG and a single digit. Sears bikes then had a 2 - 5 digit number afterwards that stood as the model number and was actually used in there catalogs as the part number. Gambles Hiawathas were the same way. 

F = 49
G = 50
H = 51
I = 52
J = 53
K = 54
L = 55
M = 56
N = 57
P = 58
R = 59
S = 60
T = 61 
U = 62
W = 63
X = 64
Y = 65

In 65 they were changing there serial number style and by then they were on the left rear dropout. Some 65 bikes had an MO5 which stood for Murray of Ohio 1965. After these 3 digits was a 2 or 3 digit model number followed by and X and a 1 or 2 digit number that I will discuss momentarily.
MO5 = 65
MO6 = 66
MO7 = 67 
MO8 = 68
In 69, they changed the layout yet again. They dropped the O. They also went to a 4 digit model number.
M9 = 69
M0 = 70
and so on.
This is what I have so far on the X numbers. We need to add to the list as more show up. Ron and I were talking about these numbers recently. We figure that a customer had to order a minimum number of bikes per order to have there own X number. If they didn't order a minimum number of bikes, they possibly shared an X number with a Murray badged bike. Kenny. 
X6 or X6? = Otasco 
X7 = BF Goodrich 
X10 = Westernflyer (Western Auto) 
X12 = All Pro (Kmart) 
X13 = Murray 
X18 = Hiawatha (Gambles) 
X25 = Foremost (JC Penneys) 
X28 = ? 
X43 = Murray 
X55 = Murray 
X67 = Sportscrest 
X69 = Special for 1969 (in 69 only, could have been used other years as a different meaning) 
X70 = Special for 1970 (in 70 only, could have been used other years as a different meaning) 
X71 = Sportscrest (?) Also Special for 1971 (in 71 only,could have been used other years as different meaning) 
X81 = Murray 
X82 = Murray 
X83 = Might actually be a Sears number?????? 
X84 = Murray 

THAT'S ALL I KNOW FRIENDS


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## RMS37 (Nov 7, 2011)

Bikerdenis. The list you posted is from another thread on this site (but you may have found it out in the ether somewhere else.) I have not explored the post 1960 information for it's veracity but the information regarding serial numbers prior to 1959 does not seem to line up with dates for bicycles in the real world. I have been working the early end of this chain for a while and believe I can currently align most of the letters to years within one letter shift. I'm trying to get a bit more data before I publish a list that can replace the one currently keep popping up.


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## ABC Services (Nov 7, 2011)

*bike dating*

I will be running copys of the book I have. has Murray Ohio Serial Numbers 37' - 59' , along with many other makes


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## RMS37 (Nov 7, 2011)

ABC Services said:


> I will be running copys of the book I have. has Murray Ohio Serial Numbers 37' - 59' , along with many other makes




That will help finally put the old non-functioning list to rest. With your book's list coming to press soon I’ll note that my stab in the dark puts “J” equal to 1944 or 1945. Building upward from J equal to 1944, then P would equal 1950 which you posted earlier in answer to someone’s question…if all the letters were used and were used in sequence. 

For prewar products it would be likely that the sequencing could have started with A=1936 or 1937 as Murray-Ohio began building bicycles in 1936 but those were considered the early production of the 1937 line. With an unbroken chain beginning at A=1936 then J would equal 1945, one year off of the other reading but still generally in line with the bicycles and features I have recorded. 

It seems possible that I and or O (or other letters) may have been omitted from the sequencing so I was still looking for enough examples and unrecorded letters to see how it would work out. I have plenty of other project to work on, many involving these same bicycles, so I’m very much looking forward to seeing what your list reveals!


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## ABC Services (Nov 7, 2011)

*date*



RMS37 said:


> That will help finally put the old non-functioning list to rest. With your book's list coming to press soon I’ll note that my stab in the dark puts “J” equal to 1944 or 1945. Building upward from J equal to 1944, then P would equal 1950 which you posted earlier in answer to someone’s question…if all the letters were used and were used in sequence.




yes J = 1945


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## RLS (Jun 4, 2018)

So, in the odd circumstances, what would a hand stamped suspected Murray number such as.....
*M0 R210
  21699*
Indicate?


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## Eduardo ambriz (Jul 16, 2018)

Me pueden orientar con el año de fabricación # de serie M065020 38


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## Freqman1 (Jul 16, 2018)

What did he done say?


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## Eduardo ambriz (Jul 16, 2018)

No puedo encontrar nada sobre Murray monterey solo se que es Murray por sus calcamonias originales
Venían igual a esa imagen no es mi bicicleta está la saque del internet


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## Adamtinkerer (Jul 21, 2018)

RLS said:


> So, in the odd circumstances, what would a hand stamped suspected Murray number such as.....
> *M0 R210
> 21699*
> Indicate?







Could be '52, but we'd need to see the bike. This is the list from ABC services' book, a reprint of a '59 Western Auto bike parts catalog.


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## Adamtinkerer (Jul 21, 2018)

Eduardo ambriz said:


> No puedo encontrar nada sobre Murray monterey solo se que es Murray por sus calcamonias originales
> Venían igual a esa imagen no es mi bicicleta está la saque del internet
> 
> View attachment 839518



Late 1970s-early'80s. Worth about $50 US.


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## Eduardo ambriz (Jul 21, 2018)

Mi bicicleta cuenta con dos números diferentes uno de ellos es 
P4026504 y del otro lado del telescopio tiene el número M065020 38


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## Archie Sturmer (Jul 22, 2018)

The tree painter's black X77 space bike with a tank looks to be later 1960's frame design, when the cantilevers were moved outward a bit.
Not sure when the space bike designs were eventually discontinued (1977?).


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## Eduardo ambriz (Jul 22, 2018)

Archie Sturmer said:


> The tree painter's black X77 space bike with a tank looks to be later 1960's frame design, when the cantilevers were moved outward a bit.
> Not sure when the space bike designs were eventually discontinued (1977?).



Y entonces qué año será mi bicicleta


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## Archie Sturmer (Jul 22, 2018)

No sabo - al biko roja.  If Murray used Wald parts, in the 1980's or later (despues de), then the gooseneck stem might have (tiene) a stamped date (dia) code.


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## Freqman1 (Jul 23, 2018)

Eduardo ambriz said:


> Y entonces qué año será mi bicicleta
> 
> View attachment 842234



What did he done said?


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## Gman007 (Jun 12, 2020)

I have just received an older Murray Monterey bike today and not clear what year for sure. Ser# B2303765, and what is it worth?


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