# JC Higgins header bike



## t4man (Aug 24, 2010)

Can anyone tell when the JC Higgins bike with the header pictograph was made, maybe post some pics.

serial number is  174507
model number is   502   219
marked on bottom bracket

It is a little different than others i've seen, it has a red frame with white accents on the front, and a skiptooth sprocket , it is definetly original paint and everything matches perfectly, I am pretty sure its all original, I will post some pics later this evening.   
I put the red tires on, kinda liked the way they look.
I.ve seen this same chainguard on another JC Higgins before.


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## SKIDKINGSVBC (Aug 24, 2010)

I have a 1951 JC HIGGINS DELUXE.As far as I know this was the first year .Check the pics in the GALLERY for SIDKINGS BIKES .


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## ericbaker (Aug 24, 2010)

This is one that I had recently, no skip tooth/different chainring, different chainguard, different color scheme, no layback seatpost, diff seat.... I wish I knew more about mine, I figured it was early 50s, Id say yours is earlier given the skiptooth, but couldnt be much earlier because elgins were still being made into like 48 or something i think, i didnt think the skip tooth setups were being spec'd on bikes that late. figured Id post as a comparison if nothing else,


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## Adamtinkerer (Aug 25, 2010)

A few clarifications. 'MOD 502' is a Murray prefix for a built for Sears. The next number is usually the catalog #, which should be something like 4500. 219 doesn't seem to correspond to anything, but there are a few like that. MOS-K is more typical of a Murray badged bike, K may indicate 1954. I have the Elgin/JC Higgins/Hawthorne book, with old catalog pages. It first shows thost graphics in 1951, and also in the 52 and 53 pages. It likely was still made in 54, just not shown in the catalog. But your chainring is a Schwinn. It should have the typical Murray ring, with three rings of ovals. They were made in Skiptooth and 1/2" pitch. Ericbaker's bike has a Wald replacement chainring. It should have the 1/2 Murray ring.


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## t4man (Aug 25, 2010)

*higgins*

Adamtinkerer, thanks for th einfo. Can you show what my chainwheel should look like? Thanks again!


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## Adamtinkerer (Aug 26, 2010)

t4man said:


> Adamtinkerer, thanks for th einfo. Can you show what my chainwheel should look like? Thanks again!




Here's the newer 1/2" pitch version, the skip tooth has the same pattern.


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## 53Phantom (Aug 26, 2010)

That looks more like a parts bike to me.


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## 30thtbird (Sep 2, 2010)

Adam, you nailed it down pretty well. 
MOS = Murray of Ohio Supply
K = 1954
MOD = Model
502 = Sears
219 = catalog part number. (yes, could have had  another digit, but have seen 2 and 3 digit numbers before.)
Kenny.


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