# Murray Date issue / Western Flyer



## jd56 (Dec 26, 2011)

Hope everyone got what they wanted, not necessarily what they needed, for Christmas.

My recent addition is this Western Flyer Sabre Flyer (wanted and needed for my addiction). Thanks Santa.

There is a lot of things wrong on this project but, to get the correct replacement parts I need to know what year I'm working with.
I'm having trouble dating the bike. It is obviously a Murray but, the serial number lists I have, is no help for the exact year. All research indicates there sould be a suffix letter after the MO. Of course the reasearch material I have only reaches the late 50's Murray's.
Does anyone have a clue on the 60's serial number system for these Murray's?
Serial on the dropout is *MO 28X10 627207*
*MO*....no suffix letter (Murray Ohio), *28X10*...* 28* (?) *X10* (Western Flyer),  *627207* (Western Auto Stock#... I assume)

I appreciate the help in advance.


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## jd56 (Dec 28, 2011)

*Dating help still needed.*

I've exhausted all my resource abilities trying to get an idea of the year on this Saber Flyer.
please someone direct me to a solution to this lingering question.
A later date listing for the 60's Murray's perhaps. Or a Western Flyer guru out there on the Cabe.
Guesses will even work for me at this point.
Someone locally looked at the bike and said he thought the tank wasn't correct.
Dang that's why I got the dang bike. 
Again thanks in advance.


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## Adamtinkerer (Dec 28, 2011)

I know, they changed their numbering sequences several times over the 60s. And Western Auto bikes are numbered differently from other Murrays. They also used MOR in both 1952 and 59. There's an old thread called the murray serial number project, which has a few useful pointers, though they were off on the earlier years. The "new" book that ABC services has reprinted is an actual Western Auto parts manual, but it only goes up to 1959. So you're kind of out of luck aside from yours being an early-mid 60s bike.


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## partsguy (Dec 28, 2011)

Well, my Western Flyer expertise is on the more rare, later models (1978-2001). But, I do know that IS a Murray tank...the difference is the headlight assembly and the dash panel. I'll have to have some close ups of those.

You have a really nice project here. I believe that tail light lense is original, and its very good that you have it. Finding an original will take years of searching.

As far as age, this looks to be 1960-1965. In 1966, Murray changed all the tanks on all the bikes to a more radical and extreme design. They were short lived, but they do catch my eye. Your best bet would be to find Western Auto catalogs of this era, which are very common.


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## jd56 (Dec 29, 2011)

Adam and classicfan, thanks.
I do have the serial number project listing and brian's date book. 
And the mid 60's are hard to pin down. Its good to know the tank could be correct.
My interest in these mid 60's tanklight bikes seems to always be a challenge to get the serial numbering system info narrowed down.
It seems I nearly always post questions rather than advice. One day I will have some answers to post.
 Always learning and can be sure that someone here on the cabe has direction.
 Again thanks for the Western Auto catalog search suggestion.
Its a shame the bike has been rattle canned.  Seeing the labels on the seat post would help me decipher the year im sure.
Any suggestions on cleaning the paint off these without damaging them? Wonder what oven cleaner would do to them?
Here is the only file picture of the tank at the moment. When taking the pictures I was ashamed to brag about the tank as the spraybombed red was so bad. A bit embarrassing to be honest.lenes The light lenses are missing and the switch on the top of  the tank is original. No dash on this tank. The one remaining label on the tank is a Western Flyer decal.


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## partsguy (Dec 29, 2011)

I forgot, sometimes the rear fender reflector sometimes has a number, I know I have one that does on my Spaceliner. I think mine reads "MO 63". I'm just guessing it means "Murray Ohio 1963" or just a coincidnce. I saw the logo and I though maybe the Golden Flyer, which was 1959 only. But, the rack is different and so are the lights. The Galaxy Flyer was a base model, which yours is clearly not. My next guess is the Western Flyer Sabre Flyer. It has the same tank, chaingaurd, and rack.


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## jd56 (Dec 29, 2011)

I'll try check the reflector. The chainguard says Saber Flyer so it should be a Sabre. Unless I've managed to pickup another frankenbike.  Hope not.
Thanks everyone for the help.


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## jd56 (Dec 30, 2011)

*Rear Reflector stamping*

Classicfan,
As you noted ..._I think mine reads "MO 63". I'm just guessing it means "Murray Ohio 1963"_
I checked my rear reflector on this Sabre Flyer and it's stamping on the chrome ring housing of the lens  is "MO-3". 
Wonder if this too indicates 1963. I would guess this stamping is a Murray Ohio part number for the lens assembly.

I'm baffled as to why with all the resources available, there is no listing for MO (and a dot). The "O" is a letter not a zero I'm sure of it.
The Murray serial number project indicates after 69' they dropped the "O" in the MO prefix and started adding a number. Prior to that and up to 65' the letter disignation was used...but there is no "O".

You got me....that's why I'm here picking everyone's brain.


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## jd56 (Jan 2, 2012)

*MO vs M0 / Plastic vs Metal Tanklight bezels*

Well I have torn my first bike apart since I was about 12. Hell that's 43 years ago.
After closer investigation on the prefix Murray serial number, it appears to be "M0" not "MO"....The date book doesnt list anything past 59' so the serial number project is my only resource, looks to be a 1970 Sabre Flyer.

The tank front bezel is metal rather than plastic. Hence the reason I thought it was early 60's.
I would think all Murray bike tanklight bezel were all constructed of chromed finish plastic after the mid 60's. At least that is what I'm finding on all the ads I've looked at.

Does anybody know when the manufacturers stopped using chromed poc metal?


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## cliffkennedy (May 8, 2013)

*Murray bike*

hi
 do you still have that 50's murray bike?

I need a few parts and will pay generous.

thanks
joe


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