# Early Post War JC Higgins



## ohdeebee (Nov 22, 2010)

Looking for a correct rear rack and spring fork if anyone has any for sale.


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## RMS37 (Nov 22, 2010)

This bike is one of the early Westfield produced J.C. Higgins. You can use the serial number to date the bike on the Mr. Columbia website. It is likely that the frame predates the introduction of the Westfield/Columbia spring fork which means that there is no correct springer for this bike, it would only have been available with the standard Westfield fork it has.


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## ohdeebee (Nov 22, 2010)

RMS37 said:


> This bike is one of the early Westfield produced J.C. Higgins. You can use the serial number to date the bike on the Mr. Columbia website. It is likely that the frame predates the introduction of the Westfield/Columbia spring fork which means that there is no correct springer for this bike, it would only have been available with the standard Westfield fork it has.




Tha'ts kind of a bummer. A springer would really dress this bike up nicely. Still searching for a rack


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## Schwinndemonium (Dec 7, 2010)

That's cool!! The bike I got  was given to me for free in 2005. All the original sheet metal is still there. The handlebars, both rear reflectors, grips, seat, fender light, and truss rods were missing. Since at the time I could not find a complete example, showing what the missing parts should look like, I guessed what the period correct parts should look like. Here are some pics. In the serial number, the letter prefix is an "L", making it a 1947 model year. I have a thread on the Schwinn Bike Forum on this bike. It's called "1947 Westfield built J.C. Higgins". I believe also there is a thread I put somewhere on this forum last year on these rare postwar bikes.

Jim.


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## militarymonark (Dec 7, 2010)

instead of a springer you could use a stewart werner floating hub


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## ohdeebee (Dec 7, 2010)

Your pictures are a lot of help! Would you mind posting some more pics of the rear rack? Thats really the only piece I need to find. If I had a SW floating hub I'd put it on my Twin 20, not the Higgins. ..


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## Schwinndemonium (Dec 7, 2010)

I'll try. The bike,right now,is in deep storage in my basement, and it would take some time to dig it out. But for now, here are two more pictures of the bike from that same film camera photo session from July of 2005. When I get more pics of the thing, they will be taken with my relatively new digital camera,now, but like I said, it will probably take some time. I do intend to do some limited restorative work to the thing in the not so distant future, as this non-Schwinn bike has great looks to it.

Jim.


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## ohdeebee (Dec 7, 2010)

No hurry. I think this is such a great looking bike also. When I first got it, it had middleweight tires and no lights, but adding big whitewalls and some lights really adds a lot of character. I think the tank has a really nice shape to it also the way just gently slopes down toward the rear.


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## Schwinndemonium (Dec 10, 2010)

*New digital pictures of Ol' '47.*

Here are some rack detail pictures, as promised...

Jim.


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## Schwinndemonium (Dec 10, 2010)

*More rack pics.*

Here's more rack pictures!

Jim.


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## Schwinndemonium (Dec 10, 2010)

*And here are more new pictures of the whole bicycle.*

Fresh off the digital press! I just took these pictures about an hour ago.

Jim.


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## Schwinndemonium (Dec 10, 2010)

*A Few more.*

Hope these pictures are more help than those old film pictures, Ohdeebee. It shows  just how rough and ready this ol' bike is, but it is plain to see that the paint is all original.

Jim.


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## ohdeebee (Dec 10, 2010)

Nice rack! Really though, thanks for the pics. The search is on for a rack!


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