# Custom Paint or all original? 1954? JC Higgins girls bicycle



## Drosentreter (Mar 22, 2022)

So here is my predicament. 1954 I believe JC Higgins. Was repainted about 8 times before I pulled it out of the weeds at my grandparents house(grandma bought it already painted over as yard art(I told her I’d be interested in buying it from them and she promptly gave it to me. Score lol). after stripping the overpaint, it wasn’t good enough to save, but I did discover that it was originally royal blue with JC HIGGINS on the chainguard, and I’m not sure what else for decals/pinstripes. I have the original wheels, chainring, rear fender, seat, and a stem like the original(more on that later). In my stupidity of younger years I torched the crank off as the pedal I needed off to get the BB apart was stripped(yes my younger years, I may only be 17 but I have learned plenty since I tore this one apart). I have a similar crank that will work just fine, and is close enough only the extremely serious collectors will notice and/or care. The OG pedals were completely junk and the handlebars were missing. So then of course in an attempt to get the stem off I twisted the bolt for the wedge off inside the stem. Whatever kinda crappy, no big deal. I’ll cut the stem off, drive the wedge and bolt out and find a replacement. Well another stupid moment and I cut through the stem bolt when I cut the stem, putting it flush with the top of the forks. I tried to drive it out, it bent over inside the fork. Now I have about 1/4 inch of cut off stem sticking out of the fork, completely froze up and no idea where to go from here. Soaked in PB blaster for a few years to no prevail, haven’t gotten a chance to try heating with the torch. So I suppose I have several questions. What year is it exactly? How should I go about removing what is left of the stem? The seat post is also stuck, any ideas? And then from there I’m trying to decide if it is worth enough where if I went to sell it if it would hurt the value tremendously if it wasn’t the original paint scheme. (Ignore the chainring in the picture, I know it is incorrect and for a 10 speed, I have the original, I was just messing around at one point and seeing how hard it would be to make a 10 speed.) Any and all help is greatly appreciated
Thanks, Dane


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## rustNspokes (Mar 26, 2022)

There should be a serial number on the bottom bracket that can be checked against the murray date code list floating around on this site.


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## Drosentreter (Mar 26, 2022)

Here’s the numbers. Do you happen to have the link to that thread?


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## rustNspokes (Mar 26, 2022)

Looks like MOTS-X. I think that would make it a 1958. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/murray-serial-number-info.130127/


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## Drosentreter (Mar 26, 2022)

rustNspokes said:


> Looks like MOTS-X. I think that would make it a 1958. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/murray-serial-number-info.130127/



Looks like. Thanks.


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## J-wagon (Mar 26, 2022)

Drosentreter said:


> How should I go about removing what is left of the stem?



Under fork if hole maybe use mallet and long rod or flathead screwdriver try knockout stem.


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## gkeep (Mar 26, 2022)

If they are stuck from rust I've had luck pouring some pines cleaner in with the frame upside down. If you took out the crank and drip some into the seat post and let soak a few days. Same with the stem and try to tap out from below. The pine oil cleaners generally have alcohol and a small amount of a corrosive base like potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide that may help break the rust bond. Not sure why it works but it did on forks I had been trying to free up for two weeks with all the other sprays, heat, etc. I used PB Blaster, Kroil, Liquid Wrench and WD-40 with nothing moving. Saw a reference to pine oil to break free rusted parts and fed some in. Next day put a broom handle between the forks, gave it a twist and presto change-o! Good luck!


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## bloo (Mar 27, 2022)

Drosentreter said:


> I cut through the stem bolt when I cut the stem, putting it flush with the top of the forks. I tried to drive it out, it bent over inside the fork. Now I have about 1/4 inch of cut off stem sticking out of the fork, completely froze up and no idea where to go from here.




Can you get a long drift punch beside whats left of the stem bolt and hammer the wedge down? Job 1 has gotta be to get that wedge down and loose, then you can worry about whether the piece of stem is still stuck or not. Cool project! Keep us posted.


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## Drosentreter (Mar 27, 2022)

J-wagon said:


> Under fork if hole maybe use mallet and long rod or flathead screwdriver try knockout stem.



Cant get to it that way sadly. Already tried that


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## Drosentreter (Mar 27, 2022)

bloo said:


> Can you get a long drift punch beside whats left of the stem bolt and hammer the wedge down? Job 1 has gotta be to get that wedge down and loose, then you can worry about whether the piece of stem is still stuck or not. Cool project! Keep us posted.



I’ve tried that but I’ll give it another shot and see what happens. Thanks!


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## razinhellcustomz (Jun 25, 2022)

Lo


Drosentreter said:


> So here is my predicament. 1954 I believe JC Higgins. Was repainted about 8 times before I pulled it out of the weeds at my grandparents house(grandma bought it already painted over as yard art(I told her I’d be interested in buying it from them and she promptly gave it to me. Score lol). after stripping the overpaint, it wasn’t good enough to save, but I did discover that it was originally royal blue with JC HIGGINS on the chainguard, and I’m not sure what else for decals/pinstripes. I have the original wheels, chainring, rear fender, seat, and a stem like the original(more on that later). In my stupidity of younger years I torched the crank off as the pedal I needed off to get the BB apart was stripped(yes my younger years, I may only be 17 but I have learned plenty since I tore this one apart). I have a similar crank that will work just fine, and is close enough only the extremely serious collectors will notice and/or care. The OG pedals were completely junk and the handlebars were missing. So then of course in an attempt to get the stem off I twisted the bolt for the wedge off inside the stem. Whatever kinda crappy, no big deal. I’ll cut the stem off, drive the wedge and bolt out and find a replacement. Well another stupid moment and I cut through the stem bolt when I cut the stem, putting it flush with the top of the forks. I tried to drive it out, it bent over inside the fork. Now I have about 1/4 inch of cut off stem sticking out of the fork, completely froze up and no idea where to go from here. Soaked in PB blaster for a few years to no prevail, haven’t gotten a chance to try heating with the torch. So I suppose I have several questions. What year is it exactly? How should I go about removing what is left of the stem? The seat post is also stuck, any ideas? And then from there I’m trying to decide if it is worth enough where if I went to sell it if it would hurt the value tremendously if it wasn’t the original paint scheme. (Ignore the chainring in the picture, I know it is incorrect and for a 10 speed, I have the original, I was just messing around at one point and seeing how hard it would be to make a 10 speed.) Any and all help is greatly appreciated
> Thanks, Dane
> 
> View attachment 1593561
> ...



Looks to be og paint as I have one that is close to the same frame... Good luck...


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## Freqman1 (Jun 25, 2022)

I’d do what you want with the bike. Value wise not much there so you aren’t going to hurt anything. I’d put a heat wrench on the stuck parts and start building. V/r Shawn


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