# Can't identify bike found @ Grandma's HELP!



## AshlieRose (Mar 19, 2010)

I found this bike in my grandma's back yard and she said it had been there for about 25 yrs. It said Lancer on it and the serial numbers read: MW 55X6 292980. I have searched and searched and cannot find what kind of bike it is. If there is any direction you could point me in I would GREATLY appreciate it. Not worried about it being valuable since it's sentimental value is priceless to me, just wanted to know more about the bike. Thx a bunch


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Mar 19, 2010)

I think it is a version of a ladies Spaceliner.  Murray made the Spaceliner for Sears, but also sold the same bike with different names.  Here is a link to a picture of what it would look like if you found a tank for it.
http://www.nostalgic.net/arc/bicycles/spaceliner girls.jpg


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## AshlieRose (Mar 19, 2010)

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH.. You are the coolest person in the whole world.. I am screaming YAY!!!!


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Mar 19, 2010)

Here is my boys version, they are awesome bikes.


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## AshlieRose (Mar 19, 2010)

Here is what my fiance and I have done with the bike. It's not perfectly accurate but I love it and I ride it alll the time. I want to find the headlight though and maybe make some adjustments now that I know what it is. Howie from howiebikeman.com confirmed what you said and I am super excited!!! This is what he said:The bike was manufactured by Murray Ohio Mfg Co of Lawrenceburg, TN. If the headbadge (most likely a decal and probably faded) is LANCER it was produced by Murray for a company that sold Lancer bicycles. It is a girls 26 x 1.75 tire bike and it may have had a decorative tank as you can see the tank mounting bracket welded onto the head tube.However it may not have ever had a tank but the spec of the bike was based upon another Murray model which did have a tank. The parts on the bike appear to be all original. .. Yay!! He was so friendly and helpful!


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## DonChristie (Mar 19, 2010)

Nice save AND restore!!! Ashlie, it is a rare bird who appreciates old classics and will fix them up...I..I...think I love you! lol


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## AshlieRose (Mar 19, 2010)

It is such an amazing bike and I enjoy every ride I go on!!


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Mar 19, 2010)

The  tank/headlight wraps around the head tube so there is no badge or decal.  The bracket welded onto the back of the headtube is for hanging the tank.  Ladies tanks and headlight assemblies show up here and on Ebay pretty often and are not too expensive.  You guys could get a beater pretty cheap, paint it to match the bike and even rewire the lights pretty easily to run LEDs, it would be a pretty neat ride.  Not that it isn't now.


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## AshlieRose (Mar 19, 2010)

Great ideas Strings.. I will for sure do that.. I didn't know what kind of bike it was and couldn't begin to know what to do to make it more authentic..  but I sure do now and I can't wait to get started again  Now another tricky question... Does anyone have an idea at what year it may be? Looking around it doesn't seem like there is a list for Murray Serial Numbers


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Mar 19, 2010)

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Bicycle-Repair-1824/f/Murray-Bicycles.htm


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## AshlieRose (Mar 19, 2010)

The link wouldn't worl.. sometimes my mac is a pain with Safari and doesn't want to open certain pages...


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## Strings-n-Spokes (Mar 19, 2010)

I'll cut and paste, hope Kenny doesn't mind.

30thtbird(Kenny) wrote at 2010-01-31 12:38:32
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 or V = 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 = Flying O (Otasco-Oklahoma Tire and Supply Company) 
X7 = BF Goodrich 
X10 = Westernflyer (Western Auto) 
X12 = All Pro (Kmart) 
X13 = Murray 
X18 = Hiawatha (Gambles) 
X25 = Foremost (JC Penneys) 
X28 = ? 
X32 = Parkleigh 
X34 = Liberty (Chicago Cycle Supply Company) 
X35 = Liberty (Chicago Cycle Supply Company) 
X36 = Liberty (Chicago Cycle Supply Company) 
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 
X97 = Murray


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## AshlieRose (Mar 19, 2010)

Thank you sooo much, you really are simply AMAZING. You have no idea how much I appreciate all of your help, I have had a huge grin on my face all morning  From what I gather from the post above and the serial number being MW 55X6 is that it's either a 55, 56 or 63 lol .. I'll keep looking into. Really Cool! Thanks again!


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## AshlieRose (Mar 19, 2010)

Just found this on nostalgic.net under 1963 Murray Catalog.. I believe that W-55 is my bike.. YAY Which would make it a 1963 Murray Solar Flite .. Hooray we figured it out guys.. Thanks so much for all of your help!


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## Adamtinkerer (Mar 19, 2010)

Ashlie, this style frame first came out in 1958. They used this same ladies frame thru the late 60s, along with a simpler version where the twin top tubes end at the seat tube. They were made for many different dept. and auto parts stores! Diffiicult to pin down, since the numbers don't always match up to the lists! But, with that particular chainguard, I'd think 62-65ish. Great save of a cool old bike!


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