# What Murray do I have?



## Terri (Jul 5, 2017)

I'd like to know more about my bike.  I bought is second-hand about 25 years ago. Over the years, I've replaced the wheels, pedals, seat and handlebars.  I think it's a Murray because of the "502" in the serial number and would be interested in knowing more about when it was built.  The serial numbers are 502 46160 805313.  Any help would be appreciated.


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## partsguy (Jul 5, 2017)

Sears Spaceliner.


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## rhenning (Jul 5, 2017)

It is a Sears sold bike (502) but was buiilt for Sears by Murray.  Roger


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## Terri (Jul 5, 2017)

Thanks!  I thought it might be a Sears Spaceliner, but it doesn't have the "tank".  I guess it was removed.


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## falcondave (Jul 5, 2017)

Just picked one up recently. Sears Flightliner.


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## Adamtinkerer (Jul 8, 2017)

'61-63 Sears JC Higgins Flightliner, missing it's tank, rack, and fenders. It was replaced as top of the line model by the Spaceliner, which has a different style frame.


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## Terri (Jul 8, 2017)

Very helpful - thanks!


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## BrentP (Jul 9, 2017)

Not a Spaceliner.  As Adamtinkerer said, it's a Flightliner (J.C. Higgins by Sears, built under contract by Murray), which pre-dates the Spaceliner.  1963 was the last year of the Flightliner.


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## The K-CODE Kid (Jul 9, 2017)

1961 J.C. Higgins Flightliner -


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## kwoodyh (Nov 22, 2017)

Very cool bike and it appears you have it set up to ride,I've seen that style of springer fork on 20" bikes but I think this is the first one on a 26"! But now that I've said that I'll start seeing them everywhere! I'm guessing the "Flightliner" was a bike to reflect the jet age and discontinued after 63 and JFK's announced moon shot before the end of the 60's, you have to admire the marketing team for being on top of their game and moving on to the space race!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Rivnut (Jun 27, 2019)

Brent resurrected this thread in another thread asking a similar question. My question pertains to the pictures that K-CODE KID posted of his 1961 Flightliner with the model number 4616.  I have a similar girl's bike with model number 4617.  I'm thinking that they're both from the same year and the one digit difference between models differentiates the boy's model from the girl's model.  Am I correct or is something just coincedental?

Thanks, Ed


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## Allrounderco (Jun 27, 2019)

Cool Flightliner. I think it looks great how you have it set up. Clean and simple.


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## wheelbender6 (Jun 28, 2019)

That's a great Flightliner. I made mine into a banana seat bike  since it had 24in wheels and the tank and rack were missing.


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## Rivnut (Jun 28, 2019)

Thanks,  just got it. The only thing that I've done is to take an SOS pad and some alunimum foil f9lded into a pad and wetted to remove some 9f the surface rust.  I need to finish a couple of other bikes before i get really serious attacking the rust in all the crevices, repaint the tank and rack, and put a good set of tires 9n it.  Anyone know of the whereabouts for a tail light assembly for this model.  I also need a battery tray.


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## BrentP (Jul 21, 2019)

Rivnut said:


> Brent resurrected this thread in another thread asking a similar question. My question pertains to the pictures that K-CODE KID posted of his 1961 Flightliner with the model number 4616.  I have a similar girl's bike with model number 4617.  I'm thinking that they're both from the same year and the one digit difference between models differentiates the boy's model from the girl's model.  Am I correct or is something just coincedental?
> 
> Thanks, Ed
> 
> View attachment 1021728



You're correct, Rivnut.  For the equivalent women's models, the fourth digit in the serial number is 1 greater than the men's model, so the deluxe women's 4617 model is equivalent to the deluxe men's model 4616.  The same numbering convention applies to Spaceliners as well.


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## Chuck S (Jul 21, 2019)

So does that springer fork really work?


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## Rivnut (Jul 21, 2019)

BrentP said:


> You're correct, Rivnut.  For the equivalent women's models, the fourth digit in the serial number is 1 greater than the men's model, so the deluxe women's 4617 model is equivalent to the deluxe men's model 4616.  The same numbering convention applies to Spaceliners as well.



Thanks.  Every once in a while there seems to be some order in the universe.


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## BrentP (Jul 21, 2019)

Chuck S said:


> So does that springer fork really work?



Sure does.  'Stone age' suspension.  I used to ride my Spaceliner on the fire roads of Marin County CA, well before the invention of the mountain bike.


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