# Vanguard vs. Fleetwood



## conradpdx (Jul 15, 2012)

Hello, my first post here.  Last night I bought a Murray Vanguard.  The serial numbers (on bottom bracket MOR224 X51 then below them 211168) make it a 1959.  But I'm kinda being thrown for a loop.  Looking at the catalogs on line it looks a lot like the Meteor from the 1959 catalog with the fender light and rear rack light.  It also has a horn in the all chrome tank.  But not only is the tank all chrome, the delta hawk front light is chrome topped.  The chain guard reads Vanguard, and it too is mostly chrome, with the lettering and decals being red and white.  The bike it's self is painted black from the factory not red like all the other boys bikes from this year other than the Fleetwood.  

So the bike appears to be Vanguard, however the Vanguard model doesn't seem to exist in the catalogs in that time frame.  But I do see Fleetwoods.

Just curious if anyone knows anything more about the Vanguards from that time period.

A couple pics with more to come.










Any help would be appreciated.


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## conradpdx (Jul 24, 2012)

More and better pics.

























Doing my research online I'm thinking it might be a Franken Fleetwood.  But I'm still not sure,  I did find an ad on ebay about the same year that featured an all chrome tank but it had the 2 lens headlight coming off the tank.  All I know is that it's definitely a Murray and more importantly my wife likes it. 

Everything looks likes it will work with a little work.  Horn and lights seem salvageable, no corrosion but rusty.  All that seems to be missing is the front light lens.  Things that I suspect aren't original are the pedals and the grips and perhaps the chain guard.  I did replace the tires and tubes and put a 20 tooth gear ring on the hub to make it easier for my wife who doesn't ride often to make up some of the smaller hills round here.


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## partsguy (Jul 25, 2012)

Did you consider looking in 1960 ads? Maybe it was built very late in 1959 for the new 1960 models. Just a theory.


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## conradpdx (Jul 25, 2012)

classicfan1 said:


> Did you consider looking in 1960 ads? Maybe it was built very late in 1959 for the new 1960 models. Just a theory.




Yeah I've looked at all I could find on Google/ebay/catalog sites and haven't seen anything about a Murray Vanguard from say about 55-65.  All the options fit the 59 year, it was even I believe in one catalog the year this style of chain guard was introduced.  Not sure I even really need the answers, mostly just a curiosity thing, my wife likes it and wants me to restore it for her.  But I've always liked finding out the history and all of that.  That and looking through all the catalogs and ads online I can find, I've yet to have seen a Delta Hawk lamp like this one offered anywhere too.  My guess is that it might have been a small store brand or limited edition if it came from the factory this way.  But really a bike this old miss matched parts are more the norm than the exception.

The most curious thing for me is the tank and the lack of a badge.  Especially since the rivets for it are still intact but not loose.  I'm wondering if they were some sort of attachment for a tank light.  But they don't appear to be threaded, perhaps I need to look closer.  I am excited that all the componets are metal and chrome though that means more questions and money rebuilding it.

BTW..are the second set of pics available to see on your end.  I ran into a problem on Bikeforums  where the pics didn't come through for some reason.


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## Pipo CoCson (Aug 22, 2012)

*Maybe this will help you sir*

http://murrayeliminatormusclebikes.yuku.com/search/topic/topic/9#.UDS7OWthiSM


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