# Western Flyer Bike Identification



## Fred Plummer (Apr 28, 2017)

My friend and I are working on a Western Flyer Bike.  On the chain guard it says "Fire Flight".  It's a girls bike.  The numbers on the bottom bracket are as follows:
35 73 0
MOTX
2053
Can anybody tell me anything about this bike?  Thanks!

Fred


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## partsguy (Apr 28, 2017)

That sounds like a Murray-built bike. Murray built bicycles for all of the major department stores.

Got pics of this? Never heard of a Fire Flite before.


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## Fred Plummer (Apr 28, 2017)

partsguy said:


> That sounds like a Murray-built bike. Murray built bicycles for all of the major department stores.
> 
> Got pics of this? Never heard of a Fire Flite before.




My friend got it from an older lady who said they bought it new in 1961 (she thought).


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## partsguy (Apr 28, 2017)

That is DEFINITELY Murray-built for Western Auto. Western Auto was the store that sold Western Flyer bicycles.

"Fire Flite" is also the name of a Desoto car model. It was not uncommon to see bicycles named after cars. I have a Huffy Avanti, which was a Studebaker made in 1962-63. There is also the Schwinn Corvette, Schwinn Jaguar, Schwinn Stingray, Huffy Eldorado, Huffy Belair, Murray / Western Flyer Wildcat, Belknap / Monark T-Bird, and countless others.

I would have to dig through the Murray serial number charts to pin down the year, but 1961 sounds about right for this style of bike. The handlebars, seat, basket, and cup holder are not original, but are recent add-ons.


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## partsguy (Apr 28, 2017)

Here is a 1960 Desoto Fireflite. The Desoto division of Chrysler was axed after 1961. Your bike could not be any newer than 1961 (think about it - would YOU name a brand new bike after a defunct car brand?)


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## Fred Plummer (Apr 28, 2017)

partsguy said:


> That is DEFINITELY Murray-built for Western Auto. Western Auto was the store that sold Western Flyer bicycles.
> 
> "Fire Flite" is also the name of a Desoto car model. It was not uncommon to see bicycles named after cars. I have a Huffy Avanti, which was a Studebaker made in 1962-63. There is also the Schwinn Corvette, Schwinn Jaguar, Schwinn Stingray, Huffy Eldorado, Huffy Belair, Murray / Western Flyer Wildcat, Belknap / Monark T-Bird, and countless others.
> 
> I would have to dig through the Murray serial number charts to pin down the year, but 1961 sounds about right for this style of bike. The handlebars, seat, basket, and cup holder are not original, but are recent add-ons.




Parts guy, you are amazing!  Thank you so much for your help!


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## Adamtinkerer (Apr 28, 2017)

1958 by my list.


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