# My Flightliner



## Travis

I've been working on this bike during the past year... just wanted a sweet bike to ride on campus (I'm a prof) that wasn't the same old mountain bike. Not a real resto, but built just how I wanted. Frame is powdercoated, but I'd definitely go paint next time. Currently rewiring the tank with LED headlights, and trying to find someone to recover that saddle-- i'd like to keep the saddle since its frame has also been powdercoated to match.

I love the wheels, but they sure weigh a ton! Now i know why the lowrider guys ride so slow on their bikes.


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## Big Fat Whitewalls

WOW, that's nice. I'm not sure I'm digging the wheels. The picture makes them look like an old Peter Max poster from the 70's. Glad I didn't do any hulucinating type drugs. It needs some white pinstripes. You could recover the seat yourself, its not hard. You can do it without any sewing. A hair dryer and some spray glue is all you need. Dean


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## cheveatter

Great looking ride! I like the wheels on it! Seeing them on your bike i think i will put a set on my Sonic Flyer !     Del


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## mre1987

*nice bike*

nice looking bike..hmm why wont you go with pcoating again..?..saddle looks good as it..wish mine was like that.


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## Travis

Well, maybe if I found another P-coater... the color is candy Lollipop Red, but is really inconsistent. The fenders aren't as dark and full as the other parts, especially the rack and chainguard. Also, there are thin areas on the frame that look pink as a result.

I'm recovering the seat, because the old faux-leather is now brittle, and the white edge has left the building.


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## Strings-n-Spokes

super fantastic Travis
It looks great even w/out the tank
for some reason I think the seat looks great too.
There is a member that restores saddles
Usually older stuff, but he does a really nice job.
I have been looking through old threads but can't find his name.      

I'll keep lookinkg for it tho


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## pedal alley

i like the wheels,
on a hot day..
go fast,
those fans will
cool ya down.
agree w/pinstripes.
seat would be sweet
with white/glitter
boat seat material.
i might have some.


on oldroads theres
a step-by-step for
recover.


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## Travis

You guys have a ballpark of pinstriping costs for an average job? Doesn't have to be fancy... also, the seat doesn't have the two sandwiched pans... there's leather underneath, too (actually a thick, paper-like faux-leather whose name escapes me). So it seemed out of my reach.. it's currently being recovered by a local guy who makes custom horse saddles and motorcycle saddles.


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## pedal alley

*pinstripes*

around here $50.00
looking forward to
seeing a pic. of the 
recovered saddle.


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## biggguy

First new bike my parents ever gave me was a 1964 Flightliner....loved it to death (Murray sure made a good bicycle!) until somebody cut the chain lock and helped themselves to it.....although, I must admit that a co-worker of my father's gave me his son's old bike- a 1962 Schwinn Jaguar in absolutely mint condition (3 speeds and handbrake model) and the beloved Flightliner was soon forgotten...

Remembrances done- why the boring monochrome paint job? I remember my Flightliner as being candy apple red with a white tank and trim and gobs of chrome- not quite as flashy as a Spaceliner, but more than flashy enough (bike that the Flightliner replaced was a plain red Rollfast with virtually no chrome and white painted wheels).

Why not write off your powder-coat job to experience- and put that Flightliner the way it used to be- or close to?  There are enough of these old Murray built kids around so getting parts that would be close enough to original shouldn't be too tough, and there's enough pictures around to give you a guide as to how to paint it.

Even though you may thing that I'm blowing smoke up your a## about the paint- one thing you gotta do is get rid of those wheels- they make the bike look like some sort of rat rod. Just get yourself a pair of stock 26 X 1.75 rims-and they are everywhere- and off you go! One suggestion though- as those beasts are heavy- you might want to consider lacing a "kickback" 2 speed Bendix or a 3 speed Sturmey Archer TCW "Tri-Coaster" into the rear wheel- your legs will thank you, believe me!

My two cents expended...


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## Travis

I wasn't interested in restoring the bike... I made it the way I wanted it. The white tank is coming, but I made the bike I wanted to ride. I figured there were enough stock Flightliners around... if this were a more rare bike I'd have thought otherwise.

And I love rat rod bikes as much I love the restos I see on this site.


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## MartyW

Great Job on the bike and that is a fantastic picture.

I've powder coated a few bikes that I use for riders I really like the durability of it and afer a few rides you will not be able to notice the slight shade differences once it gets a little dust and grime on it.


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## pedal alley

travis, have you gotten the saddle back yet ?
i would like to see a photo with the recovering.
also,maybe you could find someone on campus
(art student) whom would be glad to do some
chaingaurd lettering, & some pinstripes.looking
forward to viewing photos w/tank aswell. nice ride.


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## Travis

I won't get my saddle back for a few more weeks... the guy who's recovering had a few jobs lined up already. 

I don't think I'll have the art kids on campus do the pinstriping or lettering... I teach art & I know better than to let them loose on it. Instead, I know of some really talented kids in the auto repair program (holdover from our community college days) who could lay down some nice stripes.


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## pedal alley

Travis said:


> I won't get my saddle back for a few more weeks... the guy who's recovering had a few jobs lined up already.
> 
> I don't think I'll have the art kids on campus do the pinstriping or lettering... I teach art & I know better than to let them loose on it. Instead, I know of some really talented kids in the auto repair program (holdover from our community college days) who could lay down some nice stripes.





yes, they may seek revenge .
as a music & art tutor ,myself.
i know how students can be.LOL.
also, i'm shocked that you would
out source even the saddle recovering,
you should atleast do the lettering/stripes
yourself. thats what makes the bicycle yours.
anybody can hire work done. how much are
those wheels anyway ? i'd like to get a pair
to pimp - out my huffy.


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## Travis

*Tank and headlight Photos*

Tank is finally on! Not finished with it, though. Headlights are 42 LED lights of blazing awesomeness. I plan to have some kind of accent on the tank sides... still deciding. I have vector artwork prepped if I want to add the JC Higgins logo, but I don't plan to add the Flightliner logo at all. The aluminum strip on top of the tank above the headlights was not salvageable. Still trying to decided how to handle that...


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## wave1960

*Very cool*

How did you construct the headlights?


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## Travis

Very easy... I cheated, totally. I bought 2 of these off ebay:






Cut off the heads with my Dremel tool, and used the original connector that held the old bulbs and reflectors in place. I bought a new 3-C battery tray, since it changed from 3V to 4.5V, and rewired it. The flashlight heads were just shy of being a perfect fit, but I added foam tape around the heads to bulk them up so they'd fit snug. Only problem is, the bezel set screws hit that foam, and moved the heads just out of perfect alignment. I can live with it for now, until I can have custom faces made somehow.


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## metroman

Now that bike has a ton of class!  Youre sure to stand out in a sea of mountain bikes on campus.


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## mastronaut

Really nice job on the lights!  Any updates? How did the seat come out?
Did you decide to stripe it? Curious is all....peace


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## Strings-n-Spokes

:eek: Oh My Resto-Mod


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## mastronaut

Strings-n-Spokes said:


> :eek: Oh My Resto-Mod




What's your point?


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## Strings-n-Spokes

Sorry, Travis I like your bike I think it is nice.


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## pedal alley

mastronaut said:


> Really nice job on the lights!  Any updates? How did the seat come out?
> Did you decide to stripe it? Curious is all....peace




glad you bump'd this up mark.
i'd enjoy an update also.


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## Travis

The seat recover was horrible... it looked like Frankenstein. I decided to fit a new seat on it, until I can do the seat up right. I haven't striped it yet, but that may be in the future. I'm sitting on a new rear rack with a taillight (the large single light, not the double round lights), but I haven't added that, either. Here's what it looks like these days. I must say, that new seat sure is comfortable.


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## Travis

I may be taking the rear hubcaps off, since I can't get them to fit on the front... but we'll see.


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## mastronaut

*Lookin' Good!*

Thanks for the update, that seat seems to fit the bike rather nicely. Keep the caps!


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## pedal alley

mastronaut said:


> Thanks for the update, that seat seems to fit the bike rather nicely. Keep the caps!



DITTO.
is there enuf room to put another nut on front axle ?
maybe do this to hold your clip , so the cap sets 
out abit to clear . looks sweet. what kinda comments
do you get on campus ?


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## Travis

I get lots of nice comments on campus... It lives in my office until time to ride; then it goes to class with me, or at least gets parked in the art bldg by the classroom door. Gets most comments when parked. The art majors say it's a "sweet ride." There's a kid who rides a great old Schwinn trike on campus, and his bike also stands out in the crowd.

I'll try to get my hands on another set of axle nuts. I think that would do the trick...


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## pedal alley

hey man, ever get those front caps on ?


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## jwm

Travis, that bike is just all kinds of cool. I had a chance to buy one of those a long time ago, and I'm sorry I passed on it. Great idea on the headlights. And the wheels?  I like 'em.

JWM


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## tecolote14

nice bike mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


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