# Need a little help on Murray Serial Number



## jd56 (Feb 21, 2012)

OK, so I thought I new all there was to know on the Murray Serial number project. 
Here's what I have  MOW...*75*...and the 6 digit stock number.
I can see it is a 1963 Astroflite but, I'm not familar with the store number "*75*".  
502 is a Sears. and WG is a Hiawatha & Gambles identification.

I would really like some help on this one guys...what store sold this bike or what does 75 stand for?


Here's a picture of the match to my 63 mens Astroflite for my wife that I purchased today...she loves it by the way




 


added bonus... picture of the 64-65 New York Worlds Fair license tag that came with the bike...that is cool


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## jd56 (Feb 22, 2012)

*Compared ebay values*

So I spent a $220 on this sweet looking chromed AstroFlite....while doing my morning searches for items on ebay I found a painted version of another bike (Western Flyer? Sabre Flite deluxe) ...listed for a lot more...not feeling too bad on my purchase now....hey honey, see what I could get for this new bike I bought. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mur...777?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item519b461e79


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## jd56 (Feb 22, 2012)

*Western Auto store identifier?*



jd56 said:


> OK, so I thought I new all there was to know on the Murray Serial number project.
> Here's what I have  MOW...*75*...and the 6 digit stock number.
> I can see it is a 1963 Astroflite but, I'm not familar with the store number "*75*".
> 502 is a Sears. and WG is a Hiawatha & Gambles identification.
> ...




Maybe the *75* is for the Western Auto retailer? And this a chromed Western Flyer Sabre Flite?

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335809022&icep_item=350497414777


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## partsguy (Feb 22, 2012)

The dash boards were exclusive to the retail stores they were built for. If you can post a pic of it, I can ID it for you.

The chaingaurds were pretty exclusive as well. I think this one was used only on Murray and WF badged bikes.


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## jd56 (Feb 22, 2012)

Stephen,
Here are a couple of pics of the dash. Note the headlight knob has indentations on both sides rather than a tab indicator off the front.
The decal is partially gone and the murray logo stickers  on both sides of the tank are peeling.


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## partsguy (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks! It is indeed a Murray Astroflite, then. The Western Auto, Hiawatha, and Sears dash boards were all different in which logos and designs were on them. I think Hiawatha even had different knobs.


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## jd56 (Feb 22, 2012)

So this is a Sears...even though the 502 identifier is replaced with a 75, interesting. So the 502 is not a clear cut search tool. 
I wonder if WG  for gambles and Hiawathas aslo have different identifiers.

I'm curious as to the the differences in the dashes.
The true Sears Spacliner dash I know has rotary type knobs.
My mens Astroflite dash headlight knob is different as it has the tab on the front, unlike the knob pictured above on the ladies model that has the indentations. I have included that picture here.
Note also my mens dash (1965) has a different dash decal than my ladies (1963). I guess the year differences also dictates the style knobs and decals used. Again interesting.

The research is fun but, can be extremely confusing.


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## partsguy (Feb 22, 2012)

Here is a recently sold tank for the Otasco version. Notice the head light as well.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...5HYmiullZO8SUyj7%2B1o%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc


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## jd56 (Feb 23, 2012)

*Oklahoma Tire & Supply*

Untill now I had never heard of the Oklahoma Tire & Supply (Otasco). The ad indicated it was off a Flying O. Tried looking it up and couldn't find one with a tank, much less a forward thrust tanklight with a dash.
But that's the same switches I have on my 65 mens Astroflite.
I'd love to see one of these tanklight bikes...anybody got a picture?


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## Adamtinkerer (Feb 24, 2012)

jd56 said:


> So this is a Sears...even though the 502 identifier is replaced with a 75, interesting. So the 502 is not a clear cut search tool.
> I wonder if WG  for gambles and Hiawathas aslo have different identifiers.




No, not Sears, Murray badged bikes were sold elsewhere. Most of the time, it's "MOD 502" that's Sears coding. Up until the mid-late 50s, it appears that Sears bikes were stamped with both 'MOD 502', as well as 'MOS-X', the X representing a variable letter indicating the year. These also had the Sears model #, most in the 200 series. After that, they just stamped the _catalog_ number, followed by an extra 0 or 1, before the serial #.  Not that it's confusing or anything!!!


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## jd56 (Feb 24, 2012)

*Confused...you think?*



Adamtinkerer said:


> No, not Sears, Murray badged bikes were sold elsewhere. Most of the time, it's "MOD 502" that's Sears coding. Up until the mid-late 50s, it appears that Sears bikes were stamped with both 'MOD 502', as well as 'MOS-X', the X representing a variable letter indicating the year. These also had the Sears model #, most in the 200 series. After that, they just stamped the _catalog_ number, followed by an extra 0 or 1, before the serial #.  Not that it's confusing or anything!!!




So you will need the complete serial numbers to tell for sure? Not a Sears but, indicative to the dashes (knobs) available on the OTASCO.
So here is the full Serial # MOW   75....448460. Maybe we can get this to bed and move on. Regardless what retailer the Murray was built for it is a great looking bike.

I am a bit confused and I guess it's the way it was back in the 60's when dealing with so many retailers and Murray's in general. Thanks for the help with the mystery Stephen and Adam.


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