1959/60 Sears Flightliner

[Bikehaus]

This bike resto really ignited a love of old bikes for me. A good friend brought it in the shop. Was his as a kid and when he moved out, his patents took it out of the garage... and left it on a fence for 35 years. He wanted it rideable again.

What ever happened with this piece @Bikehaus ? I just took another look at it, closer, and it does not look like it has S-7 rims. I mentioned earlier that the front hub was not used on the Corvettes, but didn't look at the rims. By the way, if those grips weren't the 2007? repops, then they are off an early post war bike and they were used into the 50's before the flush tear drop style took over. That should have the recessed tear drop grips with Schwinn Approved.

Off a post war Schwinn yes.

It came out super nice and rode like a dream. I did a good/bad thing. The customer decided he wanted the tail painted too, but didn't want it to look "too new" so I put my artist hat on and gave it an "aged" paint job. Salvaged just about everything but he wanted new pedals and had the seat recovered. Left the rest of the paint patina'd... hit it with rubbing compound to bring the color back and waxed it (there is a pic of where it had not been polished in the clamp of the stand)

Took apart the rear hub and serviced it, rebuilt the original rims with new spokes and nipples for strength. The frame was built in the summer of 59, but sold in 1960 as the stripped down "sport model".

 

[OZ1972]

Nice clean up job looks good

 

[Goldenrod]

The rear carrier screams 1959. I was there and everything was positive.

 

[Rivnut]

Nice bike, love the way they ride. I have the same bike and, like yours, it’s missing the tank. I’ve been looking for that illusive tank for about five years now. Lots of tanks for the second generation models, but nada for this first generation. Good luck if you try to find one.

 

[Thee]

The rear carrier screams 1959. I was there and everything was positive.

Coolest rear carrier/rack/TAIL ever made

 

[Bikehaus]

Nice bike, love the way they ride. I have the same bike and, like yours, it’s missing the tank. I’ve been looking for that illusive tank for about five years now. Lots of tanks for the second generation models, but nada for this first generation. Good luck if you try to find one.

So here is the kicker... that bike was not sold with tank. The customer was the original owner and was certain he never had one. The frame was equipped with the welded bridge to attach a tank, but did not have one.

 

[Rivnut]

On the pictured bike, check out the truss rods and the bracket on the back of the head tube then compare it to the bike in this ad. Lots of stuff can disappear over a period of 60+ years. Just like mine did. Most common cause is leaky batteries whose corrosion eats into the tank so toss it.

Post the numbers on the left dropout and post them, or compare them to the model number in this ad. Look for 4680 if it’s is the exact one. Same bike different years might have a different number. I can look it up in the book from which I took this picture If you’ll post a picture

 

[Bikehaus]

On the pictured bike, check out the truss rods and the bracket on the back of the head tube then compare it to the bike in this ad. Lots of stuff can disappear over a period of 60+ years. Just like mine did. Most common cause is leaky batteries whose corrosion eats into the tank so toss it.View attachment 1661872
Post the numbers on the left dropout and post them, or compare them to the model number in this ad. Look for 4680 if it’s is the exact one. Same bike different years might have a different number. I can look it up in the book from which I took this picture If you’ll post a picture

I dont have the bike anymore, but I did all the research on the serial number when i had it.

The customer we cleaned it up for was the original owner. It was a 1959 frame, but his mom bought it early 1960 where it was sold as a 'Sport Model' like the one in the ad crop I attached. It was built to have a tank, but it was not sold as a tank model.

 

[Rivnut]

The bike that was originally posted in the pictures also has the unique Flightliner chain guard. Were those truss rods added later? The bike in the ad you posted states “twin middle bar, single top bar.” The bike in the post has a double top bar. What’s your next move?

 

[Bikehaus]

The bike that was originally posted in the pictures also has the unique Flightliner chain guard. Were those truss rods added later? The bike in the ad you posted states “twin middle bar, single top bar.” The bike in the post has a double top bar. What’s your next move?

Yes, I understand... as I have said a few times... sears took an older frame and stripped out the tank to make it a sport model. The 1960 sport model ended up being the single top tube. I saw the receipt. Sears did a lot of weird poop... this was one of those things. It's was a Frankenliner... the serial number matched the '59 bikes, the receipt and his memory said 1960.