Aftermarket fenders

[agmasterjac]

I am currently restoring a JC Higgins Flightliner with chrome fenders. I checked on the price to chrome plate them and was told $250 for the pair. That is out of my budget. I have found a pair of Wald fenders that I believe to be very close to the originals. Does anyone have any experience with these fenders? My project has a few aftermarket parts and as such is a resto mod I guess.

 

[Andrew Gorman]

I use Wald fenders all the time- they are sturdy and hold up well. BUT all I can usually find are wide ones for balloon tired bikes, not for middleweights. They used to make middleweight fenders and if you found a pair they should work fine.

 

[bloo]

As recently as a couple of months ago, there were Wald middleweight fenders on Amazon, and a couple of other brands. I am not too familiar with flightliners, but Wald's aftermarket offerings look all wrong on Schwinns, and can be recognized half a block away.

If there is any thought at all that this is a collector bike, keep your old fenders. Are they beyond cleaning up? Even if so, do not throw them away.

 

[Rivnut]

Watch the fender brace rivet holes. Most fenders have two rivets for each brace. The Flightliners only have one rivet . Other similar Murray built bikes will be the same. Is the chrome really bad or are the fenders beat up? Could you have the fenders rolled?

 

[coasterbrakejunkie1969]

I have a couple middleweight Typhoons that ae not at the top of pecking order to most but they are mine and I love them all. I used a set of wald fenders on my '64 and they fit nicely and they look quite good. This is a $200 bike not $2000 original parts not as important to me. Quality clean straight original fenders are in some cases very difficult to find. If it is for you and you understand the application of non original parts reduces the sale value then go ahead and do waht you want. i wanted nice clean chrome fenders and I got them for under $100. Good luck and as always clean them ride them enjoy are the first step to any project.

 

[Rivnut]

I found a later model Murray Westport on FB marketplace for $40. Most of the bolt on parts - wheels, fenders, handlebars, etc. bolted on to the Flightliner. Lots of good cheap parts.

 

[GTs58]

What kills the idea of aftermarket fenders for me is the ugly none fitting stays and they are mounted pre war to the rear axles. Use the original stays! If you can't, forget those fenders.

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Besides Wald there may be other no-name manufacturers or retailers, such as Sunlite.
Sometimes I swap the furnished fender braces, with another manufacturer’s after market braces, (perhaps even NOS).

 

[agmasterjac]

Watch the fender brace rivet holes. Most fenders have two rivets for each brace. The Flightliners only have one rivet . Other similar Murray built bikes will be the same. Is the chrome really bad or are the fenders beat up? Could you have the fenders rolled?

 

[agmasterjac]

Some small dents and not too many. Quite a bit of rust. I am not familiar with the term rolled??? They wanted over 200 to rechrome.