Could anyone identify this serial number from a 196? Gambles Hiawatha?

[PaulWR]

My dad bought this bike from the Gambles store at the Valley Fair Mall in Appleton, WI around 1965. The S/N is WG3 .. 807C 407805. What year and model is it? My dad did a spray bomb repaint over everything in the mid 1970's obliterating the original paint. Other than that it rides nice. I do need a chain guard for it though. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[fordmike65]

Pics?

 

[PaulWR]

I am trying. I am trying. Here we go.

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Not sure if these Murray Tennessee serial numbers have been deciphered; I have a WG3-808A-2x,xxx; might be a black Gambles Hiawatha. Perhaps yours a 1964 then? Picts, picts, picts.
Those Murray chain guards were kind of cheesy, with sheet metal screws instead of through bolting; same with their fenders. Up to you to use an original versus aftermarket, (or none).
There is a big retailer of bicycle parts in Appleton, WI.

 

[PaulWR]

Not sure if these Murray Tennessee serial numbers have been deciphered; I have a WG3-808A-2x,xxx; might be a black Gambles Hiawatha. Perhaps yours a 1964 then? Picts, picts, picts.
Those Murray chain guards were kind of cheesy, with sheet metal screws instead of through bolting; same with their fenders. Up to you to use an original versus aftermarket, (or none).
There is a big retailer of bicycle parts in Appleton, WI.

Yeah. A 1964 sounds just about right. I do remember it was black (and red?). I swore that I saw the chain guard in their basement about 35 - 40 years ago but it cannot remember where it went. You see my dad was a child during the Great Recession and never threw anything out, or never get put back in their place, so a lot of things got lost.

I will probably keep the bike for now and maybe even motorize it. I can just add it to my other 1964 year modes of transportation: a Corvair Monza convertible and an H-D Topper AH motor scooter. Thanks.

 

[Gordon]

The bike had a tank originally also, the support tabs are there on the back of the steering tube.

 

[Archie Sturmer]

The Bendix Red Band 2 (RB2) coaster brake hub may have been introduced in 1964. The cantilever tubes joined wider at the outsides of the down tube make me think later 1960’s.

 

[PaulWR]

The bike had a tank originally also, the support tabs are there on the back of the steering tube.

I remember the tank with headlights. It was pretty busted up, being most of it was made of plastic.

 

[Adamtinkerer]

'WG 3' is a code used by Murray on Gambles bikes, I believe they're differently coded than typical Murray numbers. The 1961-64 era numbers are a gray area, as there's a chart that dates to '59, and they went to a simple 'MO-5' for '65, MO-6, '66, etc.