Grandpa's Hiawatha

[fiveofsevin]

Any info on year n model would be great.
I've scoured the net for years. Haven't ever seen or found another double tube frame before. Definitely postwar but no idea of when.
Thanks in advance
A

 

[fiveofsevin]

Sn 801B. 243921
Also a WC3 stamped on it

 

[kreika]

Welcome to the Cabe. Looks like grandpas bike had a tank at one time. I’d guess late 50’s early 60’s? Cool Hiawatha decal!

 

[fordmike65]

Those dropouts look Murray to me.

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Murray double twin tube frame, from 1958-1968?
However, the cantilevers join the down tube on the outsides; early frames joined at the back-top, upper-rear, and were tighter together. I believe that the easier to produce later design may have been ~1967?

Not sure if the non-Sears Murray serial numbers have been decoded; I have a WG3 and have read that it means Gambles Hiawatha; unlike your 807B double twin tube, I have an 808A three bar cantilever, so perhaps that is a frame/model designator; my Murray also has the 200K 6-digit serial number, same drop-outs, chain ring, chain guard, forks, seat tube & clamp.
Maybe you can find a Gambles ad showing the gold paint.

 

[bobcycles]

Fantastic find! Good luck with the restoration and parts locating!

 

[fiveofsevin]

There's one area of a nice bronze/gold paint under the bottom bracket. To bad the rest isn't as shiny, oh well.

 

[fiveofsevin]

Has to be 50's, Mom said he had it at the chemical plant he worked at for 8-10 years, Retired in 67 and brought it home with him.

is there a serial number data base/spread sheet anywhere?
tks

 

[GTs58]

If it's a 50's built Murray it's a late 50's (58-59) with those pointed dropouts, finned chainguard and twin top bars. What's strange is what was previously mentioned about the cantilever bars being attached to the sides of the down tube as they did with their single top tube frames.

Here's the serial number thread...............https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/murray-serial-number-project.7014/

Link to 58 catalog thread...........
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1959-murray-catalog.32865/

 

[Archie Sturmer]

My unknown Murray-built has a foreign Sachs Komet Super hub, (still trying to help-out Europeans, with that wall thing; the Kriegens even named one model the "Torpedo").
Often a hub is used to date a bike; we see that the bike has the Bendix Red Band 2 (RB2) introduced in 1964 (not strange).
I believe the noted frame mods may have been earlier in 1964; (have seen some 1965 examples); perhaps the same year as the Sears space liner design changes.
Gold Paint? Not sure if the 1964 Bond movie (Goldfinger) was a factor, or if the chrome bikes just needed an alternative, but I have seen gold bikes dating to the middle 1960's. There is nothing wrong with not having a space bike style in its very first year.
Perhaps the company gave a "golden" handshake, parachute, or "new' bike to the guy who retired in 1967.