Help dating this JC Higgins bicycle

[nick1985]

Hey guys,

I moved to Australia a few weeks ago and stumbled across this womens JC Higgins bicycle. Apparently it was brought into Australia in the 1950's when an American couple re located here for work. At some point someone has re badged it with a Schwinn head badge.

I'm trying to figure out if its a 1939 or a 1953...im still not 100% sure how to read the serial chart correctly.

thank you

 

[Saving Tempest]

A 1939 Sears bike would be branded Elgin. The Higgins name was adopted after the war, when Sears consolidated their sporting goods line, including bikes, under one name. Later on, in the 60s the Higgins brand was dropped and their bikes were branded as Sears.

That style of rack in particular is also postwar. I don't know the codes for Sears bikes but 1953 would be close.

Nice find! Good paint, some rust, overall not bad for a 60+ year old bike.

 

[nick1985]

A 1939 Sears bike would be branded Elgin. The Higgins name was adopted after the war, when Sears consolidated their sporting goods line, including bikes, under one name. Later on, in the 60s the Higgins brand was dropped and their bikes were branded as Sears.

That style of rack in particular is also postwar. I don't know the codes for Sears bikes but 1953 would be close.

Nice find! Good paint, some rust, overall not bad for a 60+ year old bike.

it was too nice to pass on so ill slowly start collecting the missing parts over time. The wheels are in really good shape and the paint has the right amount of surface rust and on it as I dont like them too clean.

I would like to find some photos of what this bike should look like if restored back to original. There seems to be a few different tanks out there for these bikes?

 

[the tinker]

Look in the restoration tips thread . The date code is posted there for your bike. Q would be 1951. Tank would be the plain, flat sided, or the port hole type.