JC Higgins Flightliner added to collection

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I paid $250 for this in southern California which is probably too much even for S. Cal. but I had to have it. It is all original except the Mesinger seat may not be original and it is missing the rear tail light assembly.

Does anyone know if that seat is right? Wern't they usually white or black or even two-tone? Didn't they have a chrome lift bar on the seat? Can I fit 2.125 ballons on it??

 

[Strings-n-Spokes]

No balloons, at least that has been my experience with middleweights.

With the springer and condition I don't think it was a bad deal.
Try and fix the kickstand b4 the bike takes a bad digger.

The seat should look just like the one on my Spaceliner

 

[30thtbird]

That's a good price IF.... Is that kickstand welded on? If so, someone really screwed it up for you. It is suppose to have a bolt on kickstand. It looks like some schwinn idiot welded a schwinn kickstand on it. The seat is incorrect as you suggest. I see seats that would be right for your bike on ebay quite often. Kenny.

 

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thanks for info. its funny you mentioned that kick stand! After I took the shot in the attachment, I commenced to to fix it and it took about two hours to fabricate the pin that was the culprit. Easy enough to drive out but finding the slug stock was a pain. I ended up finding a piece stainless a 64th too big. I had to stick the cut slug in to my drill and take it down a 64th by turning it on a file and sand paper to make it fit. It is as new.

Yes the kickstand is stock and is welded on from the factory and never was a bolt on. Mine dates to be an early 1961. The reason I ask about the ballon tires is that the fenders have additional mounting holes to increase the fender arc and I wondered if that was to accommodate the slightly taller and wider tire. I think I saw someone on the net tried those big PHAT tires and there was no way for them but that a vintage balloon worked fine. I don't think I will do it for now. the front Tires cracking but it will last years and the Allstate rear tire is too cool to take off. I will hunt down an Allstate for the front someday. I treated the sidewalls with brake fluid to re-soften the rubber and to blacken them.

The rear hub makes a wierd noise so that will be my first tear down. It could be as simple as a few bad rollers on the dirty chain but I want to re assemble all so its tight and packed with grease etc.

It does not ride as well as my wifes 37 Rollfast tank bike that I did a "rattle can" restore on but it is a good rider and gets some heads turning.

 

[mastronaut]

That's a very nice specimen!

I have the same problem with the kickstand on mine, the pin seems to shift a bit as well. I'll have to give your solution a try! Here's mine!

http://velospace.org/node/20239

 

[Adamtinkerer]

I don't think 2.125s will fit under the fenders. Some 1.75 whitewalls would be sweet, or redline tires like on mastronaut's ride.

 

[mastronaut]

Agreed ^^

That's why I took the rear fender off, it wouldn't clear the Redline tire. The front is a 24" which at some point will be replaced with a wider tire...

 

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I will stick with the 1.75s and I like the black walls on the chrome frame - less phoofey more rocket like!! (we gotta get lives!!)

 

[mastronaut]

Bikes ARE our lives!

 

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http://cgi.ebay.com/1960s-SEARS-FLI...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5883a01ca7

This can not be the right rear light lense, right?? I thought they had three small bullet lenses.

Mine is in way better shape than this one!! Hi is off about 650 on his pric too!!