JC Higgins Freightkiner

[Huntingtonbikeguru]

Good morning Cabers! Had a client bring all the parts in for this 1960’s JC Higgins Freightliner for a preservation and rebuild. Can anyone give me the year of manufacture based on the numbers from underneath the bottom bracket. Very cool bike with all the original parts down to the tires. All the lenses are intact and the front lights came in with batteries installed. Horn needs some work yet.

 

[Huntingtonbikeguru]

Flightliner.

 

[jd56]

@BrentP should bevanle with the decipher

 

[B607]

Freightliner.

 

[Rivnut]

I have this same bike.Hence I already had it marked in this book. In the Middleweight forum, there is a separate Flightliner/ Spaceliner group.

The Ultimate Sears Spaceliner Reference | Middleweight Bicycles

After a year long research exercise, I have compiled reference information for the 44 versions (models) of the Sears Spaceliner. If anyone has better photos for a specific model please contact me and I will add them to this reference. Also, if I have used reference images of your own bike...

thecabe.com

However, you will notice that the chain guard with the bike is the ‘59 style. Brings up some questions. The 59 headlight / Tank is totally different

 

[Huntingtonbikeguru]

Much appreciated.

 

[AndyA]

Uncle Guru:
Rivnut got it right: what you're working on there is a 1960 Deluxe Flightliner (model # 4606). He is also right that the chain guard is mismatched. The chain guard should be like the one in the pic below. That is my 1960 Equipped Flightliner (the saddle ain't stock). Have fun!

 

[Huntingtonbikeguru]

Sweet ride!

 

[Adamtinkerer]

Let's consider this bike might be an early '60, before the new model came out in the spring/summer catalog.

 

[Rivnut]

I know after restoring and collecting 1st generation Rivieras that there were many mid production year changes in automobiles. No reason that the bicycle industry didn’t do this as well. Perhaps someone can come up with Fall/Winter catalog showing bicycles. I doubt that the Christmas “ Wish Bbok” would be correct. In the Wish Book the bikes shown are usually the bikes for the following year.