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JC Higgins Mainliner?

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Goingon12

On Training Wheels
I just purchased a bike that is identical to what I had as a child. The serial number by the rear axle is W149461. On the tank it says JC Higgins, and appears to be a JC Higgins Flightliner. However, even though “liner” is clear in the faded paint on the chain guard, it looks like it says Mainliner. I can’t find any reference to a Mainliner at all. I got my bike when I was eight or nine years old, which puts it at about 1963, and I found some information that the “W“ is code for 1963. Is there a Mainliner? What exactly do I have? Everything else appears to be original. Thank you for any information.

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Well, it didn’t take me long to figure this out. It’s odd, when I entered JC Higgins mainliner, nothing kicked up. However, looking back through this great site, I saw a reference to huffy, and when I entered that, it looks like that’s what I have. Regardless, any information on this bike would be greatly appreciated. One thing however, I don’t know how I’m gonna be able to tell if I had a main liner when I was a kid, or a flight liner, unless I find a picture.

One thing, this can’t be the same bike I had as a kid because it’s so, so much smaller
 
Found this picture of a Huffy Mainliner. Compare the chain ring, the sweep of the chain guard, and the rear rack to what you have. Have no clue about the fork in the pictured bike - surely not original. Looks like it's set up for lever brakes. When these bikes get to 50 to 60 + years old, and have gone through many owners, you'll be damn lucky to find anything that hasn't been lost, destroyed, or swapped out. Enloy it. Ride it like you stole it.

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The items you mentioned are identical. I’ll try to find the difference between the Flightliner, and the Mainliner, if any, out of curiosity. I’m so hoping someone can provide information regarding that serial number. Thanks for the responses
 
As pointed out, looks like it’s a Huffy, but the tank is puzzling. The shape does not match any Higgins tank I found, but it does match a tank on a picture of an old Huffy. However, it has a Higgins sticker, and the sticker looks old and weathered like a original sticker would, and same patina as the tank. Any ideas on this one? Thanks

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Also, it looks like it had an emblem or badge on the gooseneck, any idea what that would have been?
 
Nice bike! I went to the trusty Sears catalog cuts published by James Hurd & T.A. Gordon. The only tank that looks like the one on the subject bike is in the 1965 catalog on the "Fully-equipped Midweight with lots of chrome." The picture is small and of poor quality, but the tank seems to match. The 3-bar frame is consistent, as is the shape of the chain guard. However, the luggage rack looks different.
Have fun!
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In my experience, if a bike had a tank that extended to or encased the head tube, there was not a headbadge or decal on the head tube. As far as I know, Huffy never made bikes for the sears lineup (Elgin, JC Higgins, or Sears.) If this were my bike, I'd have to go under the assumption that someone in the history of the bike added a JC Higgins tank to a Huffy bike and ride it that way, enjoying every mile.
 
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