Sears Space liner info please

[Quick Cal]

New guy here. This is my first vintage bike. I know nothing about bikes except basic mechanics so bare with me. I do restore old motorcycles so I got an idea of how to do things. Heck. I'm older than this bike,,,lol.

So I just got this Sears Spaceliner for $50. Don't know if I did good or not. Through messaging the guy said it had not been painted on. Half way there he calls and says the handle bars have been painted. No biggie I thought. I get there and see the whole thing has been painted. But it don't look horrible and I thought it was worth the $50. Maybe not. Is it?

My plan I THINK is to clean it up and ride it. I don't think it is anything special is it? It does seam to be complete, but it think that's not the original seat. It needs a new seat. Should it be black or white.

I guess I just need help figuring out the model right now. From what I've read no real date codes. But there might be tell tale signs. It has Kendra tires on it that are shot.

Is it a 24'' or 26''. I need to raise the seat for sure.

So any info would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[CURTIS L LINDGREN]

Seats came in Black -or - White , Take your pick. The Tires should have the size on them. Look at the side wall printing. Several models were available. Look at this : https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/the-ultimate-sears-spaceliner-reference.35629/ - - - - It should answer your questions , or at least some of them. Have fun with your "New" Middleweight !

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Looks like a good deal for $50. (Maybe shop around for replacement tank prices alone). Check the 4x,xxx model number (site referred in above post) to see if it originally came painted or in chrome. These are fairly common, no fear about ruining something, yet you can make it special.
I would prefer a painted-over chrome bike to a bike somebody decided to chrome plate all over.

 

[Rivnut]

Yesterday, I posted this picture from the 1968 Sears catalog for a guy who has a girls bike with the code 4631, your 4630 is on the same page.

You can read the description and figure out what you're missing. You can find all sort of repo bezel on eBay for your tank; easier than trying to rechrome yours. Look in the balloon section for a thread on finding parts for a Spaceliner and you'll find a picture of a girls bike that shows the style of the original seat and the chrome bezel on the tank.

 

[Balloonatic]

You did great for $50. The rack alone is probably worth that. Looks to be 26" but as someone said above, check the tires, they'll say for sure. To give you an idea, a restored or really clean original complete and pretty can sell for $600-900-1500.. so fity is quite a nice price.

 

[Rivnut]

If you read the description of the model 4630, it states that the frame is chrome. I know that the chrome chainguard has been painted, and you said the handlebars had been painted. What are the chances a chrome frame has been painted? If not, I need to go back to the catalogs and do some more digging.

 

[vincev]

Remove the paint on the handlebars.It will look much better.

 

[Rivnut]

I looked in my catalog page book again and found another 4630. It had a post-it note on the page. I thought when I saw the number that it looked familiar. It's just like the one in my garage. I've been busy on other bikes and it's been out of sight - out of mind. As my grandmother used to say in her German accented English, "Too soon old, too late smart." Anyway, now that I've put the pieces of my brain back together, here are a couple of pictures that I took of it before putting it in storage. Because it was built before 1964, mine is a JC Higgins Flightliner, not a Spaceliner like yours. That catalog #4630 must have had more than a few editions.

 

[Quick Cal]

If I'm understanding the chart right, my 46303 is a 66-68 because I have a tear drop reflector and 2 rack reflectors. Am I right?

Also look at my vin. Is that a c after the 46303.

46303 (1964-68, 26", Straight Tank, Men's, 1-speed, 1 round rear fender reflector in 64-65 was changed to a tear-drop reflector plus 2 rack reflectors in 66-68)

 

[AndyA]

Quick Cal:
That's a nice bike you have there. Go to the "Middleweight Bicycles" forum below and you'll see a sticky thread called "The Ultimate Sears Spaceliner Reference." And that title is accurate. Spaceliners came as different models; some chromed and some painted. Yours looks like it's got the original paint.
Have fun!