Does anyone recognize this bicycle?

[Trey]

It has a licence plate dated 1969. Could this be a Montgomery Ward Hawthore?

It was given to me as a light resto project for a guys wife (who also rides a huge Harley). He paid $100 for it. I'd appreciate any info at all, and I always take advice! Got any stories of this, or a similar bike? Cards in the spokes, that sort of thing? Love to hear it. I'm trying to think of one special thing to do to it before I take it home, and all I can think of is tassles on the handlebars.



1 side view
2 side view
3 side view- the rack is a cool shape
4 down tube decal- nobody can read it
5 front fender light

 

[Trey]

1 dropouts- notice how the frame is pressed onto them
2 serial number
3 pedal- each rubber pad turns free, seems unsafe
4 rack atatchment point- that's how to do that
5 fake tank with a secret- to me anyway

 

[Trey]

1 licence plate- Bozeman 1969
2 neck- notice that it's not a solid tube
3 OLD tyres- forget the name
4 hand grip
5 crank- look at how those tubes are connected

 

[Trey]

1 the secret inside the tank
2 they say leakproof right there sir, I want a refund
3 cool springer seat, made in Parsons U.S.A
4 the front fender screws into the underside of the forks
5 that hub says Hawthorne

 

[bairdco]

those bikes were marketed under several brand names. sears, montgomery wards (hawthorne) and western flyer are the ones i remember.

it's a middlweight, 60's cruiser, and are perfect for your girlfriend to ride at the beach...

 

[wheelbender6]

I concur with bairdco. It looks to be made by Murray but could have been labelled any of the aforementioned brands. Despite the pinched connection between the frame and rear dropouts, it's a very sturdy frame.

 

[Dan]

Trey, have you googled the serial number yet? Some times gives some great information.

https://www.google.com/search?q=3+9034+370543+#q=-WG+3+9034+370543+bicycle Got nutton.

Is there another S/N under the BB?

 

[Trey]

Finished it up. I never did run the serial number, the guy lost interest for the most part. Best guess is a Montgomery Ward bike.
Deep cleaned, new tires, rims, liners, chain, all bearings, clear coated it- that was $210.00. The guy ordered the light from ebay for about $40, and had the seat recovered. My local bike shop would have charged $130 to strip it to the frame, and $15 per wheel for truing. No way would they have done all the little mods that it needed to run right. Now he owes me one

 

[Dan]

Wow, looks sharp. Nice work.

 

[FMB42]

The bike, and bicycle fans, owe you one as well. Sharp work you did there Trey. Should be good for another 50+ years or so don't ya think?

 

[mapbike]

Looks like a bike made for Wards, Sears or Western Auto, rear dropouts look just like the ones on my 1963 Western Flyer, very nice looking bike.

Map

 

[Danschutz]

Im so glad you posted this bike, it looks like the bike my mother had when I was a kid. I was way into BMX then but every now and again I would get on my older brothers shoulder and he and I would ride around the neighborhood on that bike. Even though it was a womens bike I liked it then and still dig it now.

What a great job you did getting her all cleaned up!

Dan.

 

[Nashville Kat]

JC Higgins also had crank chainwheels like that- I'm not sure if Hawthorne Western flyer and JC Higgins were always separate- I think Murray may have been different and don't think it's that-

I don't think chrome fenders were much around before the early 1960's and that's when I'd place it. I was a kid and one of my friends got a blue schwinn with chrome fenders like that- if the hub says Hawthorne I guess that's what it is, unless marketed as something else
might get more positive ID at the Classic and Antique bike forum
http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/forum.php

sure did clean up well!

 

[Dan]

Great story, Dan.

I really think that is a part of our love and enthrallment of motorized bicycles. Some sort of recapturing thing.

but really enjoyed reading that. Brought to mind my brother teaching me how to ride a bicycle. He took the training wheels off my bike and ran behind as I pedaled my lil' butt off. He ran behind, holding on to the bar on the back of the banana seat. He yelled; "I let go"

I yelled back "what?" and turned back to look and then drove in to a light pole. LOL

Funny, I was so angry at him then but his letting go was nothing but love and confidence in me.

 

[Dan]

....and I drove into a light pole. snork

 

[scotto-]

Great job on the restore, especially with what you had to work with! That is a true cheap and cheesy Murray or Huffy that just reeks of low quality of it's time. Gotta love the smashed and spot welded rear drop-outs along with the stamped out goose neck. Mass production was the main reason that builds just got cheaper and cheaper in quality to keep the costs down.

You did a great job on it......looks as good as new!

 

[mapbike]

Come on man.... don't be hating on the guys bike!

"That is a true cheap and cheesy Murray or Huffy that just reeks of low quality of it's time."

That bike is a good bike, and those bikes have very good frames that I would put up against the $300-$400 china bikes today, I will admit the rear dropouts just being spot welded would be served well being welded proper before motorizing one those older bikes, but other wise they are a good stout framed bike in my experience.

I know you aren't being negative here scotto but it kinda sounded that way with the cheap cheesy comment.....LOL!

Peace, Map

Great job on the restore, especially with what you had to work with! That is a true cheap and cheesy Murray or Huffy that just reeks of low quality of it's time. Gotta love the smashed and spot welded rear drop-outs along with the stamped out goose neck. Mass production was the main reason that builds just got cheaper and cheaper in quality to keep the costs down.

You did a great job on it......looks as good as new!

 

[scotto-]

No hate intended whatsoever, like I said ,he did GREAT job restoring it to as good as new. That was just the start of mass produced cheap bikes getting cheaper and cheaper to the crap they are now. They haven't gotten any better, just cheaper but functional. Do they make Schwinns the way they used too? Nope.

Walmart displays a fine example of the low quality I'm talking of here. It's fine for weekend fair weather riders that use them 5 to 20 times a year, but if your gonna ride seriously everyday for years on end, these bikes won't hold up. That's all. I meant no disrespect.

Come on man.... don't be hating on the guys bike!

"That is a true cheap and cheesy Murray or Huffy that just reeks of low quality of it's time."

That bike is a good bike, and those bikes have very good frames that I would put up against the $300-$400 china bikes today, I will admit the rear dropouts just being spot welded would be served well being welded proper before motorizing one those older bikes, but other wise they are a good stout framed bike in my experience.

I know you aren't being negative here scotto but it kinda sounded that way with the cheap cheesy comment.....LOL!

Peace, Map

 

[mapbike]

With a few upgrades and proper maintenance even the walmart Scwhinns and ahuffy bike will run for years, better wheels and hubs are the main draw back on them in my experience, but even some of them hold up well with proper lubrication and maintenance, I purposely use the less expensive parts on my bike to show this is possible, many cant afford the " high end bikes and parts" so they just do the best they can with what they have and can afford, so instead of downing what they have I encourage on how to make the more common bikes and parts as good as they can be by proper bearing lubrication and adjustment, im not talking about advising someone on a race bike Im talking about a hobby bike or a short distance daily rider bike which is what most have.

Not hating on anyone here myself just try to be careful with my comments toward someone who post a bike and project they are obviously proud of, I like to brag on them and lift them up for what they have done and not hit them in the nose with a comment calling their bike a piece of..... well fill in the blank here, its all about being considerate and respectfull of others, its a shame we dont have much of that these days.

Peace, Map

 

[Trey]

Thanks for the replies!
Yeah, it came out as good as I thought it could. It has an odd riding position, you sit almost in front of the crank, so pedaling is awkward. But it goes along quite well.
The woman who got this bicycle had her birthday party last night, and she is super happy with it. She says that's what she saw when she first looked at it in the barn they found it in. Making dreams come true... just another day at the office. LOL