Two Wheels - Six Strings

Random news and thoughts about various two-wheeled projects and music, especially my band, Skull Full Of Blues.

Monday, March 24, 2008

The Chrome Bike

Well, after fruitlessly searching the internet, trying to luck up on a picture which would solve the mystery of the chrome cruiser I found at the Junque Yarde, I gave up. Then, it suddenly occurred to me that I have a shelf full of actual books (remember those?) for reference.

So, I pulled out The Evolution of The Bicycle, edited by Neil S. Wood. This is a book full of pictures of collectible bicycles, from collectors across the U.S. It only includes American bikes, but it is a great source of cruisers, muscle bikes, highwheelers, etc. On page 177, there is a picture of a rather deluxe version of my bike, including a motor-driven front wheel.

The mystery was solved. The bike is a Murray-built Sears Spaceliner. Designed by Viktor Schreckengost, a famous designer of such various items as mid-century modern lawn furniture, the first mass-produced American dinnerware, the cab-over truck (!) and fine pottery, the Spaceliner was supposed to invoke the Space Age with it's swoopy lines, modernistic gas tank/headlight, and all-chrome frame.

Sadly, Schreckengost died on February 4, 2008, at the age of 101.


The stock version.

The bike was also produced in painted form, both as the Spaceliner and the Murray AMC VIII.

I think it's going to make a nice Street Rod bike.

x

4 Comments:

At 12:05 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Woah!
This is getting cooler by the minute! Congrats! Is that a cool "spaceliner" chainguard I see in the small photo? Waaaaay cool!
It is now mandatory that you join the Denver Cruisers on a regular basis Jon....

 
At 7:27 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just came across this blog, I too found a mysterious chrome bike called the spaceliner last fall, rusting outside of a barn. I cleaned it up and it quickly became my favorite bike:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeymac/2323153582/

I liked it so much that I started seeking out more of them, and I got my hands on a 24" version that I am building up as a muscle bike:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeymac/2384856196/

And I just recently tracked down a couple more of these frames, and I have plans...

Congrats on your find, I hope you enjoy the Spaceliner, a feat of space-age engineering and design!

 
At 6:18 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

I have found one of these for my collection and wasn't sure about the price. I found one all original with all the parts right down to the taillight. The frame is showing some signs of rust starting. The owner is asking $425. Wasn't sure if it as high or not. Thanks, Brian

 
At 8:23 PM , Blogger Jon said...

I'm no expert, but I think that would be fair for an all-original example.

I have a 24" Sears version, which is painted red (stock). Trying to decide what to do with it...

 

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