Tricycle Fetish Blog

Q: got this old tricycle at a junk yard in va looking for car parts , haven’t been able to find out who made it , never seen one with the c shaped backbone like this . sure could use a little help thanks

A: You’ve found a vintage Murray Thunder Rod tricycle from the 1960′s. It’s pretty scarce. If you were thinking about fixing it up, you’ll probably wish you would have left it in the junkyard when you start pricing parts (there was an old stock unused motor in original box on eBay for $245). Below is photo of what your Thunder-Rod is supposed to look like.

Q: WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF POSSIBLE THE YEAR AND MAKE. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WOULD IT BE EXSPENSIVE TO RESTORE. ARE DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON WHO WE CAN GET TO RESTORE THE TRICK .IF IT POSSIBLE. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

A: You have a 1960′s Murray. Finding the exact year would probably be impossible, even if you had all of the Murray catalogs from the 1960′s, as this frame / fender design was probably used for several years and you would have no way of identifying the color scheme…as there is no color left.

I think this tricycle really falls into the category of “flower garden decoration.” Lots of people put old rusty tricycles in their flower beds for decoration…and in that case, the rustier the better.

The cost to restore something this far gone would be enormous, and that’s if it is even possible. Go to eBay and search for ‘Murray Tricycle’ and you will see what tricycles of similar ages are going for in better condition. If you really wanted a restoration project, it would be better to get one that wouldn’t result in sandblasting causing a hole in the frame.

Q: Can anyone give me any information on this Road Runner by Warner Bros. Inc. tricycle?

A: Your tricycle is a 1970′s Murray trike. They made quite a few different models of this type of pressed steel tricycle with hollow hard plastic tires. Some of them had themes like Road Runner and CAT and some where plain with built on trailers/beds. Check out our Murray manufacturer’s page for a bit more info and some pictures of similar tricycles.

Q: Hello, I am interested in the tricycle. That is me on the one in the attached photo.It was built like a tank and I have some great memories playing with it.I was born in 1952. If I knew the manufacturer, model and price, it would be neat to give my grandchildren the same tricycle I grew up on.

A: Your tricycle is a 1950′s Happi Time branded tricycle from Sears Roebuck that was made by Murray.  A similar tricycle picture was recently discussed in this blog article.  You can also see similar trikes and some info on our Murray manufacturers page.  As far as the price goes…we don’t really give out estimated prices, plus the price would vary possibly hundreds of dollars depending on the condition.  A tricycle like that with normal wear that wasn’t rusty or beat would not be an expensive trike, we will say that much.

Q:I have just acquired a tricycle that I believe is from the 50′s, but was hoping you would have more information about it.  The trike is bigger than most I have seen with a 20″ front wheel and 12″ rear wheels and a very large front fender.

A: Your tricycle is from the mid-1960′s, it appears to be a Western Flyer made by Murray for sale in Western Auto stores.  It’s a bit hard to tell which maker made the tricycle, as Western Auto contracted a number of different makers, but judging by the handlebars and fender, I’d say it was made by Murray.

Q: Can you tell me anything about this tricycle, I can’t seem to find anything like it to get any info on it i.e. how old it is etc.  Thanks, Kate

A: Your tricycle is a Steelcraft circa 1935 made by Murray.  They also made fendered models of this type of tricycle, which are more popular and were the basis for the 1990′s Hallmark Christmas ornament pictured below.

You can see more pictures of similar tricycles on our Murray manufacturers page.

Q: Can you please give us some info on this tricycle?

A: Your tricycle is a circa 1950 Mercury chain driven tricycle made by Murray.  It looks to be in quite a shambles.  If you’re looking to restore it, it’s going to cost you a fortune in that condition.  It’s bent, missing pieces, etc.  It’s probably just a parts tricycle or garden decoration at this point.

Q: Can you help me determine what era this trike is from? All I can get off of it is that it is a Western Flyer, any info you can come up with would be great.  Thanks

A: Your tricycle is a circa 1940 trike that was made by Murray and branded as a Western Flyer for sale in Western Auto hardware stores.  These tricycles were also branded under the Mercury name as well.  You can visit our Murray page for more info and photos of similar tricycles.

Q: Here are some pictures of the tricycle, I was told it was a 1952-1958 VanDuren? I had it sand blasted and painted the color which was under the hand spray painted coats of red. I am assuming this is the original color. I also had the rear bearings pressed and replaced. Could you PLEASE tell me what kind of bike it is, as well as a good site where i might be able to see pictures of the identical bike so i can get the decals painted on.
I might also be interested in selling it, can you please assist me on this as well? Not sure about the seat…. the fur is rolled under and seems to be permanently attached, Is this original????? THANKS!!!!

A: We’ve never heard of a maker by the name of Vanduren.  Your tricycle looks to be from the 1950′s period that you suggested, but it looks to be a Murray chain driven trike.  The original color, if a greenish color as you suspect, was probably a metallic green.

Your tricycle appears to have pedal tractor wheels and tires on the back.  They are not stock on any tricycle that we’ve ever seen.  The saddle is also not original to the tricycle.  Its hard to tell from the photo if the fur is original to the saddle, but most certainly the saddle was not original to the tricycle, at least with the fur on it.  For more info and pictures of other Murray tricycles, you can visit out Murray tricycle information page.

We do not really assist with selling and buying of tricycles at this time.

Q: Hey, I had this amazing police trike made of heavy-duty steel when I was a kid back around 1959 0r 60. It was metallic navy blue with a red and white metal seat and a pressed steel body. White spoke wheels, typical hard rubber tires. It resembled the Harley-Davidson “Servi-car” Police and delivery trikes. The storage box had a white rubber grommet in a whole to open the lid. IT WAS INCREDIBLE! Anyway, the box was tack welded to the frame and it broke off when some bigger kids were abusing it. Can you tell me ANYTHING about it? Never seen another anywhere.

A: I’ve posted a couple pictures of tricycles that might be the same thing as you once had.  The one on the left is an Evans and the one on the right is a Murray that is available for sale right now at Juvenile Automobiles.  There were other manufacturers that made similar tricycles – though I cannot find pics of them right now.  Garton was one such company.  The main body of these tricycle was usually cast aluminum.   If you watch eBay for police tricycle, you can usually find similar tricycles at least once every month.

Sears Happy Time Tricycle Logo

Q: hi. we recently purchased two old tricycles.  One tricycle is smaller than the other but is an exact replica of the bigger one.  at first i had a hard time figuring out what brand they were because both the head stickers were partly worn off. i just knew they looked cool! i evently figured out that they were “sears happytime” tricycles. my husband and i are cleaning them up as christmas gifts for our 3 and 1 1/2 year old boys. they will love them! the tricycles seem to work well. they are just very well played with. the woman we purchased them from has fond memories of all of her six children riding them all over place! my question is first of all, have you ever heard of these “sears” tricycles? do you carry parts for them? and do you have handgrips for replacements for these tricycles? the only thing i know for sure we need to replace are all the handgrips…they don’t have any. it would be nice to know parts are available for us if we need them. if not can you suggest somewhere where we might find parts, handgrips in particular? thanks -cidney
A:  Sears did not produce their own tricycles, at least during the time period that your trikes were made.  Murray seems to have been a maker of many of the Happy Time tricycles, although there may have been other manufacturers making the Sears branded tricycles as well.  This was a common practice that continues to this day (take a look at Wal-Mart, those bikes don’t all come from different companies, just because they have different names).

As far as parts go, you can see the parts we currently have in stock in our online catalog.   You can search for specific parts at the very top right of our homepage.  The inventory online is our only currently available inventory.  This changes on a regular basis.

Q: Hello, I have a Murray tricycle I bought at a garage sale. It is approx. a 1960′s trike, I think. It’s in great shape except a “too heavy child” sat on it and crushed the front tire. I ordered a tire on E-Bay–what I thought was the size I needed–wrong! How do you measure for a replacement tire? Outside or inside diameter? Also the width of the tire—do I have to take the existing tire off and measure the wheel?  The trike is red, white & chrome. The tires have a red ring. It has 2 steps in the back. The front fender is red with a white 5 and the words “full ball bearing” and a white diagonal line. The existing outside diameter of the tire measures 91/2″. Inside diameter is 7″. The wheel is 1 1/2″ wide. Do you have any suggestions on where I might find a tire? What are my options if I can’t find one. Can the existing tire be “re-treaded”?
Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Marsha

A: First of all, a “too heavy child” did nothing to your tricycle.  A Murray wheel could be stood on by a “too heavy man” and not buckle.  It was probably sat on by a too heavy Ford or Chevy, most likely.  As far as the tire goes…  We are expecting a shipment of replacement tires in early September.  You can check our catalog then.

Finding tires, especially the right size can be pretty difficult.  Rim sizes varied between brands and a certain size on one tricycle may not actually measure the same on another.  It is often easier to buy another tricycle of the same size with a good wheel and swap the whole wheel with tire than it is to find an old stock tire that will fit.

Q: I have a an old Murray tricycle that was my father-in-laws when he was little. He just turned 60 years old so i am assuming it is older than 50 years. I was hoping that someone could possibly tell me what year it was made and where i could get parts for it? I would also like to know if there is a picture of one in its original form so i can compare it when i am refinishing it?

A: Your tricycle is circa early 1950′s, exact year unknown.  Murray would have made tricycles similar to this for several years.  Probably the easiest thing to do when refinishing it would be to use the same color paint.  You could probably find the exact tricycle in a Murray catalog from that time period.