Looking at the other replies, the dates seem to work with the Higgins -> Williams switch at Sears, which happened in 1961 os so (although it took some time to percolate through all of the product lines, and I don't know if the bikes were an early or slower to adopt the new moniker).
Scott Minneman San Francisco, CA, USA
-----Original Message----- From: Harvey Sachs [mailto:hmsachs@verizon.net] Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2008 4:04 PM To: Classic Rendezvous Subject: [CR]JC Higgins v. Ted Williams Sport Racing...
There are 3 or 4 on this list who have a peculiar affliction: a fondness for the top end Sears bikes from Austria's Puch/Austro-Daimler. I have a '65 "TED WILLIAMS SPORT RACING" that I've thought is a replica of my first road bike. It has Campy record front and rear derailleurs, and the Weinmann 999 CP brakes with the name in an applique. Today, in a fit of curiosity, I went out to see another, and bought it. It is same style, same color, but with "J.C.HIGGINS" decals, that having been another Sears, Roebuck brand. This one differs in having Campag Gran Sport derailleurs, the earlier Weinmann brakes with "Vainquer 999" engraved on the outer arms, etc. It is clearly earlier, perhaps late '50s. Anyone have a sense when Weinmann changed the brake design?
harvey sachs
mcLean va usa