# 1935 Elgin 26" Motorbike



## Jay81 (Apr 19, 2017)

Here's my '35 Elgin Motorbike. Think it might be an Oriole?? Anyway it's undergoing a thorough cleaning and greasing so I wanted to document the clean up. This first set of pics is from the for sale ad when I bought it. It was shipped to me and I didn't feel like assembling it for pics just to take it back apart again lol. I'll update with some progress pics periodically.  I am also looking for a rack for it, if you have one to sell, please send me a pm.


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## Jay81 (Apr 19, 2017)

Don't want to have the saddle restored, I don't think a new looking saddle would look right on this bike. I know there are a couple guys on here that restore saddles but does anyone do "patina restorations" on them? I would only want the top redone, chassis/springs match perfect the way they are. I hate to even have the top redone in a way, because I want to keep it as original as possible. Opinions???


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## Cory (Apr 19, 2017)

I would contact @rustjunkie and get his opinion.  He has done a few seats for me and is always open to discuss ideas. I believe you are looking for a rustoration.
 [emoji1]


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## Cory (Apr 19, 2017)

Superb bike btw!


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## Jay81 (Apr 19, 2017)




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## Jay81 (Apr 19, 2017)

Here's a few pics I took the day it arrived.


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## Jay81 (Apr 19, 2017)

I've been working on it off and on over the past couple weeks.  Here's some pics I took today.  Frame is cleaned up and paint polished,  crank/chain ring, BB parts cleaned,  bearings greased.


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## rustjunkie (Apr 19, 2017)

Looking good!
If it were mine I'd probably leave the saddle as it is.


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## Jay81 (Apr 19, 2017)

Hoping to find a rack like this:


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## fordmike65 (Apr 19, 2017)

Jay81 said:


> Hoping to find a rack like this:



Or throw this one on for now...
http://thecabe.com/forum/threads/prewar-rollfast-style-eggcrate-carrier.109081/


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## Jay81 (Apr 24, 2017)

Making some progress


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## Jay81 (May 6, 2017)

More pics

Bars stamped A35



 




 

 

 



Rims cleaned up better than I thought they would thanks to an OA bath. Hubs rebuilt. 
New whitewall US Royal Chain Tread tires.


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## Jay81 (May 6, 2017)

Almost done!


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## Jay81 (May 7, 2017)

And here it is pretty much done. I bought the above mentioned "egg crate" rack and was going to put it on the Elgin until I find a motorbike style rack but can't decide if I like it on there or not.  One way or another it will eventually get a rack one day.  Rode it a couple blocks and it rides nice!


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## tech549 (May 7, 2017)

well done looks great!


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## Buckeye17 (May 8, 2017)

Looks great!


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## Phattiremike (May 8, 2017)

Great job detailing, I like the white walls and rear rack.


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## Jay81 (Jun 25, 2018)

Had this rack and nice saddle laying around for a while and I've been meaning to install them on this bike. Finally got around to it. I really like the way it looks now.


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## stoney (Jun 25, 2018)

Bike looks great. I could a nice rear fender like that. Do you have an extra.  Great job


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## Jay81 (Jun 25, 2018)

Thank you. I do not have an extra fender, sorry.


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## Hammer (Jun 25, 2018)

I've been quietly watching this thread and thought I would chime in, it looks killer Jeremy! Very nice work cleaning it up, I'm digging how nice the Motorbike script still looks on the tank!

Aaron


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## Robertriley (Jun 25, 2018)

Great collection!


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## bricycle (Jun 25, 2018)

somebuddy get him a correct rear reflector, and he'll be all set.


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## Archie Sturmer (Jun 25, 2018)

Is your 1935 Sears Elgin a Westfield-built bike, or Shelby or Snyder or other?
I believe Westfield may have used the N-series numbers that year.
That's a tall gap between the top tubes, reminds me of some McCauley tanks on Shelby bikes.

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/motor-bike-tank.95847/#post-615300


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## bricycle (Jun 25, 2018)

Murry built? it could be a early 36 as well. That frame was never made for a tank. (a good thing). I think a McCauley tank may fit better...


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## Jay81 (Jun 25, 2018)

Archie Sturmer said:


> Is your 1935 Sears Elgin a Westfield-built bike, or Shelby or Snyder or other?
> I believe Westfield may have used the N-series numbers that year.
> That's a tall gap between the top tubes, reminds me of some McCauley tanks on Shelby bikes.
> 
> https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/motor-bike-tank.95847/#post-615300






bricycle said:


> Murry built? it could be a early 36 as well. That frame was never made for a tank. (a good thing). I think a McCauley tank may fit better...




Definitely '35 Westfield built with the N code. I do have two McCauley tanks, never thought about seeing if they fit. I'll probably just leave it.


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## Jay81 (Jun 25, 2018)

On second thought, the ones I have are the McCauley 1000 and won't fit. I would need the 1001.


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## Jay81 (Jun 26, 2018)

Jay81 said:


> Definitely '35 Westfield built with the N code. I do have two McCauley tanks, never thought about seeing if they fit. I'll probably just leave it.




Too late to edit I guess. I meant N serial number. BB code B.


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## Cornelius00 (Jun 2, 2019)

Hello..sorry to revive such an old thread..but could you tell me what your seat tube length is? I too have an early Elgin motobike but can’t tell if it’s 26” or 28”..here is a pic of the overall length ..thanks..


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## SKPC (Jun 2, 2019)

Great job on the Elgin refurbish, very well done.    I just wanted to comment on and show what the 1000 McCauley tank would look like on your 30's Elgin frame.  I have a similar "N" serial number Elgin below I mounted one on with a bit of cutting to allow the downtube to go through the front part of it.  That motorbike tank you have on your bike is made for 20's Hawthorne moto's and perhaps others as well that sport the tighter double top tubes. (30's Colson moto frames will also fit that tank perfectly) The big Shelby motorbikes are the perfect fit frames for the McCauley 1000.  @Freqman1's Shelby sports the unmodified 1000.


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## Jay81 (Jun 2, 2019)

SKPC said:


> That motorbike tank you have on your bike is made for 20's Hawthorne moto's and perhaps others as well that sport the tighter double top tubes. (30's Colson moto frames will also fit that tank perfectly)




You may be right, but the tank on my bike looks an awful lot like the one shown in the 1935 Sears catalog (see post #5 in this thread)


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## Jay81 (Jun 2, 2019)

Cornelius00 said:


> Hello..sorry to revive such an old thread..but could you tell me what your seat tube length is? I too have an early Elgin motobike but can’t tell if it’s 26” or 28”..here is a pic of the overall length ..thanks..View attachment 1008768
> View attachment 1008769




My seat tube is 19" although I don't think that necessarily has anything to do with wheel size.
You should be measuring from the center of the BB, (not the top as your pic shows) to the top of the seat tube. That is your frame size.
Your seat tube looks like it would also be 19" if measured correctly.
Some of the early balloon tire bikes like my Elgin used fender spacers and a smaller rear fender on the 26" bikes, you can see them in the photos. That way they were able to use the same frames for both 26" and 28" wheels.
Are you sure it's an Elgin? Chainring looks possibly Hawthorne.


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## Cornelius00 (Jun 2, 2019)

Jay81 said:


> My seat tube is 19" although I don't think that necessarily has anything to do with wheel size.
> You should be measuring from the center of the BB, (not the top as your pic shows) to the top of the seat tube. That is your frame size.
> Your seat tube looks like it would also be 19" if measured correctly.
> Some of the early balloon tire bikes like my Elgin used fender spacers and a smaller rear fender on the 26" bikes, you can see them in the photos. That way they were able to use the same frames for both 26" and 28" wheels.
> Are you sure it's an Elgin? Chainring looks possibly Hawthorne.



You’re absolutely right, it is a Hawthorne..looks identical in frame geometry and chain ring like the late 20’s early 30s...is there any way to tell if it  is a 28”? I put a pair of Schwinn 27x1 3/4 for looks and I feel like I still have another inch of clearance even room for fenders ..


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## Jay81 (Jun 2, 2019)

Cornelius00 said:


> You’re absolutely right, it is a Hawthorne..looks identical in frame geometry and chain ring like the late 20’s early 30s...is there any way to tell if it  is a 28”? I put a pair of Schwinn 27x1 3/4 for looks and I feel like I still have another inch of clearance even for fenders ..disregard the Schwinn fork on the Hawthorne ..View attachment 1009022




Hard to say for sure. If you can figure out what year it was made, you might find your answer.
Balloon tire bikes first appeared in 32 or 33, so if it's prior to that, it would be safe to say 28"
I say 32 or 33 because Schwinn claimed to have the first balloon tire bike, the B10E, in 1933. There is a thread somewhere on here that discusses another brand (can't remember which one offhand) that had a _single tube balloon tire _bike in 1932.

Anyway, if you can date your bike to 1931 or older, 28"
Otherwise it could be either.


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## Cornelius00 (Jun 2, 2019)

Jay81 said:


> Hard to say for sure. If you can figure out what year it was made, you might find your answer.
> Balloon tire bikes first appeared in 32 or 33, so if it's prior to that, it would be safe to say 28"
> I say 32 or 33 because Schwinn claimed to have the first balloon tire bike, the B10E, in 1933. There is a thread somewhere on here that discusses another brand (can't remember which one offhand) that had a _single tube balloon tire _bike in 1932.
> 
> ...




 I spent almost 3 hours today trying to trace this serial number on the bottom bracket ..H0791 or it’s H6791


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## Marc's Classic Chrome (Jun 4, 2019)

Everyone’s dream bike! Looking good!!!


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