# 1941 Elgin



## 37fleetwood (Mar 4, 2014)

well, I did always like these, and now I've found one! 
not sure this qualifies to be in the project section, but I do need to find a few parts after figuring out just what they are.
I need to figure out what tail light it's supposed to have mounted to the rack for starters!


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## Freqman1 (Mar 4, 2014)

Uh-oh could a Robin or Blue Bird be far behind? Just kidding Scott! I can't really make out the back of the rack but a lot of Elgins of this vintage had the little cannister tailights. V/r Shawn


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## jpromo (Mar 4, 2014)

I love these gothic tanks. They came in so many subtle color variations too. I've never seen one with a tank that had white as the main color. This could have even been a '42 assembly, because of all the painted parts. Nice looking bike.


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## fat tire trader (Mar 4, 2014)

You are in luck! You have the version of the rack that does not have a tail light. The ones with tail lights have the light assemble built in bellow the rack. The lenses and guts are almost always missing and are difficult to find. If you want lights, you might consider a Make a Light set, they were listed as accessories for Elgin bikes and are not that hard to find.


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## Balloontyre (Mar 4, 2014)

1941 cat cut.


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## rustjunkie (Mar 4, 2014)

That bike is a "super-model"


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## 37fleetwood (Mar 4, 2014)

photos of the rack

















and pin stripes everywhere!


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## rollfaster (Mar 4, 2014)

*Congrads Scott*

Very nice elgin. Don't worry,you will learn to love it.


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## fat tire trader (Mar 4, 2014)

I think that I have three versions of the rack, two with different tail light housings and one with no light. Now that I see the back of your rack, it looks like it was one of the lit ones, but the light is welded onto the bottom of the rack. I'll take some pics.


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## 37fleetwood (Mar 4, 2014)

you know, I got it because I love the way they look, but once I sat on it I realized it wasn't exactly built for a 6'1" 220lb tubby like me. the seat post has you right over the crank which is not only odd feeling it puts you very close to the bars. I rode it all day and other than the half dozen things that tried to fall off, it rode nice enough, just a bit small. we'll see if I like it enough to overcome these couple things.
over the years, I've had several bikes that I just had to have, until I got them. I have to say that this one still has a shot at staying. there have been a few that I have immediately said "Aw Hell No!" this one isn't bad, just a bit too small.

I would love to see photos of the racks. I would also be interested if anyone had one for sale, or was willing to make me a pattern of my missing pieces.


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## ThegoodThebad&Therusty (Mar 5, 2014)

Here's some images of my rack ...














I'll get some more specific photos underneath of the side "skirts" if you wish. Or, maybe even if you don't :o

pap
.


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## 37fleetwood (Mar 5, 2014)

thanks a bunch pap!
no chance that rack doesn't have a bike?


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## ThegoodThebad&Therusty (Mar 5, 2014)

37fleetwood said:


> thanks a bunch pap!
> no chance that rack doesn't have a bike?




Well, it's _almost_ a bike 

Just a couple of the easier to acquire items away from mock up time !!!

pap
.


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## fordmike65 (Mar 5, 2014)

37fleetwood said:


> you know, I got it because I love the way they look, but once I sat on it I realized it wasn't exactly built for a 6'1" 220lb tubby like me. the seat post has you right over the crank which is not only odd feeling it puts you very close to the bars. I rode it all day and other than the half dozen things that tried to fall off, it rode nice enough, just a bit small. we'll see if I like it enough to overcome these couple things.
> over the years, I've had several bikes that I just had to have, until I got them. I have to say that this one still has a shot at staying. there have been a few that I have immediately said "Aw Hell No!" this one isn't bad, just a bit too small.
> 
> I would love to see photos of the racks. I would also be interested if anyone had one for sale, or was willing to make me a pattern of my missing pieces.




Want me to make up a seatpost for you?


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## ThegoodThebad&Therusty (Mar 5, 2014)

Here's a few more Scott, (while it's out of the box) ~













pap
.


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## ThegoodThebad&Therusty (Mar 5, 2014)

fordmike65 said:


> Want me to make up a seatpost for you?




That bike is almost identical to the one i'm putting together, the main differences being my tank and chain guard are in original blue.

pap
.


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## oldfart36 (Mar 6, 2014)

The long tank fender over models have always been one of my favorites. This is a pic of my 41 when I found it. I've since put the proper tires, seat, and drop stand on it, but I've left the bike pretty much as found other then what I've mentioned. I to am still not sure what rack to look for, if I decide on one, if you look close, you can see it still has a rack hinge on it. Good info here!


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## rockabillyjay (Mar 7, 2014)

I had the same year Elgin with one of the battery tubes just riveted under the rack..used a screw on domed lense..like this:

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?30017-The-last-of-my-bike-stuff-for-sale


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## Dave Stromberger (Mar 31, 2014)

That rack takes a rare version of the regular lens that some people refer to as the "puffy nipple". Instead of threads to screw it onto the battery can, it has two slots on the side. One of the tabs on the battery can is spring loaded, so you push it in, slide the lens on, and it snaps in place. To turn the light on or off, you twist the lens. The can takes a wire that you you run along one of the rack legs down to the hub, where it connects to one of those oddball switch/ring assemblies that goes on the hub (shown in the thread linked to in rockabillyjay's post)... so the bike has a tail light and a back-pedal operated stop-light. Thats what the groove in some New Departure and Musselman hub dust covers is for... the brake light ring.  Neeto stuff!


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## ThegoodThebad&Therusty (Apr 3, 2014)

Hey, thanks for that information Dave !!

I didn't know about the tab needing a specific lens and also didn't know why there were external electrical connections on the tube. I was thinking the connections were to run a wire up to the handlebars for some kind of stop light button or light switch.

pap
.


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