# Early 40s Curved Seat Tube Elgin



## TR6SC (May 2, 2017)

There isn't anything about this project that will turn heads. I just thought it might be fun to go through the process of chronicling the steps.  ALL ideas or input is encouraged. The idea is to keep the cost to a reasonable minimum. That being both in dollars and in labor. The frame is a beauty. That lovely curve encourages me to go for perfect, but as I said, that ain't happening. The metal is pock marked severely. The badge is beat. It doesn't show, but the curve of the badge no longer follows the curve of the head tube. Off it came.  



Scrub-a-dub-dub. That's it, and no more.

 


A couple of passes with my favorite finish, Rustoleum Satin, or as it's also known as, (AKA) Satan!






This is going take some time to dry. Once I can touch it, I'll put it in the walk-in water heater closet and let it bake.


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## Scribble (May 3, 2017)

Those frame are so sleek I love it .


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## TR6SC (May 3, 2017)

There is a saying about watching the grass grow, or watching paint dry.
Guilty as charged. I started to lose my marbles. Couldn't help myself. Rustoleum just takes forever to dry, so....
I stripped the ratty badge and pulled out the Brasso! Mmmm, dats a nice!!


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## GTs58 (May 3, 2017)

I sure hope you carved your name in the seat tube before you Sataned it.   Cool project.


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## Krakatoa (May 3, 2017)

Nice project! I love these frames. Did you fish that one out of the bay? Once the paint is dry you could skim coat it with bondo and make it super smooth again, it sands pretty easily and is not that time consuming. Cue the people saying "Leave it pockmarked!":eek:

You'll probably have it all done before I remove the stem wedge that's been fused in the fork of my Western Flyer version!

N


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## TR6SC (May 4, 2017)

Nice Flyer, Nate. I've done the Bondo thing. This Columbia Standard was from the bottom of the bay. Lots of pitting. The nickel was applied over numerous coats of copper that filled the pits. I thought that this time I would just leave it.
Anyway, Back to the head tube. Does the bolt come out? If so, drill a hole in the bottom of the forks and run a drift through the center of the wedge and drive the stem out like you mean it!

 




Krakatoa said:


> Nice project! I love these frames. Did you fish that one out of the bay? Once the paint is dry you could skim coat it with bondo and make it super smooth again, it sands pretty easily and is not that time consuming. Cue the people saying "Leave it pockmarked!":eek:
> 
> You'll probably have it all done before I remove the stem wedge that's been fused in the fork of my Western Flyer version!
> 
> ...


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## Krakatoa (May 4, 2017)

Wow, cool spoon brake setup on that one! 

Good idea on the hole & drift idea. Right now there is just a teensy hole in the bottom of the fork. The real problem was the guy I bought the bike from had the habit of 'losing' stem wedges down the hole in his bikes as he'd never heard of PB Blaster. His solution was to stuff a wad of paper towel in the tube and put another stem in!! One of the other bikes had Civil War cannon load of stem wedges and paper towel wads in it!!


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## TR6SC (May 4, 2017)

Krakatoa said:


> Wow, cool spoon brake setup on that one!
> 
> Good idea on the hole & drift idea. Right now there is just a teensy hole in the bottom of the fork. The real problem was the guy I bought the bike from had the habit of 'losing' stem wedges down the hole in his bikes as he'd never heard of PB Blaster. His solution was to stuff a wad of paper towel in the tube and put another stem in!! One of the other bikes had Civil War cannon load of stem wedges and paper towel wads in it!!



Drill that puppy. Drive the SOB out!


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## Kickstand3 (May 7, 2017)

TR6SC said:


> Drill that puppy. Drive the SOB out!



Cool project , I'm learning from you my friend


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## TR6SC (May 7, 2017)

TR6SC said:


> Drill that puppy. Drive the SOB out!



But, support the forks by their shoulders on some wood so you don't hammer the bearings into the bottom race.


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## TR6SC (May 8, 2017)

While the paint is hardening, I thought it would be a good time to bead blast the seat pan and springs to get the seat ready to paint. Lots of rust. 
I couldn't get it all so I got some threaded rod and a few nuts.
A large roach clip allowed me to thread the nuts onto the rod inside the springs. A little stretching allowed the nuts to get wider and wider on the rod.


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## TR6SC (May 16, 2017)

The Beast is coming together. The gearing is 24/11x26=57 inch wheel. Perfect for this geezer! I'm thinking of some Ape Hangers in the 19 inch range. Too tall?


ND blackouts front and rear.

The aftermarket Schwinn forks were a bit long for the the steering tube, so I made a spacer to take up the slack. My first try came out wrong, so I put it on the bottom. I'll pull it off if I go with fenders.


Anybody know what this guard is from?


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## Scribble (May 16, 2017)

I dig that guard


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## TR6SC (Jun 3, 2017)

Whoa! That's a tall seat post. It needs to come down about 2 inches. I'm ordering up some 16 inch aftermarket ape hangers. That leaves pedals and grips. Any thoughts out there about that? Coke bottles? Reflectors? What about a rack?


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## rick whitehurst (Jun 8, 2017)

Very nice job.


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## TR6SC (Jul 15, 2017)

Wasn't planning on fenders, but I needed a mounting place for the Winged Wheel ornament.


 I found a pair of jeweled pedals and a KOBASTAND. It's a Japanese copy of the old arc side stands on Chinese Roadsters. Chairman Mao revived the bike industry in China with the Flying Pigeon. It was a copy of the good old English Roadster. More than 500,000,000 have been made. The world's biggest selling vehicle. Honda's Super Cub comes in second with 60,000,000 units.


 





View attachment 645074
Here are a couple more off the net.


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## volksboy57 (Jul 17, 2017)

looks like a Hiawatha guard?


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## TR6SC (Jan 16, 2019)

Finally got this Elgin close to done. The Banana went on last year and feels comfy. So do the Ape Hangers.


This was today's rainy day project, a Troxel reflector and a Watsonville, California plate from the same period as the bike. 


Anybody know of a 3/4 26" duckbill rear fender to copy a Sting-Ray?


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## sccruiser (Jan 16, 2019)

Apes with paperboy hooks too !  I dig it !


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## gkeep (Jan 17, 2019)

I'll keep an eye out for that rear fender. Does it have to be vintage or would 80s be old enough?


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## TR6SC (Jan 22, 2019)

Any vintage works for me. Thanks!


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## OZ1972 (Feb 2, 2019)

Great job super clean i like it !!!!!!!!


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