# Elgin serial numbers



## jthomas (May 13, 2013)

I have an Elgin. Serial number starts with an "M".   Any way to find out what year?   

Also looking for replacement grips and if the bike had a chain guard.


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## Freqman1 (May 13, 2013)

Mods need to move this post to the general section. You need to post some pics before we can offer any help. V/r Shawn


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## scrubbinrims (May 13, 2013)

M is 1934 if made by Westfield which at the time supplying for Sears it would be.
Chris


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## jthomas (May 13, 2013)

Thanks Chris.


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## Balloontyre (May 14, 2013)

Welcome to the Cabe! 

The bike you have looks like an early Oriole, no guard (straight arm crank) or tank (could be added). Looks complete minus the grips. These model bikes are known to ride very well.


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## bricycle (May 14, 2013)

scrubbinrims said:


> M is 1934 if made by Westfield which at the time supplying for Sears it would be.
> Chris




...what Chris said....
...and what balloontyre said....


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## kosnmotion (Jul 17, 2013)

*Someone help with Elgin Numbers*

Picked this bastard of a bike up a couple of weeks ago. Has Elgin frame but not sure if they ever came with springer front forks. Serial numbers are SC 26884. Has a cool sprocket with stars on it. Can anyone help me out?


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## bricycle (Jul 17, 2013)

It's a 1937 ish *Murry-Ohio* made elgin frame, badge and fenders. All else is mixed...


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## rustjunkie (Jul 17, 2013)

bricycle said:


> ...what Chris said....
> ...and what balloontyre said....




...what bricycle said...


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## kosnmotion (Jul 17, 2013)

bricycle said:


> It's a 1937 ish Westfield made elgin frame, badge and fenders. All else is mixed...




Thanks for the fast reply


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## bricycle (Jul 17, 2013)

kosnmotion said:


> Thanks for the fast reply




just CABE Brotherhood in action.......


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## rustjunkie (Jul 17, 2013)

kosnmotion said:


> Picked this bastard of a bike up a couple of weeks ago. Has Elgin frame but not sure if they ever came with springer front forks. Serial numbers are SC 26884. Has a cool sprocket with stars on it. Can anyone help me out?View attachment 104998View attachment 104999View attachment 105000




Murray built, looks like Schwinn spring fork and fenders, chain ring is ~a couple decades newer than the frame


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## bricycle (Jul 17, 2013)

alw said:


> Murray built, looks like Schwinn spring fork and fenders, chain ring is ~a couple decades newer than the frame




I thought Westfield had the taller seat post tubes?


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## rustjunkie (Jul 17, 2013)

bricycle said:


> I thought Westfield had the taller seat post tubes?




forged wishbone area at the seat-stay, forged head tube...MO, is it not?
like the Mercury pod bikes w/o the built-in side stand...?


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## RMS37 (Jul 17, 2013)

bricycle said:


> It's a 1937 ish Westfield made elgin frame, badge and fenders. All else is mixed...






bricycle said:


> just CABE Brotherhood in action.......






bricycle said:


> I thought Westfield had the taller seat post tubes?




6500+ posts and you can't discern the differences between Westfield and Murray-Ohio built Elgins! This is more shameful than selling outside the "brotherhood" if you ask me. It might be time to shut the computer down for a while and go study the catalogs.


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## fordmike65 (Jul 17, 2013)

RMS37 said:


> 6500+ posts and you can't discern the differences between Westfield and Murray-Ohio built Elgins! This is more shameful than selling outside the "brotherhood" if you ask me. It might be time to shut the computer down for a while and go study the catalogs.




BURRRRRN


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## RMS37 (Jul 17, 2013)

alw said:


> Murray built, looks like Schwinn spring fork and fenders, chain ring is ~a couple decades newer than the frame




The frame is circa 1938, Murray-Ohio built for Sears. As noted that is about all that is left in this construct of the original bike. If rebuilding to orig. is your goal, going with the fork and fenders toward a complete Schwinn might be the easier alternative. Otherwise it looks like a good start rat-rider as is.


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## dougfisk (Jul 17, 2013)

RMS37 said:


> 6500+ posts and you can't discern the differences between Westfield and Murray-Ohio built Elgins! This is more shameful than selling outside the "brotherhood" if you ask me. It might be time to shut the computer down for a while and go study the catalogs.




OUCH! :eek:  I felt that all the way over here! ... Did Chris hack into Phil's account?


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## bricycle (Jul 17, 2013)

RMS37 said:


> 6500+ posts and you can't discern the differences between Westfield and Murray-Ohio built Elgins! This is more shameful than selling outside the "brotherhood" if you ask me. It might be time to shut the computer down for a while and go study the catalogs.




guess I'm mixed up.... I'll go study....


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## bricycle (Jul 17, 2013)

Phil is my mentor..... I'm just dumb grasshopper.


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## carlitos60 (Jul 17, 2013)

*Lol*



dougfisk said:


> OUCH! :eek:  I felt that all the way over here! ... Did Chris hack into Phil's account?





Guy!!!!

You got Me LOL for a Change!!!!

Thanks!

****Hey!  My "Trash It"  1933 Falcon is Coming Out Soon!!!!!!


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## RTulino (Apr 30, 2020)

Can anyone help with this Elgin serial number D12990 I can’t seem to find much information for Elgin or a serial chart. 


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## fordmike65 (Apr 30, 2020)

RTulino said:


> Can anyone help with this Elgin serial number D12990 I can’t seem to find much information for Elgin or a serial chart.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Pic of the bike? Guessing its Westfield built('39), but others including Murray, Monark, etc built bikes for Sears.










						Westfield Frame Numbers 1933 - 1945 | Classic Balloon Tire Bicycles 1933-1965
					

Dear All,  Please find below Version 1 of a listing of known serial numbers and details of around 200 Westfields built between 1933 and 1945.  This has come from several sources, with various CABE members kindly supplying lists of their own, for which I thank them, as well as my own internet...




					thecabe.com


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## Mercian (Apr 30, 2020)

Hi @RTulino 



RTulino said:


> Can anyone help with this Elgin serial number D12990 I can’t seem to find much information for Elgin or a serial chart.




As @fordmike65 said, probably a late1939 Westfield built bicycle. There should be another letter/number stamped above the serial number, something like F10. If you can tell us what that is, we can date your bike exactly.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## mrg (Apr 30, 2020)

Pics!


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## RTulino (May 1, 2020)

Thank you, I found the additional numbers on the bottom which I hope will help. F2 Also curious if you would know back in 1939 was Elgin just a name used and who actually built it. 


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## rustjunkie (May 1, 2020)

RTulino said:


> Thank you, I found the additional numbers on the bottom which I hope will help. F2 Also curious if you would know back in 1939 was Elgin just a name used and who actually built it.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




sears was a retailer not a manufacturer, elgin was the pre-wwii sears house-brand, bikes were sourced from different manufacturers, i've seen westfield, murray, and monark.


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## RTulino (May 1, 2020)

So they just used the Elgin name. 
Does the f2 help determine exact year ?


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## Mercian (May 1, 2020)

RTulino said:


> Thank you, I found the additional numbers on the bottom which I hope will help. F2 Also curious if you would know back in 1939 was Elgin just a name used and who actually built it.




Hi @RTulino 

Thanks for coming back with the F2. This shows it was a bike built by Westfield, who supplied it Sears to be sold under the brand name Elgin.

As Rustjunkie said, at various times Sears used different manufacturers to produce their Elgin bikes. In the 1930's, Westfield, right at the beginning of the 40's Murray, and postwar Monark. There were overlaps between the manufacturers too as stock sold out and was renewed.

So, D12990 and F2. F2 is the code for the frame manufcturing date, F is 1939, and 2 is February. When the frame was built up into a bike, it received it's serial number, D12990. This is also early 1939 (I see I said late 1939 in my post above, I must have been asleep, sorry!).

So the bike is February to March 1939 made.

(And we'd all like to see pictures if you get the chance).

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## RTulino (May 1, 2020)

Wow that’s awesome,I didn’t think I would get all that info. Thank you very much. I will get you pics too. 


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## rustjunkie (May 1, 2020)

i had a 1939 monark built elgin, i think @bikewhorder has a 1930s monark built oriole, and there are 1930s murray built elgins a-plenty


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## RTulino (May 1, 2020)

How’s the value on these, not that I’m selling but just curious. 


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## Freqman1 (May 1, 2020)

RTulino said:


> How’s the value on these, not that I’m selling but just curious.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



"I have a red Ford. What's it worth?" Without some good pics who knows. Boys?, girls?, deluxe? condition? a lot of variables affect value. Post some pics and then we can answer some questions. V/r Shawn


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## RTulino (May 1, 2020)

Understood !
Thanks again 


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## Rivnut (May 1, 2020)

"I have a red Ford" hilarious but so apropos.


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## Archie Sturmer (May 1, 2020)

My sister had a red  by Mustang, (Ford would not put their own name on it); the red acrylic paint faded to orange. She took it to be repainted again and when she went to pick it up •••

it was repainted ••• Orange!


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## Freqman1 (May 2, 2020)

Archie Sturmer said:


> My sister had a red  by Mustang, (Ford would not put their own name on it); the red acrylic paint faded to orange. She took it to be repainted again and when she went to pick it up •••
> 
> it was repainted ••• Orange!



How much are orange ones worth?


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