# The Blue print of an Elgin Bluebird



## npence (Nov 1, 2011)

I think I found another one of my favorite sites today. found this cool blue print of an elgin Bluebird. Just thought it was cool to look at an artist sketch of an elgin blue bird. Note the kickstand isnt a pencil kickstand that did come on the bike.


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## cyclingday (Nov 1, 2011)

Sweet!

 Now when I see someone with a Bluebird, I'm going to tell them that they have a nice Booty Cycle!


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## then8j (Nov 1, 2011)

What site did you find this on?


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## redline1968 (Nov 1, 2011)

neat peice.  i notice that the bike was approved in 1940 and the bike sold in 1935. interesting..


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## npence (Nov 1, 2011)

IT is Google patents I was able to find all kinds of cool stuff. like twin bar patents on frame and tank, mercury lite tanks,chain guard. huffman big tank stuff, roadmaster supreme. really cool just searching all that stuff and see what the designer saw. and also some stuff thought up but never produced that I Know of like this rear springer.


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## fordsnake (Nov 1, 2011)

> What site did you find this on?



http://www.google.pt/patents?id=0nJSAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA2&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false


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## Oldbikes (Nov 1, 2011)

*'37 RMS gooseneck...*

Does anyone else think the gooseneck on the RMS blueprint looks like the cushioned "Miss America" stem?!  There has been a lot of controversy about that stem being correct on the RMS...
Thoughts anyone?


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## Oldbikes (Nov 1, 2011)

That art work sure would look cool silk screened on a t-shirt!!   
Anyone printing shirts?!


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## RMS37 (Nov 2, 2011)

Oldbikes said:


> Does anyone else think the gooseneck on the RMS blueprint looks like the cushioned "Miss America" stem?!  There has been a lot of controversy about that stem being correct on the RMS...
> Thoughts anyone?




Controversy?  If there is controversy then I have to believe that it must be some backroom chatter regarding my statement that the cushion stems are being incorrectly used on Roadmaster Supremes….And while I have openly stated that there is no evidence I have found to support the use of the stem on the bike, no one has ever brought up the subject with me for a discussion so I didn’t know there were any contrary thoughts being discussed let alone a "lot of controversy".

The Patent drawing is obviously something I would have studied to make my statement in the first place and I can see how a casual observer would misread it. Indeed, that misreading along with a similar misinterpretation of some other period illustrations is probably the source of the issue in the first place. If you grab a 1937 Roadmaster stem out of your display case and hold it in one fist and park yourself next to a “Miss America”, those references plus a magnifying glass and the patent should be enough to place this piece of evidence in the “not-used” column.

When you are done with that, go look for a real piece of evidence that proves me wrong. I’d be happy to see evidence that disproves something I have noted as I am not vested in being right for my own sake but I do take some pride in not riding with the herd when their assumptions are lazy ones.

When it is all over I imagine some of those cushion stems can go back home to roost on M-A’s to finish them correctly.

Thoughts anyone?


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## RMS37 (Nov 2, 2011)

On a lighter note, while the bike is up for discussion, two things that have always struck me as interesting about this drawing (which, along with the design and probably the first physical iteration of the bike, must date to fairly early in 1936 or even the nascence of bicycle production at CWC in late 1935, to have reached the patent office by May 2, 1936.)

The drawing shows curtailed swan truss rods, something that looks good in profile but may have looked unfinished when you are standing over the bike. The other interesting thing is the use of Bluebird grips on the bike and in a patent drawing! These grips are a signature Sears item and were actually patented by Sears. Their appearance in the patent illustration for the RMS leads to a lot of fun speculation….but I don’t want to start any more controversy so I’ll leave everyone to make up their own story about them….


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## Oldbikes (Nov 2, 2011)

Poor word choice and statement on my part, my bad.  What would have been more appropriate to say is that "I can see where the misconceptions regarding the M.A. stem being correct on RMS came from," looking at the artist rendering, which I had never seen before.  You're right there is not a lot of controversy, if any, but certainly a lot of people that erroneously believe the M.A. stem is correct.


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## scrubbinrims (Nov 2, 2011)

*put in perspective*

Well Alan,

It's not like you parted out a girl's bicycle, went with a reproduction part on a Phantom, restored a nice original paint bicycle, ended an ebay auction early, or sought a conspiracy to veil pricing to newcomers...
Just words that didn't come out right.

Chris


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## RMS37 (Nov 2, 2011)

No it’s not, I’ve only yelled at anyone once for transgressions in those categories.   

Obviously this patent and the cover illustration on the 1937 catalog are likely the source of the belief that the Cushion stem is the stem to step up to when you are finishing your 37 RMS. While the back/top of the stems are similar, (in a small grainy reproduction of an illustration) the bar pinch bolt location and configuration is entirely different. 

But now that I have brought you around to seeing things my way we would also be lazy to assume that a cushion stem was not O.E.M. on some 37 RMS that went out the door. The real proof against that would be to find the original production date for the cushion stem to be later than the offering of the 1937 RMS (which I believe it to be). 

If I am right, I think that it is funny how many Miss Americas are standing around with no bars because of a prevalence of follow the leader mentality in lieu of research in the hobby.


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## chitown (Nov 2, 2011)

Oldbikes said:


> That art work sure would look cool silk screened on a t-shirt!!
> Anyone printing shirts?!




Check the 1st one shown in my for sale thread.

http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?18780-Custom-T-Shirts

I like adding a headbadge image to bring the patent to life a bit.

PM me if anyone wants a custom composition done.


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## Oldbikes (Nov 2, 2011)

Chris, Thanks for putting it in perspective!   And Phil thanks to you for DOING all the research you obviously do and for so freely sharing it!


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## Oldbikes (Nov 2, 2011)

Chitown,

Nice work!!


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## Aeropsycho (Nov 4, 2011)

*He He He...*

http://www.google.pt/patents?id=2gN...=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false


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## publius (Nov 5, 2011)

*Dream bike circa 1935.*

Big wow on that mid 30s dream bike drawing you found. Would sure make a nice wall decor for the workshop. Thanks, Paul


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