# Need help dating my Elgin



## Wildeman (Mar 15, 2020)

I have what I believe to be a 1939 or 1940 Elgin girls bike. I am hoping the experts here can set me straight. I have noticed that some Elgins in these years had a solid sprocket and some a slotted one like mine. Which one is older? Also when did they have the neck shroud?


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## fordmike65 (Mar 15, 2020)

Very nice. I believe @piercer_99 has a similar ladies Elgin.









						The one that didn't get away.  aka, 1941 Westfield built, Elgin Ladies Deluxe Sport | Classic Balloon Tire Bicycles 1933-1965
					

So I was kind of mourning the loss of a bike.  I shouldn't I sold it to someone who really wanted it, and I hadn't been riding it enough to justify keeping it.   Well, when in mourning, you look at other bikes, at least I do.  So I browsed the facebook marketplace, meh.   Throw the parameters...




					thecabe.com


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## piercer_99 (Mar 15, 2020)

Mike is almost correct, my bride has a very minty 1941 ladies Elgin Deluxe Sport that she lets me take photos of and ride occasionally.

By the color combination, I would say yours could be a 1941 also.










Flip it upside down and let us see the serial number.
D is 1939
E is 1940
F is 1941


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## Wildeman (Mar 15, 2020)

Thank you all so much for the great information. I am stuck in Europe at the moment so I called my neighbor and he is going to get the serial number off the bike and I will report back. Thanks again. What an awesome group!

Roderick


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## Wildeman (Mar 15, 2020)

My neighbor just got back to me with the number. It is E67393 and he said there is a G6 stamped on another area of the bottom bracket. So it looks like a 1940 from the information posted above. As always, I am in much appreciation!

Roderick


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## piercer_99 (Mar 15, 2020)

Wildeman said:


> My neighbor just got back to me with the number. It is E67393 and he said there is a G6 stamped on another area of the bottom bracket. So it looks like a 1940 from the information posted above. As always, I am in much appreciation!
> 
> Roderick



Roderick,

G6 is the frame code, as to when the frame was made, June 1940. My frame code is G10

Hope you enjoy riding it when you get home, they roll like a Cadillac.  (and weigh like one also.)


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## piercer_99 (Mar 15, 2020)




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## Archie Sturmer (Mar 15, 2020)

Regarding the “E” and “G” codes; and the triangular frame structure at the seat post cluster, reflects *Westfield* built bicycles; versus the *Murray* products shown with yoke joints in the black and white catalogs.
Both manufacturers supplied bicycles to Sears about that time.
Not sure if it was Sears who imposed the same serial number prefix letters (E) for the same years (1940) or if it was coincidental; (maybe not if one maker needed the extra letter?)


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## Joseph FINN (Mar 15, 2020)

1941









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## Mercian (Mar 16, 2020)

Hi All,

Nice bike. I'll confirm the June 1940 date is correct for the frame, and built up just after.



Archie Sturmer said:


> Regarding the “E” and “G” codes; and the triangular frame structure at the seat post cluster, reflects *Westfield* built bicycles; versus the *Murray* products shown with yoke joints in the black and white catalogs.
> Both manufacturers supplied bicycles to Sears about that time.
> Not sure if it was Sears who imposed the same serial number prefix letters (E) for the same years (1940) or if it was coincidental; (maybe not if one maker needed the extra letter?)





Hi, 

I don't know about Murray, but for Westfield, the E = 1940 was a follow on from a lettering date system they had been using since  around 1910, well before they started producing bikes for Elgin.

Best Regards,

Adrian


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## Adamtinkerer (Mar 28, 2020)

Looks like Joseph Finn's bike was the beginning of the S stamp. Sometime early postwar, it expanded to 'MOS' + the year code. Not to be confused with the "MOD 502", which was only a supplier code for Sears.


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## Rivnut (Mar 28, 2020)

Yesterday  FedEx dropped this off for me. It's what I believe to be a 40, based on and SE stamp, and it has the Sears MOD 502 stamp.. But the stamp SE stamp is very small and it must have been stamped at the end of the day by a very small woman - barley made dent

It came packed in pieces and it's all there.  What I cannot find is a picture/illustratio of another one like it.  Mine has the white truss rods, but the front fender has no provision for a headlamp and it has two braces. Most I've seen with truss rods have only a single brace. Any thoughts? Because it's totally disassembled I don't think posting a picture would do any good at this time.  But here's a picture of the stampings.

SE


MOD 502    191

     SER 86642









Thanks,
Ed


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## piercer_99 (Jun 3, 2020)

Wildeman said:


> I have what I believe to be a 1939 or 1940 Elgin girls bike. I am hoping the experts here can set me straight. I have noticed that some Elgins in these years had a solid sprocket and some a slotted one like mine. Which one is older? Also when did they have the neck shroud?
> 
> View attachment 1156263



how's this bike coming along?


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## Rivnut (Jun 3, 2020)

Wildman asked earlier about dates based on solid or slotted sprockets. Isn't this more of a sign of who manufactured the bike rather than age?


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## Euphman06 (Jun 4, 2020)

I believe so. I think the single slotted crank is Westfield, and the more slotted one is Murray.


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## saladshooter (Jun 4, 2020)

Westfield built double slot.


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## Euphman06 (Jun 4, 2020)

saladshooter said:


> Westfield built double slot.View attachment 1205241



Touche

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## TieDye (Jul 21, 2020)

My 39 Murray built has a double slot one.


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