Mystery Elgin

[Durham27707]

Long time bike mechanic, first cool old bike. I found it in a neighbors trash if you can believe that. Any idea of year/model to get me started on fixing it up?

 

[Majdotkool]

Elgins are a nice ride! Looks like a Westfield built. The serial number would help, it is found on the bottom bracket. It probably has 2 sets of #’s like the pic.

 

[Durham27707]

Got it, it also has these crazy bolts on top of the bb

 

[HEMI426]

Those are grease fittings.

 

[Frank and Pam Skid Kings]

Those "bolts" are zerk fittings used to lube the crank. Elgin exclusive back then. Thinking your bike is a 1936 Elgin oriole.

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Looks like a later serial 1936–A, with fittings and taller head badge; (less likely to read 1935–N for the early 1936 catalog year).

 

[Durham27707]

Haha this forum is great! Thanks everyone, I'll see you again when I get stuck.

 

[Rivnut]

Someone has removed the drop stand in favor of an aftermarket kickstand. As well as removing the truss rods so the basket could be added. The chain guard is likely aftermarket for that year as well. I think it’s later than previously stated. I’ve been led to believe that the head badge shown was a ‘37 and later badge. Could be wrong on those dates though. Definitely not like the badge pictured in the illustration. I’ve got two; a ‘39 identified with a D, and a 40 identified with an E. Could that C represent 1938?

 

[Mercian]

Hi @Durham27707

A93943 is a Westfield built bike made for Sears and Roebuck under the Elgin name. It was made around June 1936. The second set of numbers above the first (see the C7 at top right in @Majdotkool 's helpful post) would confirm the exact year and month. I'm guessing C6.

Here's @jchicago 's A80134 / C5 which is very close in date to yours. It has the same headbadge.

Lucky find: 1936(?) Elgin Oriole | General Discussion About Old Bicycles

Found my first buried treasure last night–a 1936(?) Elgin Oriole. Bought it from an older gentleman with a cane whose been storing it for decades and never got around to fixing it up. Very excited. This is going to be my winter pet project. Thanks to Frank Boglioli for checking it out last night...

thecabe.com

Best Regards,
Adrian

 

[Adamtinkerer]

Someone has removed the drop stand in favor of an aftermarket kickstand. As well as removing the truss rods so the basket could be added. The chain guard is likely aftermarket for that year as well. I think it’s later than previously stated. I’ve been led to believe that the head badge shown was a ‘37 and later badge. Could be wrong on those dates though. Definitely not like the badge pictured in the illustration. I’ve got two; a ‘39 identified with a D, and a 40 identified with an E. Could that C represent 1938?

If you look in the Elgin book, the '36 catalog pages show the aqua background badge, and '37 has the black background. But here's evidence as to the change happening mid year. Sometimes a bike surfaces, and we all learn something!