I'm buying an Elgin but what is it?

[Mr. Monkeyarms]

Good bones to start a project! Alemite grease fittings were done for 2 years if not mistaken. A bit unsure but thinking '37-8 or '38-9. I'm sure someone with actual knowledge will chime in.

 

[ozzie]

Another couple of advertisements containing the straight downtube Murray built frames as well as a chart with the frame numbers.

I like these Murray built Elgin’s. They have lots of really cool features from their early electro forged frames, long tanks, air cooled hubs and knife edge cranks.

I bought this one a couple of weeks back. Your bike would have had a similar fork and sprocket and if you can’t find them on the cabe you can try ebay. Take the plunge and have some fun with it.

 

[gkeep]

Welcome and great prewar ballooner find. I wonder how that late 30s bike ended up across the pond? Did you find it local?

If you want to go all out there are some very inspirational threas here of bikes that have been taken to bre metal and 'fauxtina" restored so they have new paint and decals but distressed to look the bikes age. Here's a fantastic example.

Roadmaster Supreme | Project Rides

I started this restoration a while back for @New Mexico Brant but never started a build journal. I have been taking pictures all along so over this next week or so I'll be posting as I can to get it up to the current stage.

thecabe.com

Inside the head tube, seat post tube or the bottom bracket you may find traces of the original paint hiding.

On the other hand the bare steel patina looks great sometime too. I found this frame and I'm still thinking of doing some sort of faux paint job but for now I enjoy riding it bare metal with a coat of linseed oil.

Have fun with it and I hope you have lots of great village patsh and lanes to ride in your area!

 

[Jonesy]

Thanks everybody. So the Elgin is currently in South Carolina but a friend of a friend is on his way to collect it as we speak. I'll pick it up and dismantle in October when I'm out on business in Georgia.

With regards to the truss rods. Should there be a supporting bracket above the fork? I'm seeing photos with and without.

 

[Jonesy]

I managed to get the seller to flip the Elgin over to see if he find a serial number. A quick look revealed a MOS? If that's correct that would make the frame a 1953 example. Thoughts?

 

[Archie Sturmer]

Thinking 1937

Looks like a Murray-built; those 22-tooth sprockets were used on ladies' Elgin bikes.

Murray Ohio [MO]

Might have a serial number and a date code stamped on the bottom bracket crank hanger.
Perhaps an S, SC or SD; for 1937, 38 or 39?
Also note that Sears starts with the letter “S”.

Later years 1938 or 39 would have the additional letters C or D.
Murray was a start-up in 1936, and Sears might not have bought bikes from Murray in that first year.

 

[ozzie]

This is my raw steel ‘39 Roadmaster which I got as a bare frame and fork. It had a bad repaint so I had no issue going to a bare metal finish. If you go this way you will need to strip it by hand or have it blasted using a soft media like plastic so the metal is not etched. I used a rust prevention paste to protect the raw metal.