Prewar Excelsior (Or Elgin?) Motobike.
- Thread starter MazdaFlyer
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This just keeps getting better and better!
What badge does it wear? Very, very nice clean look bike! Envious...
Mine won’t look quite like yours, it will have blue collar used look I’m thinking.
Thanks! It’s been repainted and has chips down to metal. I’m undecided as to whether to leave the paint as it is or do a refinish. The fenders I put on it have some rust so I may just leave the paint on it as is. Still going to change out the fender struts, add some Persons pedals and ball end or coke bottle grips. I’ll also clean up the exposed surfaces, service the bottom bracket, headset, chain and hubs.
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Added some flat struts today. Had to Dremel grind off the old bolts on the flat fender stays...took a while.
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It's a Zenith badged D.P, the paint it actually a 60s spray gun repaint. And the fenders are early 50s deep fenders, the man I got this bike from has been collecting since the 50s. I added the fenders, otherwise it's just like he had it.
Added an egg crate rack.
Ratty red almost matches.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ratty red almost matches.
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After updating the Tapatalk App, the photo upload functions seems to work again.
The chain has been soaking in WD40 quite some time, I worked it with a brass bristled brush to knock off the crud and wiped it down. I removed one link as I had moved the wheel forward to center it up. The bottom fender mount could use a spacer.
Anyway the chain is shortened and mounted. The rear wheel is as far forward as it will go. Drive train pretty smooth now for an old bike.
Some Thompson grips are in place now along with a pair of Persons repop pedals.
I took it for a test spin. The Goodyear tires seem to ride a little weird as they basically have dual contact surfaces. It felt like they were fighting for dominance in lieu of sharing.
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The chain has been soaking in WD40 quite some time, I worked it with a brass bristled brush to knock off the crud and wiped it down. I removed one link as I had moved the wheel forward to center it up. The bottom fender mount could use a spacer.
Anyway the chain is shortened and mounted. The rear wheel is as far forward as it will go. Drive train pretty smooth now for an old bike.
Some Thompson grips are in place now along with a pair of Persons repop pedals.
I took it for a test spin. The Goodyear tires seem to ride a little weird as they basically have dual contact surfaces. It felt like they were fighting for dominance in lieu of sharing.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Notice the center groove in the front tire. That’s what I was referring to in the previous post concerning ride tracking.
The groove shows a little better in this photo.
I’m going to change out the tires to the old Goodyear style repops marked GT (CSTsic).
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Head badge arrived today on slow boat from Indonesia. I used some Phillips head screws, need to find some slotted head type.
I also changed out the front tire to the old Goodyear style. The rear takes a little more time and patience so it will come later.
The steering and tracking is vastly improved with the flatter tread.
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I also changed out the front tire to the old Goodyear style. The rear takes a little more time and patience so it will come later.
The steering and tracking is vastly improved with the flatter tread.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Added the new back tire and tweaked a few things. Getting close to decision time on whether to leave well enough alone or give it a fresh look. Still need to degrease bearings and do clean up.
Rides like a tank, need to raise seat. A few new photos.
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Rides like a tank, need to raise seat. A few new photos.
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The mark on the tires is not GT, though it looks really close and those were used on some GT bicycles like Dyno cruisers, but actually CST, for Cheng Shin Tires. The model you run is called CST C241. Those are good and durable tires, especially for the price they cost.
Love the new tires!
A.S.BOLTNUT
He who dies with the most toys ,still dies No Fear
Lookin good , reminds me of my Elgin
This bike may be an Elgin.(photo below) Maybe even Shelby w/that Shelby flat-bridged fork on the front, but Shelby had Schwinn-style seatstays(early straightbar Schwinn moto-bikes).
I would never trust what "experts" tell you when so little remains of the original bike. I have done this a few times..
When you look closely at the head tube, you barely see White and Black paint under the red paint. The excelsior badge may have been added after a re-paint...one way to find out is to pull the headset or bb cups and look for the OG paint under the cup flanges.
Or, start the paint strip process to get to the bottom of it.
![657801bb951118173abb48aeaa3cc25a[1].jpg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/ratrodbikes/data/attach/85/85963-657801bb951118173abb48aeaa3cc25a-1-.jpg "657801bb951118173abb48aeaa3cc25a[1].jpg")
Nice Rat though MFlyer. Looking good.skpc
Thread below on Shelby motobikes..
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/34-36-shelby-motorbikes.131660/
When you look closely at the head tube, you barely see White and Black paint under the red paint. The excelsior badge may have been added after a re-paint...one way to find out is to pull the headset or bb cups and look for the OG paint under the cup flanges.Or, start the paint strip process to get to the bottom of it.
Nice Rat though MFlyer. Looking good.skpc
Thread below on Shelby motobikes..
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/34-36-shelby-motorbikes.131660/
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Good looking bicycle.
So, is the bike a Schwinn Chicago IL or an Excelsior Michigan City IN; [those "I" states can be so confusing]. I have seen later Schwinn-Excelsior bikes with the oval, pointy, or ribbon badges; Schwinn also dabbled in Excelsior motorcycles at one time.
What about that chain ring question, is it a Westfield or Colson, or whatever?
It is a balloon bike, and a double bar drop frame, so 1933 would be the earliest, with few manufacturers continuing the style too far past the late 1930's.
And did H.P. Snyder NY absorb the Excelsior Michigan City IN plant?
So, is the bike a Schwinn Chicago IL or an Excelsior Michigan City IN; [those "I" states can be so confusing]. I have seen later Schwinn-Excelsior bikes with the oval, pointy, or ribbon badges; Schwinn also dabbled in Excelsior motorcycles at one time.
What about that chain ring question, is it a Westfield or Colson, or whatever?
It is a balloon bike, and a double bar drop frame, so 1933 would be the earliest, with few manufacturers continuing the style too far past the late 1930's.
And did H.P. Snyder NY absorb the Excelsior Michigan City IN plant?
The guy I got it from had removed the head badge and said it was a ‘33. He is pretty Schwinn knowledgeable. The old badge was like the one I replaced, an marked Michigan City. I think the chainring might be a replacement. As the wheel was as far back in the dropouts as it would go, the original probably had more teeth.
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Makes it easier to pedal for sure.
Your ~5" Schwinn head tube and frame parts look true Schwinn Chicago IL built; it has 1" truss bar, typical with Schwinn, (not a reduced diameter). Your bike does not look like a Snyder Mfg. or Excelsior Mfg. Michigan City IND, (bought-out by Snyder in early 1930's). It is sometimes interesting to compare different makes.
My older Schwinn built Meads have the 6-digit serial numbers. My older Excelsior builts have 5-digit & low 6-digit serial numbers. My older Snyder bikes have a letter followed by 5 digits; 26" balloon tires having a "D" (Little Falls? 1934?); "W" (Michigan City? 1935-36?); "Y" (Michigan City? 1937-38?); 28" with an "A" (Little Falls? 1931?).
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