Duck [emoji1658] Nuggets ('37 Elgin Oriole)

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Going to give this bad boy another shot. Other than a haphazard repaint and a couple of small dings, this is a nice example of an Elgin Oriole frame from 1937. Oriole was a lower line bike, and these frames don't seem to pull really big bucks, so I plan to CUT IT UP!
My plan is to stretch/rake the headtube, gooseneck-style, move the bottom bracket forward and upward a bit for legroom, and then lower the rear triangle so it sits level.

Think a pedal-powered version of a "samurai chopper". Why Duck Nuggets? Well, I had painted/laced the wheels for another project that has since been abandoned, so I am going to use them to set the dark green color scheme for the rest of the project. Elgin seemed to like to use bird names for their bikes, so I was thinking Mallard. I'm open to other suggestions.
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I am glad you are ressurecting this build idea. I love the curves of those frames.
 
Great to have you in the mix again, gowjobs! This will be fun to watch.

RaT oN~!
 
I won't have guts to cut up a perfectly nice 1937 frame :D
But wishing you good luck! Those tires are cool! Me too once built a bike totally around them :)
 
Is the new front section off a girls bike flipped?
Yes, I cut it off a '70s Schwinn Varsity that had been run over by a car in the rear triangle. I always liked the fillet-brazed look of the Electroforged Schwinn frames.

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I love what you're doing with the frame. I did the same thing on a bike many years ago...

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Glen.
I have always had a thing for low-slung choppers with raked, gooseneck-style front sections. I like your take on it.

Not exactly sure how I am going to reconcile the seat tube-chain stay-down tube intersection yet, once I cut the existing bottom bracket out of it.

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Not exactly sure how I am going to reconcile the seat tube-chain stay-down tube intersection yet, once I cut the existing bottom bracket out of it.
You might could just add another BB where you want it and keep the original BB shell in place. Then get creative with the space with a small round name plate or maybe something like a James Bond retractable tire slasher.:D
Maybe.
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Maybe not.
 
I love what you're doing with the frame. I did the same thing on a bike many years ago...

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Glen.


Hey @Glen , Does this mean you might be joining in the fun for BO16?
 
I have always had a thing for low-slung choppers with raked, gooseneck-style front sections. I like your take on it.

And the name I gave that grey and yellow bike was 'Goose' :nerd:

Hey @Glen , Does this mean you might be joining in the fun for BO16?

No I don't think so. Sadly I don't have the space now to build anything. :( I gave most of my parts to @Endlesschain and all I have left are a couple of rims, tyres, tubes and a few seats. I'll have to live vicariously through watching all the other build threads. :43:

Glen.
 
I did a little mocking up this afternoon to see how much I am going to need to modify.
First of all, I bolted on a bottom bracket meant to adapt the stoker seat on a tandem for kiddie use. In my case, it lets me adjust my bb location until I find a spot I like, at which point, it will be welded in place.
I was also toying with the idea of making this a mid-drive e-bike, but that's a lot of garbage to try to hide on a bike that I want to look pretty.

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So, the more I think about it, the more I want to swap these 700C rollers with the 28" ones that I currently have on my Mead Ranger project.

That means swapping to skip tooth and modifying the fork assembly to clear the taller tire.
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Looking forward to the new direction. The mockups look great.
 
I’m really digging the stretched neck, and moving the crank forwards! Going to be a cool ride!
 
Have you chopped the oriole yet?
 

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