Nightmare on Elgin Street

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Joined
Feb 2, 2019
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Location
Hastings
Oh, I can already hear the collective screams of "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS IDIOT DOING CUTTING UP A COMPLETE '38 ELGIN¿!?¡".
My response: Mwahaha!
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WELL, for starters, the frame is already cracked and the down tube is rusted through.
Secondly, I have tried giving it away and people still run from it.
C: I've always wanted a pre war men's Elgin with the curved seat tube, but alas, I'm neither rich nor of an average size that I could comfortably ride such a specimen. I'm 6 feet tall, and even my '49 Monark Super Deluxe with ape hangers is a little small.
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So my plan is two fold. I'm going to reverse Kaitlyn Jenner it with a curved top tube, replace the rotten down tube, then stretch the wheelbase by at least another foot. This bike is 95% complete and original, and will retain most of it's components. They will be stripped of the dozen layers of house paint and spray paint. The tires and rims are most unfortunately shot and filled with either the first generation fix a flat or Great Stuff house insulation foam
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I love your plans on this beauty!!
 
Oh, I can already hear the collective screams of "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS IDIOT DOING CUTTING UP A COMPLETE '38 ELGIN¿!?¡".
My response: Mwahaha!
View attachment 191665
WELL, for starters, the frame is already cracked and the down tube is rusted through.
Secondly, I have tried giving it away and people still run from it.
C: I've always wanted a pre war men's Elgin with the curved seat tube, but alas, I'm neither rich nor of an average size that I could comfortably ride such a specimen. I'm 6 feet tall, and even my '49 Monark Super Deluxe with ape hangers is a little small.
View attachment 191666
So my plan is two fold. I'm going to reverse Kaitlyn Jenner it with a curved top tube, replace the rotten down tube, then stretch the wheelbase by at least another foot. This bike is 95% complete and original, and will retain most of it's components. They will be stripped of the dozen layers of house paint and spray paint. The tires and rims are most unfortunately shot and filled with either the first generation fix a flat or Great Stuff house insulation foam
View attachment 191667View attachment 191668View attachment 191669View attachment 191671View attachment 191670
Sweet, cut it up I’m all for making it better, anything sits around my shop more than a couple weeks it usually meets the same fate
 
I’ve always wanted one of those curved mast murray built elgins with the electroforged sections too but i’m 6’2 and 210lb. one my favorite frames.
 
Always loved those frames. Could have sent it to Greece, I would hve accepted it... I think it will look cool stretched. Better to be rolling then laying in a ditch rusting away... Goodluck
 
I always thought it would feel different cutting up an original desirable bike, but you know it doesn’t feel an different than a cheap everyday bike…huh
It just stings the wallet a bit more, unless you get a great deal
 
Okay, I'm flabbergasted! I have not sprayed not a single ounce of penetrating oil on this bike in the two years is been sitting outside in my yard. The previous owner had it for 20 years outside as a flower display with zero maintenance. I just took the whole bike apart and didn't strip a single screw or fight it at all. There's the faintest evidence of anti seize, so I tip my hat to whoever originally assembled the bike. And what I thought was a crack in the frame was a piece of Ivy violently stuck to the frame! Now I genuinely feel a little bad about cutting up a perfectly solid 38 Elgin. It's not going to stop me though, unless I get a ludicrous offer before the weekend.
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The BB cone and nut still have good chrome under the dirt and grease
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And the bearings just need a quick scrub and can be repacked
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I honestly didn't know the headlight still has glass on it, and the taillight just has a small piece chipped off the bottom
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You can just see the original Elgin logo on the tank
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And the only tidbit of original color is under the tank
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If anyone can check Elgin serial numbers, any info or sources are very much appreciated
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67-886
The only real damage is to the skirt guards
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Totally forgot to add a pic of the hubs. Just about the coolest hubs I've ever seen.. They will both be rebuilt and laced onto different rims, because the only two things truly rotten on this bike are the spokes and rims
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