1936 Elgin My Best So Far

[Uncle Stretch]

I build lots of bikes and most turn out pretty good. This one hit it the best in my opinion so far. It was a crazy build ,with several differant color changes on everything. Some people like some things and other liked it another way. I think when you build a bike you should know in your heart whether its right or not. If your looking for the one special build and when you get halfway through ...its not there...don't be afraid to buzz all the paint off and start over.I made the mistake of using the wrong rim color and doomed the project from the start. Once I thought about it I realized that my favorite bike on the whole forum is the Shamrock(Schwinn...Ugh) Silver and copper. Stole it like a bandit. But as you see it works out really good together. So I cant take credit for the color ,but the design is all mine....ha ha no Schwinn frame here... I really appreciate everybody getting behind this one. All the suggestions were fantastic and the support was good too. It is really nice to have everybody involved.
Ok for the info. Its a 1936 ish may be a year one way or the other Elgin frame... Fat franks...Nexus 3 speed...lots of copper tubing for the grips ...Shortened thumb shifter... Hope you like it as much as I do

 

[Rat Rod]

Turned out great...that seat is perfect.

I guess all the hard work paid off on this one.

 

[texasbigjon]

now you can sleep at night! :lol: thats a pretty looking bike there! whats the story on the snakie seat? :mrgreen:

 

[Uncle Stretch]

My wife has a purse business and she had some leftover materials. We looked at them last night and came up with this Python. Its calf leather that they run through an embossing machine and make it have the python design and then they, I guess paint it. Kinda pricy but at 11 at night and the need is there, I spared no expense to cover my seat. Plus it was copper colored . :wink:

 

[necessaryevil]

That turned out really nice, how did you end up mounting the seat fabric?

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Stuck some foam on the pan with 3m spray glue ,then spray glued some heavy felt and then the leather over that with spray glue. That stuff will really hold the leather to the pan with nothing else and you cant pull it loose.

 

[BankerRAt]

Looks like ice. Very nice Uncle

 

[karfer67]

very nice he will be honored. i rarely see him anymore at the shop he is a fireman and always at work. and for the record the shamrock is actually polished steel. love your bike i am a sucker for that color combo as well. oh and that seat is schweeeeet

 

[Spyder]

Lookin good. I am really liking the copper grips, nice touch. cough *might have to steal that idea* cough

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Yeah Karfer I had a couple dent /bondo issues that stopped me from polishing the frame. The idea is the same. I should have gone with a little silvery color ,but this was suppose to be what they use on a lexus. It has a pearl /flake and it really has a slight blue tinge to it. Looks a little differant in the sun. All in all I'm real happy with the way it turned out. His idea of copper and silver just works. Glad you like the seat I was happy with it too. Firemen and cops work alot as they get farther on in their career. A lot of your retirement is based on your last years of service. The more you make the more you retire on. oh and I got my lights mounted.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Your welcome to them Spyder. You have to buy two of the couplers since the copper pipe is the same size as the handlebars. I slid two on and then a cap. If you spray the inside with hairspray they stay put. Oh yeah and they turn real quick from the oil in your hands ,so you have to steel wool them and then spray them with clear.

 

[kram]

This turned out awesome and all of the details turned out perfectly. It was definitely worth the time to switch things around until it worked!

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Hey thanks Mark. I have a couple more little things I want to do ,but for all practical purposes its done.

 

[yeshoney]

Unc,
Nice job job seeing it thorough til you are happy with it. When i saw the color combo i knew it would be trick, then i saw the seat and thought to myself WOW, if he had tried that hammer tone paint from Walmart man o man that seat would have been the perect compliment. Of course then you go and put the twin lights on it and you know i love that up front!! Give us a few pics with the whole bike with the lights on it!

Joe

 

[Markm]

Very Nice!!
Nailed it :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Ok here are a couple with the lights . Glad all yall like the build.

 

[thatismytruck]

Unc. I love it. The lights are sweet. I am so moving the shifter on my Electra to a position like yours.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I didnt realize that that the inside of the cable is a whole bunch of wires. Not that wrap around thing. I mounted the shifter part and decided how long the housing should be and then ground through it instead of cutting. The trick is that the part that goes into the shifter has a removable black plastic end. I turned the cable around and cut that end where i could put it back on. then just thread it throught the houseing and put it back on the cut part. I heated it a little with my lighter and stuck a round punch in it to spread it . Then put it on the houseing and have the shifter in first and put the cable under the little nut on the part on the wheel. Dont cut it yet and see if in second the yellow line is in between the yellow two lines and then cut the cable and put the bottom cover back on. Does that make sense? If not PM me and Ill explaine it on the phone. :wink:

 

[Rat Rod]

I think you just started a trend with copper paint. :wink:

 

[Markm]

Uncle,gotcha...thanks!!!