Elgin ??

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girlybike

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Hi! I am brand new here and this is my first old bike. I got it on craigslist for $40 and i want to clean it up, make it pretty and ride it.
I apologize now for my total lack of bike lingo and knowledge but don't hold it against me, i have good intentions and I am REALLY excited! :D

Let's see if i can post links...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85466700@N ... 019644405/

ya like the color? :shock:

It says Elgin 531-10 on the doohicky between the rear wheel and chain guard. It has a stamped number on the piece between the hub thing between the pedals, i'll turn it over and get that later. If any of you can ID my awesome new bike that'd be great! also trying to figure out what's original on it and what's not. i know it's a girly bike so not worth $$ but it's for me to ride :)

I put some new tires on last night and was so excited I rode around the street in my pajamas at midnight!! What a FUN bike to ride! It was great! then the chain came off :( Now I don't want to do my mommy jobs this morning, i want to go in the garage and play with my new toy! lol

where i can get the right kind of tires/tubes. I got these universal 26" tires & tubes that say they fit 2.125 but they are obviously smaller than what was on it.
 
Nice score! I've had 3 or 4 of those. Restored one for my wife a while back.

Some white wall 26 x 2.25's would look great, maybe swap the seat for something color coordinated?
 
Very cool bike :D With those skirt guards and original parts, it's worth a decent amount of $$ too. Certainly worth more than you paid for it. Your local bike shop may be the cheapest route for big white wall tires or maybe walmart, should be around $15 per tire.
 
It has a stamped number on the piece between the hub thing between the pedals, i'll turn it over and get that later. If any of you can ID my awesome new bike that'd be great! also trying to figure out what's original on it and what's not. i know it's a girly bike so not worth $$ but it's for me to ride
Click to expand...
You're already way ahead of the average person who asks about a bike! That '40 catalog page is right on, Murray built these curved seat post frames from around 1938-42. Yours looks og except for the paint and seat. And most had a front fender light. The deco-looking skirt guards are actually in demand, they usually end up on boy's bikes, just because they're cool looking! And nothing wrong with girly bikes, I have a few myself, including this '37 ish Collegiate, with matching color Elgin tank!
adamtinkererscollection2001.jpg

That's what the og seat looks like. My bike is the earlier style frame, made by Westfield. Also, those numbers stamped on the BB (bottom bracket, "the piece between the hub thing between the pedals") might have a catalog number, which is usually in the 5000 series for Elgins. -Adam
 
To be real honest i know nothing about you're great find but one thing i do know is you got a great deal on it, it's a real nice find , you should be able to bring it back to original condition with verry little investment keep you're eyes on the For Sale colum, part's do pop in from now and then or post on the wanted section good luck with you're ride that's nice :wink:
 
hey Rustinkerer nice bike - love the tank!! i want one like that :)

so, the guy was asking $50 and I offered him $40. He said i was the 1st reply on CL and I was close enough by to go over to see it. I'm sure I will end up spending way too much loot on it lol but i am in bike-love :p I love seeing what others on the forum have done with these bikes, lots of inspiration here!

I want to get a drop stand kickstand - looks like that was original to the bike, seat, maybe a tank, probably a light for the front fender, probably handlebars, pedals i think but that's the small stuff right? and i want to paint it, the color is horrible!! under the bikerack is blue paint, everything else is that crazy green. I need to get the coaster brakes working better and hopefully i don't have to completely overhaul that. Right now i can't figure out how to get the handlebars off, dunno if it's me or the bike. they are STUCK. i just wanted to raise them for now because they hit my knees when i turn but i can't budge it. i'll go post on the "how to" board.

So anyway, i turned it over and here's what is says on the BB (see, i catch on quick!)...
SF
10D - 507-203 (or 206) this part i hardest to read because it was painted over
SER 9206

That mean anything to anyone? thanks!!
 
udallcustombikes said:
Nice bike and Welcome! read through the how-to's. There have been several threads on how to remove the top layers of paint and leave the original. You might be suprised what is hiding under there.
Click to expand...

thanks, i'll look for those. I as only trying to fund out how to remove/raise them but if i can figure out how to remove them i can work on cleaning them! lol
 
girlybike said:
udallcustombikes said:
Nice bike and Welcome! read through the how-to's. There have been several threads on how to remove the top layers of paint and leave the original. You might be suprised what is hiding under there.
Click to expand...

thanks, i'll look for those. I as only trying to fund out how to remove/raise them but if i can figure out how to remove them i can work on cleaning them! lol
Click to expand...

udallcustoms is referring to that original blue paint under the green stuff. I've seen some amazing saves of original paint here on the forum.

Someone may have a better suggestion, but for the handle bars, I would take a sturdy flat head screwdriver and place in that slot between the bolt on the neck (of course loosening the bolt first) and twist the screwdriver to open that neck clamp while wiggling the bars. Might try some liquid wrench or something to that effect if needed.
 
oh cool, didn't even consider that a possibility. there is paint on the handlebars so i thought that's what he meant.

this forum seems pretty friendly to newbies, thanks :)

EDIT: just spent some time reading the "how to manual" stickie and didn't find anything about removing top layers of paint while saving what's underneath. I'll keep searching the other forum posts but if anyone knows where to look and wants to post a link for me that's be great!! thanks
 
i finally got back to this project and I painted it BLACK. it's drying. I still haven't gotten the 2nd wheel painted after my red spraypaint/tint-the-garage-floor-pink-from-overspray disaster but I will take care of that tomorrow.

I kinda feel bad because i know under that awful green paint was the original blue waiting to be restored but i had a vision LOL and I am really excited that it's this close to finished :)

so, it's going to be black, sparkly white & red. i'm putting new pedals, seat and grips on it. i may make some streamers too
 

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