Nightmare on Elgin Street

[LeMad Hatter]

Oh, I can already hear the collective screams of "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS ..... DOING CUTTING UP A COMPLETE '38 ELGIN¿!?¡".
My response: Mwahaha!

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.

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

 

[Glen]

You had me at "...cutting up" and "...stretch the wheelbase by at least another foot."

Sounds good to me.



Glen.

 

[LeMad Hatter]

I saw a few Elgins in the vein of what I want to build today, but the cheapest one was $300. So there's no way I'm cutting up one of those

 

[kingfish254]

I love your plans on this beauty!!

 

[KeithFab21]

Oh, I can already hear the collective screams of "WHAT THE HECK IS THIS ..... 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

 

[JA331]

Cut it up while enjoying a glass of fine wine

 

[KeithFab21]

Cut it up while enjoying a glass of fine wine

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

 

[JA331]

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.

 

[Ulu]

It’s probably been said here many times, but we always said about cars that anybody with money can restore a classic car but, it takes a brave man to cut one up.

 

[Funkme]

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

 

[LeMad Hatter]

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

 

[LeMad Hatter]

Well, I'm glad that at least on day two, everyone agrees with my idea

 

[OddJob]

You cut me up at "reverse Kaitlyn Jenner".....
Now start cutting that Elgin!! Welcome back again @LeMad Hatter !

 

[LeMad Hatter]

You cut me up at "reverse Kaitlyn Jenner".....
Now start cutting that Elgin!! Welcome back again @LeMad Hatter[/USE[SIZE=16px]st have to keep focused[/SIZE]
[/QUOTE]

Thanks, feels good to be back here building again. Now I just have to keep focused and finish it. The first year I lost my phone and couldn't log back into the site, even with password resets. Last year I couldn't even find nuts and bolts to keep building. I'm pretty well set this year

 

[deven_science]

I've done the gender-swap and stretch a couple of times, and it makes for a smooth riding bike for us taller folk! I'll be watching.

 

[Uncle Shish]

Ghosts of Build-Off past

 

[LeMad Hatter]

Ghosts of Build-Off past
View attachment 192313

She's purdy! Was it a ... change, or original frame?

 

[Uncle Shish]

She's purdy! Was it a ... change, or original frame?

Original frame. I still have all of the original parts, too. Nothing original was permanently harmed or altered in the making of this bike.

 

[LeMad Hatter]

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.

The BB cone and nut still have good chrome under the dirt and grease

And the bearings just need a quick scrub and can be repacked

I honestly didn't know the headlight still has glass on it, and the taillight just has a small piece chipped off the bottom

You can just see the original Elgin logo on the tank

And the only tidbit of original color is under the tank

If anyone can check Elgin serial numbers, any info or sources are very much appreciated

67-886
The only real damage is to the skirt guards

 

[LeMad Hatter]

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