(WBO) '36 Elgin Bluebird CRUSToration. (DONE!!!)

[The Renaissance Man]

Now If I could just fauxtina half I good as you can.


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You know I'm not very far away, I'd be glad to help.

 

[Flying Zombie]

The chrome coming out of the BlueBird is Amazing, the fabricated parts fit smartly and the overall shape of seeing this build take steps tword completion, the more I enjoy the direction.

FZ

 

[kingfish254]

You are pulling together some cool pieces to your puzzle. Those lenses and that tank door are too cool!!! Can't wait to see them on the frame. I am sure you'll be able to crustify the tank lid just fine.

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

Thanks everyone!


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[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

Nothing huge, actually very small.

Got some of my great great grandmother's Buffalo Nickel's

Had this empty reflector housing in the fender mounting hole. It is nothing original, just something someone put on it years ago, probably in the 40's. The fenders were probably long gone by then.

Being a kid at heart, I thought is was really cool. In 1936, this would have been emergency lunch money, or candy money.

Just something small and dorky that I thought would be cool.


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[Flying Zombie]

Its all in the details, and your innovative nature and eye for bike candy will surely pay off here. You have a historic and extremely sought after bike, and you're modifying it..as always, the sky is the limit, and from what I've seen, you reach all of that.

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

Here is what I would be looking to buy if I was on the lam on my Elgin bluebird in the and needed to crack open my emergency money reflector.

Then i'd come home because I couldn't live on one coke.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

Nickles work for lots of things...
this one's a 54'

Carl.

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

Here is what I would be looking to buy if I was on the lam on my Elgin bluebird in the and needed to crack open my emergency money reflector.

Then i'd come home because I couldn't live on one coke.

View attachment 8273

Go luck finding a subway or a newsstand in Dallas!


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[LukeTheJoker]

Great detail!

Luke.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Don't leave it parked at the school yard, some degenerate kid might steal your bike to get the nickle.

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

The chain was too good to stay crusty. I had to give it the treatment.

If you don't rebuild your old hubs, you're missing out. This crust and dust buildup limits your hubs braking and coasting.

Before you buy another...try to rebuild.

Also interesting fact. The '35 and '36 Bluebirds came stock with a new departure rear and front. In late '36 they introduced the air cool front hub and in '37 the air cool rear.

Mine is a '36 so technically the new departure front and rear are correct. It's the rims that are incorrect who cares.

After both treatments are complete your wheel will spin so fast the spokes disappear. I think it has to go 88 mph or something like that.

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[Flying Zombie]

How did you decide to clean and redo the hub, what solvents..greases..etc..?

I rebuilt the hub on the Original New Departure for my '39 Columbia but its still giving me some resistance. The bearings seem alright, but I couldnt clean all the ...., of course with just a rag and bush, know what I mean?

I think the stock front hub was also a New Departure, but none of the front wheel was salvageable.. Its currently sitting on a pair of 60's Columbia Rims, which seem to really work well despite it..
[though Id like the original rear back on it eventually..]

Nice work!

 

[us56456712]

The chain was too good to stay crusty. I had to give it the treatment.

If you don't rebuild your old hubs, you're missing out. This crust and dust buildup limits your hubs braking and coasting.

Before you buy another...try to rebuild.

Also interesting fact. The '35 and '36 Bluebirds came stock with a new departure rear and front. In late '36 they introduced the air cool front hub and in '37 the air cool rear.

Mine is a '36 so technically the new departure front and rear are correct. It's the rims that are incorrect who cares.

After both treatments are complete your wheel will spin so fast the spokes disappear. I think it has to go 88 mph or something like that.

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Good job on the coaster. All the coaster gurus around here won't touch a New Departure. If you can't get it to work there are shops on the net that rebuild coasters and have replacement parts for some of the old brands, but it isn't cheap. Better to try and fix it yourself before spending the bucks. I don't think my New Departure has drag, but I can't check as it is hanging in the shed. My Bendix Kickbacks have drag, but you really don't notice it when you are using it.

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

How did you decide to clean and redo the hub, what solvents..greases..etc..?

I rebuilt the hub on the Original New Departure for my '39 Columbia but its still giving me some resistance. The bearings seem alright, but I couldnt clean all the ...., of course with just a rag and bush, know what I mean?

I think the stock front hub was also a New Departure, but none of the front wheel was salvageable.. Its currently sitting on a pair of 60's Columbia Rims, which seem to really work well despite it..
[though Id like the original rear back on it eventually..]

Nice work!

I just degrease them well and you high temp grease.

If you cleaned and re-greased it and it's still giving you resistance, your cones are probably to tight. Loosen the cones so that it is just tight enough to keep the axle from wiggling.
An easy way to do this is semi tighten the wheel on the frame and loosen the cone there, then tighten the axle nuts down all the way all while mounted on the dropouts.

does this make sense?

 

[American Vintage Bicycle Supply]

Good job on the coaster. All the coaster gurus around here won't touch a New Departure. If you can't get it to work there are shops on the net that rebuild coasters and have replacement parts for some of the old brands, but it isn't cheap. Better to try and fix it yourself before spending the bucks. I don't think my New Departure has drag, but I can't check as it is hanging in the shed. My Bendix Kickbacks have drag, but you really don't notice it when you are using it.

I always rebuild them, I have tons of NOS parts for all the major hub brands. I scored some OG hub parts cabinets full with NOS parts(morrow, ND, Schwinn). The parts alone have more than paid off for me.

 

[Flying Zombie]

I just degrease them well and you high temp grease.

If you cleaned and re-greased it and it's still giving you resistance, your cones are probably to tight. Loosen the cones so that it is just tight enough to keep the axle from wiggling.
An easy way to do this is semi tighten the wheel on the frame and loosen the cone there, then tighten the axle nuts down all the way all while mounted on the dropouts.

does this make sense?

Sure does, thanks a bunch!

 

[Flying Zombie]

Good job on the coaster. All the coaster gurus around here won't touch a New Departure. If you can't get it to work there are shops on the net that rebuild coasters and have replacement parts for some of the old brands, but it isn't cheap. Better to try and fix it yourself before spending the bucks. I don't think my New Departure has drag, but I can't check as it is hanging in the shed. My Bendix Kickbacks have drag, but you really don't notice it when you are using it.

Funny you should mention that, the Bendix on the Otasco just deuced the bed., but was giving a little base Drag prior to that. Id look into it before you ride it again!

 

[horsefarmer]

My method was to disassemble the hub and clean everything using WD40 as solvent/cleaner and wipe dry with paper shop cloths.
Used wheel bearing grease on the bearings and the acme thread that actuates the brake clutch light coat of grease on the parts that drive the hub and Lucas engine oil additive on the brake disks (factory recommended gear oil). Idea is that grease on ends keeps heavy oil inside the hub.

 

[Missing Link]

That frame is amazing. I can't wait to see what little bits of you you put into the finished bike, you always are pretty good playing devil to the details. Double nickels, hah hah!