Prewar Elgin?

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I just picked what I was told a prewar Elgin. I’ve looked at the bottom bracket serial number and I really could not find any information that could help me out to determine it. But I really love the frame, the front forks look to be roached and there seems to be a poor welding job as well as they are bent. The frame seems pretty fine, there is no head badge. Does anybody have any clue of what year exactly this could be? Thanks.
 

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Its a 'motobike'...so, that places it no later than early-mid '30s...probably mid 20s to early 30s. The chainring, I believe, was used for Elgins and Hawthornes (Sears and Wards, respectively). Under their house brands, they sold about every manufacturers bikes (except Schwinn)...I believe this would be a Snyder built frame, but I'm pretty weak on motobike and earlier.

Super cool, though :thumbsup:,
Jason
 
Its a 'motobike'...so, that places it no later than early-mid '30s...probably mid 20s to early 30s. The chainring, I believe, was used for Elgins and Hawthornes (Sears and Wards, respectively). Under their house brands, they sold about every manufacturers bikes (except Schwinn)...I believe this would be a Snyder built frame, but I'm pretty weak on motobike and earlier.

Super cool, though :thumbsup:,
Jason


Thank you for all that info..I had no idea, I want to have it ready for a bicycle festival in october here in Arizona. So would this be a 26” or a 28” bike, since it’s a motobike frame...thanks again..
 
The rear triangle looks to be a bit wide...so, perhaps it is a transitional bike that could have came with 26" balloon tires. Measure the fork axle crown distance to see if it is tall enough for a 28" tire...if not, probably a 26". If it is 26", it would be ~'35, I think.
 
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So I went and measured it, from just underneath the crown to the axle is pretty much exactly 14”...would that make it 28” over all?
 
If its exactly 14", it won't be a 28" as the tire would need clearance as well as room for a fender. So, if the fork goes with the frame...it looks like you have a 26" balloon tired motobike. The first Balloon tired motobike was the Schwinn B10 in '33...other manufacturers followed suit soon, if not immediately, after.
 
If its exactly 14", it won't be a 28" as the tire would need clearance as well as room for a fender. So, if the fork goes with the frame...it looks like you have a 26" balloon tired motobike. The first Balloon tired motobike was the Schwinn B10 in '33...other manufacturers followed suit soon, if not immediately, after.
I guess that really settles that, at least I have a general idea of the year, and brand ..I’m really happy with it, I’ll just have to do something about those forks maybe I can rework them. I appreciate all of your information I really do. Thank you very much.
 

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