Who can help ?

[Mikes_70]

Hey guys live had this Elgin for some time and now have just thrown it together with just parts left over here and there . I would really like to know the age of this thug ! I still have the original skip tooth sprocket and front wheel . It has the torington handle bars still on it . Any help will be greatly appreciated .

 

[Wildcat]

The "K" would be a 1954 model, from what I've seen of research on the letters.

There's a fb page for Murrays:
https://www.facebook.com/MurrayBicycle/posts/704756299580572

 

[kirkpatrick]

I thought Elgins had to be 42' or earlier? Just asking, I'm far from an expert.

 

[Wildcat]

I stand corrected.

From Dave's Vintage Bicycles site:

"Sears bicycles sold before World War II were branded as Elgin, and after World War II as J.C. Higgins."

Even better info, from right here at RRB, says early 47 for the last of the Elgins. This 45 model had a "K" in the serial, maybe yours was the next year, 1946. Definitely before 1954, early prewar, or prewar.

http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/prewar-elgin-info.53225/

Even better, from a CABE post, Id's it as 1946.

"MOD 502' is actually a Sears code for a Murray built bike. Their bikes start showing up in Sears catalogs in 1938, and the Elgin name was used through 1946. Pics would be your best bet, as some of the frames don't have all the stampings to i.d. them. Typically, Murray Elgins would be stamped 'MOS-C' (38) through 'MOS-K' (46), and it would be next to, or under the MOD 502.

#2Adamtinkerer, Oct 2, 2015"

 

[Mikes_70]

I stand corrected.

From Dave's Vintage Bicycles site:

"Sears bicycles sold before World War II were branded as Elgin, and after World War II as J.C. Higgins."

Even better info, from right here at RRB, says early 47 for the last of the Elgins. This 45 model had a "K" in the serial, maybe yours was the next year, 1946. Definitely before 1954, early prewar, or prewar.

http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/prewar-elgin-info.53225/

Even better, from a CABE post, Id's it as 1946.

"MOD 502' is actually a Sears code for a Murray built bike. Their bikes start showing up in Sears catalogs in 1938, and the Elgin name was used through 1946. Pics would be your best bet, as some of the frames don't have all the stampings to i.d. them. Typically, Murray Elgins would be stamped 'MOS-C' (38) through 'MOS-K' (46), and it would be next to, or under the MOD 502.

#2Adamtinkerer, Oct 2, 2015"

That's awesome , I was told the MOD was a Murray but didn't really get clarification onto as what year .
It seemed anyone I talked to just had a "deer in the headlight look "
I picked this thing up on Craigslist in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Texas area a few years ago but really never researched the numbers because I couldn't find much on it . I paid 60$ for the frame,forks,fenders,bars,& cranks . It's a fun rider , ugly but fun to ride .......... I appreciate all your info . This is a great places to get schooled ! Thanks again