1939 elgin?

[charliechaindrive]

Okay, be prepaired for a long and winded story.

A while a go I put a add on the local craigslist for old bicycles, and today a guy called me about a old elgin "miss america" we haggled for a while, and agreed on 200$ cash and a trade on a 21speed mtn bike. Now I just half to convince my parents to drive me to st cloud to get it! (alittle over 60 miles one way)

it's got all the skirt guards and chain guard, no idea about the light though. But the fenders are what's got me miffed, they are peaked coming up from the seat post, but they form into almost a "fin" above the drop stand clip. It's some kind of blue. He's going to email some pictures to me tomorrow.

Crossing my fingers! And does anyone know if the year estamate is about right? And if the 200$ and mountain bike trade is a good deal? Need to convince my parents that it's worth it!

Okay, the story wasn't as long as I thought.

[Jpromo]

Depending on what original pieces are still there, you may make out very well indeed. Miss America was '39-41 so that checks out. They have unique skirt guards from other Elgin/Higgins, the twin headlight shroud up front, I believe it had a rare cushioner stem originally too. Get it. Post pictures. An enviable ladies bike indeed!

[charliechaindrive]

Okay, thanks. This is all hanging on if my parents will drive me to st. Cloud to get it. But I thought that I could ask the guy if we could meet in the middle, literally. So I'm going to call him later today and quiz him on that.


Fingers still crossed!

Charlie

[1918 Ranger]

I agree with JPROMO. The 200.00 for a girls bike sounds steep but for this unique one it might not seem too bad especially if it has some good parts like, head shroud, good crank and chain rings, air cooled hubs, rack, fenders, gooseneck, rims, handlebar, grips. If its all original and good paint, maybe keep it together. Worst case those parts mentioned can be used as pieces to a mens restoration.

Against my own vowing to never by another girls bike, I did last week and it was a late 30s girls tank bike, complete original and paint good. Ill post a pic. So there's always room for exception I guess. Let's see some pics then we can tell you how good or bad the deal is.
Good Luck.

Besides if you love it get it. You may loose money but that's ok if you really love want it.

Here's mine unfleshed.





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[1918 Ranger]

Small typo above. "unfleshed" should read "uncleaned". Sorry.

Maybe unfleshed sounds cool and works too???? I don't know.


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[charliechaindrive]

Haha, "unfleshed" is okay, gives it character. And that is a nice bike, how much did you half to pay for it?

[charliechaindrive]

Aah! Irony! I just seen a schwinn predator on craigslist for 40$, but it's the same distance away from me as st. Cloud, but in the opposite direction!!

[1918 Ranger]

Haha, "unfleshed" is okay, gives it character. And that is a nice bike, how much did you half to pay for it?

Well more than I maybe could had. He had posted it for a month and had tons of calls on it. No pics on CL just a description saying 30s elgin bike. As soon as his calls heard girls bike they ran and wanted no more. He was asking 225.00 for it too. The fact of no interest for a month gave me great advantage. When I heard girls I almost ran but asked for a pic to see if there were parts worth cannibalizing the bike for. When I saw it I was shocked how nice it was. We arranged to look at it.

He told me the story of his grandmother riding it to school and then his aunt kept it in a garage since. The fenders have no dings amazingly. I weighed his sentimental value and to me to have an original bike in my collection that is original and belonged to the original family or owners increases it's value to me. Wether it's worth that price or not it is to me. I wasn't leaving without it.

So I offered 150.00. Maybe a tad high but to me worth more. I could had tried a low ball and he could had been insulted and sent me packing. I felt good with it. He gladly accepted. Win win for us both. Atleast in my eyes.

If nothing else I would rob the fenders and put them on my 1938 Elgin TwinBar thats been restored with alternate incorrect fenders. But for now I'll keep it intact. Thanks


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[dogdart]

looking forward to some pics

[charliechaindrive]

Just got them this morning, I'll put them in my photobucket soon, but I still haven't figured out how to put them in threads.

It has chain, the aircooled hubs, tank and the skirt guards too but it's missing the headbadge and lights, possibly a rack too? :'( so, now I really need to convince my parents for a ride! It's in darn nice shape! Wish me luck!! I want this bike!

[gcrank1]

Maybe you can convince somebody else with 'wheels' to run you over there for gas money and lunch?

[charliechaindrive]

I've been thinking that, or I could see if the guy could send the bike with his wife, I think she works 2 towns away from me. But, this is still hinging on if my dad will let me spend two hundred dollars on a bike! I've been thinking about just offering 150 for it, just to make my dad alittle more supportive to this. I'll go get the link to my album with pics in a second, I will edit them into this post.


Photobucket album that has pics, it should take you right to pics of it.

http://m1160.photobucket.com/albumview/ ... 0&newest=1

[gcrank1]

You already said you and he had agreed on the deal, dont be welching now! Ya gotta do whats right even if it means you bite it and have to work it off somehow. Thats the way its done in the real world.

[charliechaindrive]

Okay! Thanks for the pep talk and I added the link to the photobucket. He has the chain in a bucket of oil, and it does have the.air cooled hubs.

[gcrank1]

Way to go! All those cool vintage bits will make it a good buy for you , after all, they dont make them anymore and a lot of great stuff got junked in the WWII metal drives and cleanups since.