2 Pre-War matching ELGINS

[KZ1000]

These rate up there as one of my best Bike finds, I bought a schwinn Tornado from a picker the other day, an older man was watching me load it and proceeded to follow me away from the pickers shop, He told me he had 2 bikes in his sisters garage I might like. Well today I took a ride to see what I thought would be 2 average bikes, Boy was I shocked!
They appear to be same vintage with original accessories, grips, Tires that blow up and hold air, The Womens bike does not have a headbadge but rather a painted headbadge with different graphics, I would like to know more about that paint scheme. These photos are just out of the garage, I will post more after a good wash

Here is the Men's

Is this a horn/whistle, both bikes have one embossed ELGIN

ELGIN Grips

The Women's, NOTE the painted on "headbadge", color is carried on throughout bike

Nice rear Light, is battery powered but has a wire running down to rear hub ?

Floating Hub ?

 

[ZZ3Malibu]

I think its like a shock in the hub if i remember right

 

[halsencrew]

man alot of luck lately I need to get lucky

 

[SimpleMan]

Excellent find....very nice!

 

[npence]

Sweet bikes Im sorry my tank Sold for the ladies bike before you could buy it.

 

[mattyfu]

Beauty!

 

[aka_locojoe]

Would the tail light actually be a brake light since it has a wire going to the hub?

Great finds!

 

[Legion88]

Both your bikes appear to be 1942 Elgins. I believe that neither of these bikes were sold with a tank. The horns were sold in the Sears catalog as accessories but are standard equipment on the Four Star (Deluxe) bikes you have The Stewart Warner floating hub on the front of the boys bike was Sears answer to the spring fork. The axle "floats" inside a coil mechanism and it cushions the front end.
The pod on the back end is a tail light and a stop light. The tail light has it's own switch and would be a steady red light. The mechanism connected to the rear hub is for the stop light which would be a flashing red light when the brakes are applied. These are also standard equipment on your Four Star bikes.
The painted on head badge is also correct as are the truss rod mounted head lights.
The paint looks original. (please keep them this way!)
Great find!!! Amazing to find a matched set !! I am guessing; maybe gifts to a brother and sister in 1942.
Please let me know if you are going to sell or trade them.
Jeff

 

[scott brownsey]

those r awsum finds a pair hope u keep them together :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Walker]

RIck, nice scores, just dont forget to put your sunglasses on when you start cleaning the brightwork. Those bikes should clean up awesome!

 

[Rat Rod]

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I can't wait to see these after a little soap and water....they're gonna be MINT!

 

[Bodge Deep]

What a beautiful pair you have :shock:



more tea vicar?

 

[flowdart]

wow sick score right down to the finned musselman hubs! these are my favorite old skool hubs...inspiring score bro!!! elgins are awesome i have a couple in the stable.

 

[Gold Street Customs]

:shock: :mrgreen: :shock: :mrgreen: :shock: :mrgreen: :shock: :shock: :mrgreen: :shock: :mrgreen: :shock: :mrgreen: :shock: DUDE!!!! thats the score of the year, congrads,now to clean the drool off the keyboard.

 

[B607]

Nice find. My only question is the date of 1942. The war was on. I wonder how long the supply of bikes lasted before they were shut off because of the war? The war started in Dec. '41 so I suppose it's possible there were still some in '42. Elgin war wheels. Cool. Gary

 

[rms37]

My only question is the date of 1942. The war was on. I wonder how long the supply of bikes lasted before they were shut off because of the war? The war started in Dec. '41 so I suppose it's possible there were still some in '42.

Sears offered special balloon models with less sheet metal and reduced chrome in the Spring/Summer 1942 catalog. The models depicted in that catalog, (and the girl's bike in this post) are Murray-Ohio produced models and several of them exist today in the Hobby.

The full size 26" Balloon bikes were dropped from the catalogs before the end of 1942 but by the time the Spring/Summer 1943 catalog was published, lightweight models (also Murray built) were available in the catalog to those who could meet government rationing requirements.

A general opinion in the hobby is that American bicycle production ended in early 1942 and was not resumed until after the war ended in August of 1945. It has also been presented that only Huffman and Westfield were allowed by the government to continue production during these years to meet military and special civilian needs.

It appears that is an oversimplification of the facts. The strict rationing of bicycles was eased as the war went on but many manufacturers concentrated on military munitions contracts and built very few if any bikes for the duration. Other manufacturers produced relatively small numbers of bicycles or directed some effort into the planning and development of new models they anticipated producing after the war. Murray-Ohio, for one, obviously was still producing some bicycles in 1943 and patents show that by 1944 they were heavily involved in the development of their postwar frame which would become the base for the popular postwar J.C. Higgins balloon models.

 

[SCHWINNRAY69]

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I can't wait to see these after a little soap and water....they're gonna be MINT!

That's what I was gonna do
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[dkimaging]

Great find, I wish I could get that lucky...

David

 

[B607]

Thaks Phil! It's great to have an in-house historian to help us tadpoles through the prewar quagmire. Gary

 

[Rustinkerer]

I already commented on your Cabe post of these beauties, but for the RRB'ers who don't hang out there, I have their brother, one of my favorite bikes!!!