30s Elgin oriole

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Rustinkerer

Rustinkerer

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'Nother xmas bike for me, not all there, but gotta love that frame! I believe the rear fender is from a different bike, as it has red pinstripes on it, and the frame has ivory. Also, the catalog pages list it as Black w/ivory accents in the 36-37 ads. It was a junior model to the Robin and Bluebird, similar frame. It has a Schwinn/Shelby style sprocket, which I've seen on one other Elgin. Hard to say, could be original. Alas, the crossbrace is missing from the torrington handlebars. I have an Elgin Skylark chainguard/skirt guard combo that would look sweet on it. Probably build it up as a 'deluxe' version that never existed, but that's the fun of a partial bike. You're not really obligated to go stock resto.. ~Adam
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any idea what year this is?
http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwi/bik/943825807.html
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OMG Mark, sixty bucks! You mean you haven't scarfed that 'un up yet?? :lol: seriously though, the Bluebird/Robin/Oriole were replaced in fall 38 with the Twin series, with NO seat tube on the frame! Then, a straight seat tube style like my OG Elgin:
adamtinkererscollection009.jpg
The curved post style like the CL bike show up in the 41-42 pages. ~Adam (The dude with the big bike book collection!)
 
sensor said:
man............youve got to be kidding me :shock: :shock: :shock:
$60 and a girls thrown in?!?!? why cant i ever find anything near as sweet as that :x
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Great lookin frame! Guess you have to live east of the Rockies to score those deals! :cry:
 
Picked up the same Elgin frame about 6 months ago, haven't done anything but a little cleaning. I did notice that the head tube will come very close to fitting both a 1 1/8 fork and headset. It's got a thick reinforcing collar inside so gonna try a flexhone to ease it out just enough. Fork will already fit from either side but the alignment between the ends isn't quite there. Have a Girvin susser fork that might look cool on it. Looks like your paint is in way better shape.

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I've always wondered how this frame would look/ride with the bottom bracket moved forward to where the downtube starts to curve back to the bottom bracket, so you could have that foot forward pedal situation, but not have it stretched... It looks like a long frame...
 
To me it looks like it would be an easy fix. You would have to measure the distance from the crank tube thingie to the wheel now and make it the same when you move it forward so your feet wont hit the back of the tire when you ride. Probably would require adding some more rake to the fork tube for the same distance. Looks like a fun project...Hummm now where did I put my jig. :roll: :roll: :roll:
 
Interesting development, RMS37 pointed out something I didn't notice. This is a Murray built frame, while nearly all Orioles of this style are Westfield/Columbia built! The tubing is different. social_jack's frame is the Westfield version. Perhaps mine was an attempt from Murray to swing some business from Sears. Apparently, it worked, as Murray built bikes start to replace the Westfields starting around '38. And most JC Higgins were Murray built. I took some more pics today detailing the differences. ~Adam
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