As my sign in name indicates, antique brass fans is my passion. I do have a few Stingrays that we ride around. I’ve been wanting a skip tooth bike just because I think the gear looks cool. I went to buy a fan and happened to see this Elgin in an old chicken coop. I decided it needed a better home. That leads to the questions. Any idea of year? Are the rims correct? They don’t seem wide enough for balloon tires. Handlebar and neck seem a little odd, possibly backwards? I know it looks terrible but it rolls and there aren’t any rust holes in the frame or fenders. F3463 is the only number I can see on the bottom of the frame. Thanks for any help and advice.
Chicken coop find (pre war?) Elgin questions.
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The Renaissance Man
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My guess is late 1920's or early 1930s Elgin Motorbike. The rims are correct. They are metal-clad wood rims and are probably 28". The tires would've been glued on. Yes the stem is backwards.
BTW, I also collect vintage fans!
BTW, I also collect vintage fans!
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So I'm not nuts I think vintage fans are some of the coolest things
Welcome aboard. Cool Elgin.
The rear hub looks like a Morrow to me. Starting in 1931, these hubs have a code stamped on the barrel that makes them pretty easy to date. A 1931 hub would have an A followed by either a 1,2,3 or 4 for 1st, 2nd,3rd or 4th quarter of that year. B would be 1932, and so on. Not sure how to date a Morrow if 1930 or earlier.
The rims are wooden or metal clad, probably 28 inch. Not sure how long those were in production. I would say not long after 1933 when the whole 26" balloon tire thing started.
I think I just repeated a lot of what RM just said!
The rear hub looks like a Morrow to me. Starting in 1931, these hubs have a code stamped on the barrel that makes them pretty easy to date. A 1931 hub would have an A followed by either a 1,2,3 or 4 for 1st, 2nd,3rd or 4th quarter of that year. B would be 1932, and so on. Not sure how to date a Morrow if 1930 or earlier.
The rims are wooden or metal clad, probably 28 inch. Not sure how long those were in production. I would say not long after 1933 when the whole 26" balloon tire thing started.
I think I just repeated a lot of what RM just said!
Thanks so much for the replies, I really appreciate the information. I couldn’t figure out the wheels. Glued on rubber definitely explains things. It’s quite a bit older than I had guessed. And yes, fans are literally and figuratively cool. I have around a hundred or so. I’m addicted to brass. 
I would estimate late 1920's with an "F" serial number.
The Excelsior Cycle company had financial difficulties in the late 1920's; (I vaguely recall reading something about the year 1929).
Not sure if they lasted into 1930, although pictures of their makes are shown in ads for 1930's Sears Elgin bikes.
I also was going to suggest looking for a date code on the Eclipse-Morrow coaster brake hub, but forgot that the stamping started in 1931-A. So if the hub has a date code stamp (not 36-13), then the hub would not be original to the bike.
The Excelsior Cycle company had financial difficulties in the late 1920's; (I vaguely recall reading something about the year 1929).
Not sure if they lasted into 1930, although pictures of their makes are shown in ads for 1930's Sears Elgin bikes.
I also was going to suggest looking for a date code on the Eclipse-Morrow coaster brake hub, but forgot that the stamping started in 1931-A. So if the hub has a date code stamp (not 36-13), then the hub would not be original to the bike.
