Ug I've got a sickness....lol

[JE]

Well I bought another bike to add to the collection. I bought this 1938 Colson From the Original 85 yr old owner. It's a base model with no tank rack or chain guard. I've got onother 38 colson comming in the mail that is a Deluxe model with the tank rack and chain guard. The one owner bike will be ridable by tomorrow.The grease in all the bearings was like tar and the wheels where shot.

 

[KilroyCD]

JE, you're as bad as I am...
I can barely get through my garage because of all of the bikes (and only three are motorized). At last count I was at 29 bikes. Two of them live in my dining room! One is my '41 Columbia F9T "Superb" reissue, and the other is a Columbia-built Western Flyer.

 

[JE]

Yea I had 30 bikes at one time. Then I thinned it down to 10 Bikes and started rebuilding the collection......lol

 

[Mountainman]

JE -------------- you are not that sick

who in their right mind wouldn't want that very cool old bicycle THING ???

ride that THING

 

[KilroyCD]

JE -------------- you are not that sick

who in their right mind wouldn't want that very cool old bicycle THING ???

ride that THING

I hear you MM, that's why I have so many old bikes myself. Here's my favorite (non-motorized) rider, a '36 Elgin I restored a few years ago.

 

[Mountainman]

never had the pleasure

I hear you MM, that's why I have so many old bikes myself. Here's my favorite (non-motorized) rider, a '36 Elgin I restored a few years ago.

wow - I owned a bicycle shop back in the old days
but don't think I never had the pleasure of working on an old Elgin
I like that bicycle -- quality work done restoring that THING there

ride that fine THING

 

[KilroyCD]

wow - I owned a bicycle shop back in the old days
but don't think I never had the pleasure of working on an old Elgin
I like that bicycle -- quality work done restoring that THING there

ride that fine THING

Thank you, Mountainman for the kind words. That was an early photo taken right after restoration. I've since added red pinstriping to the rims. Elgins were Sears brand bikes prior to (and during) WWII, after the war Sears changed the name to JC Higgins. This Elgin was made by Columbia / Westfield. One little detail that people seem to get a kick out of is the vintage bicycle lock and holder that rides on the back of the seat tube. I like adding little things like that to my restorations.
Here's what the bike looked like before I restored it.

 

[JE]

Love that Elgin Kilroy. Elgin,Colson and Shelby are my Favorit bikes. I'm still looking for a few parts for my Elgin.

 

[KilroyCD]

Love that Elgin Kilroy. Elgin,Colson and Shelby are my Favorit bikes. I'm still looking for a few parts for my Elgin.

My favorite bikes are Columbias, but Elgins are a very close second. In fact, Columbia / Westfield made a lot of Elgins. I have a woman's '36 Elgin (Columbia built) in original paint disassembled, sitting in the basement right now. I plan to relace the wheels this winter, as most of the spokes are badly rusted and/or bent. Here's a shot of that right after I got it at the Trexlertown swap meet for $20.

 

[JE]

I found a source for NOS Torington Spokes if you need some pm me. I need to get a couple sets my self.