Beschreibung:

Sears commissioned a well known designer, Juan Raydolphus Morgansky (a.k.a. John Morgan to design three high end bikes for their Elgin line, entrusting their manufacture to the Westfield Manufacturing Company, Westfield, MA. Sears Roebuck billed the Elgin Bluebird the "Bike of the Century" and it remains the holy grail of vintage bike collecting still today. Records indicate that about 4,000 of the bikes were produced from 1935-1937, at the height of the Great Depression; they sold for about $52. Due to the high cost, very few of these bikes were sold. With the advent of World War II and the resulting need for scrap metal, Americans were required by law to turn in old bikes for scrap. Very few of these bikes are surviving today as a result. It is indeeed one of the rarest of American bicycles. The Bluebird's unique features include: • Front and rear wheel weight balanced – cantilevered front and rear hub • Monocoque sheet metal tank integrated with the frame • Built in headlight that extends beyond the handle bar stem • Unique fender striping and tank pinstriping • Patented handle bar grips • Adjustable large Troxel leather saddle with cantilevered leaf spring suspension • Allstate white sidewall tires – 26" x 2.5" • built in tool compartment • tool kit – head stock hex wrench, lug nut wrench, straight screwdriver, pant clip • Siess electric pancake horn • built in head light and speedometer (0-50 mph) • spring loaded light and horn buttons • 1.5 volt dry cell battery in tank • Front fender has distinctive art deco fender ornament • Distinctive "duck billed" front and rear crowned fenders • Diamond chain – alternating links of nickel and gun blue plating • Streamlined carrier with Stimsonite red jeweled rear reflector • Chrome plated handle bars and stem, rims, sprocket and cranks, saddle stem, pedals, and crank fittings • Cadmium plated spokes, chain adjusters, McCauley pencil side stand with clip • Aero (tear drop) self leveling pedals • New Departure air cooled coaster brake (back pedal brake) • French blue with red accent (only color combination available in 1935) • Shipping weight – 88 lbs