George Smolinski Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 Not mine. Thought someone here may be interested. https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/cto/d/fergus-falls-rare-car-for-sale-1-of-1/6799138769.html A VERY RARE 1920 Elgin Touring Car. $28,900/OBO. Almost 100 years old and still runs!!! Straight Six engine. The car was known as the car of the hour or built like a watch since the founders were out of the Elgin pocket watches. Through my research I believe this to be the ONLY 1920 Elgin still drivable and running with no other Elgin out there being a 1920 and none having the disc wheels like it has. Very rare Elgin cars come up for sale infrequently and only less than 10 running cars out there I could find. Beautiful car and comes with a California car cover. I have had it for three years and selling it because I don't have time to show it like it should be shown. I love this car. Appraised in 2015 for $28,000-$32,000. Along with the car, a ton of very rare memorabilia including an EXTREMELY rare operators manual and parts manual, stock certificates, photos, Elgin pin, Elgin pocket watch medallions, stock owner update magazine, marketing material, and a 1920 Elgin pocket watch. This is probably one of the most collected items in one spot for an Elgin. See YouTube video of it here except it runs as the battery is in it.... https://youtu.be/hmv8C59WYyU 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 A really cool and interesting car. My only problem, and I say this with disappointment because this is a lovely car, is the seventies paint job. Who, why and when did restorers decide that beige bodies with chocolate fenders was the way to go? It’s not even mildly charming, like the old avocado green kitchen appliances - and that was the original color. I’m not sure what the original color/colors were on this car, but it had to be more attractive than the current paint job. Again, not denigrating the car, just someone’s past mistake in choosing those awful colors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 Agreed, that color combo was so prevalent then and now it looks so out of place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 It's too bad the ad doesn't list a phone number that we could copy here for longer-term reference. When looking for my first pre-war car about 9 years ago, I found out that there is even an Elgin club or registry. I phoned one officer of the club, and he said that plenty of the Elgins in the club were (unofficially perhaps) for sale, because the owners tended to be older. One member of the Hershey Region passed on while midway through restoring an Elgin. So Elgins are out there occasionally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHuDWah Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 Color scheme may not be authentic but I like it - kinda sporty like an open car should be. What are the two oblong holes in the splash shield above the running board? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 1 hour ago, CHuDWah said: What are the two oblong holes in the splash shield above the running board? Access holes for greasing the spring eyebolts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim43 Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 I like authenticity in cars, look at pictures of parking lots during this time period. Black or mostly dark colors predominate. Black is good but I don't need to see it everywhere. Maybe black was the cheapest to use, I don't know, but it can become boring unless taken in moderation. I have owned a few black cars. Didn't E L Cord get control of Auburn about 1927 by taking boring unsold black cars and re-painting them in colors that made made them interesting and took advantage of the lines of the cars? An early case of color change, Some companies allowed the customer to order color schemes of their choosing. So I am not terribly offended when I see a non black car as long it is in colors that might reasonably have been used during the time. I like the look of this Elgin; Jim43 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 2 hours ago, jim43 said: Some companies allowed the customer to order color schemes of their choosing. One thing I've seen in catalogues of the 1920's: People could order cars in their school colors. I don't know whether Elgin offered that possibility, but it's certainly an interesting idea that would still be good today. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooklyn Beer Posted January 22, 2019 Share Posted January 22, 2019 and to add to this as a side note about just how popular school colors were to people back in the day, entire corporation logo's were built around school color use. I E. the Horton brothers of Horton Brewing company in NYC (1933-40)had their buildings, beer labels, beer cans, delivery trucks, ect all in Princeton school colors. Offering that on a car would be a great marketing idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHuDWah Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 On 1/20/2019 at 4:26 PM, Grimy said: Access holes for greasing the spring eyebolts I can see that for the rear hole, but the forward hole is pretty much centered on the running board. That would be a mighty long spring from front or rear. What am I missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 22 minutes ago, CHuDWah said: I can see that for the rear hole, but the forward hole is pretty much centered on the running board. That would be a mighty long spring from front or rear. What am I missing? Beats me! The only thing I can think of is the front attachment of a torque arm (IF Elgin used one), but that's usually on the right side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibarlaw Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Grease access to Cross shaft for the rear brake pull rods? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ktrichards Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 On 1/20/2019 at 12:15 PM, John_S_in_Penna said: It's too bad the ad doesn't list a phone number that we could copy here for longer-term reference. When looking for my first pre-war car about 9 years ago, I found out that there is even an Elgin club or registry. I phoned one officer of the club, and he said that plenty of the Elgins in the club were (unofficially perhaps) for sale, because the owners tended to be older. One member of the Hershey Region passed on while midway through restoring an Elgin. So Elgins are out there occasionally. Hi John-_S I would love to know the Elgin club or registry and who to contact for it. I saw a web page once for Elgin owners which is now not in existence and it had literally all the cars in the world known for Elgin’s he could find (I couldn’t find anymore either). It had less the. 15-18 cars listed with less then 9 operable (he had them tracked down in Australia , US and a couple in Canada.) Please help to prove me wrong on this. Also would love to see any 1920 Elgin cars still in existence and even rarer with steel disc wheels. Email me at ktrichards12@yahoo.com of a 1920 Elgin or a contact for the owners registry or club- the owner of this Elgin. Would love to have more info if there is more out there... i have only seen mine and one other Elgin for sale officially in the last 4-5 years. This one is for sale again as I just put it out there for sale 4 days ago... Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
France Armstrong Posted November 12, 2022 Share Posted November 12, 2022 On 1/20/2019 at 6:02 AM, George Smolinski said: Not mine. Thought someone here may be interested. https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/cto/d/fergus-falls-rare-car-for-sale-1-of-1/6799138769.html A VERY RARE 1920 Elgin Touring Car. $28,900/OBO. Almost 100 years old and still runs!!! Straight Six engine. The car was known as the car of the hour or built like a watch since the founders were out of the Elgin pocket watches. Through my research I believe this to be the ONLY 1920 Elgin still drivable and running with no other Elgin out there being a 1920 and none having the disc wheels like it has. Very rare Elgin cars come up for sale infrequently and only less than 10 running cars out there I could find. Beautiful car and comes with a California car cover. I have had it for three years and selling it because I don't have time to show it like it should be shown. I love this car. Appraised in 2015 for $28,000-$32,000. Along with the car, a ton of very rare memorabilia including an EXTREMELY rare operators manual and parts manual, stock certificates, photos, Elgin pin, Elgin pocket watch medallions, stock owner update magazine, marketing material, and a 1920 Elgin pocket watch. This is probably one of the most collected items in one spot for an Elgin. See YouTube video of it here except it runs as the battery is in it....https://youtu.be/hmv8C59WYyU Hello Rodger Wilson.. Did you end up purchasing this 1920 ..?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodgerWilson Posted July 11, 2023 Share Posted July 11, 2023 Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Bennett Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 Rodgerwilson, I’m interested in purchasing your Elgin. Actually live in Elgin! Avid car collector w dozens in the stable. Call or text eight 4 seven, 609 nine eight 97 or email jeffb60md@aol.com THANKS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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