Thank you Kris,
I also have a lot of respect for vintage bikes and am less inclined to alter a classic mens bike than a ladies bike. I've had three Elgins of this same frame design with the art deco fender skirts. Sadly, ladies bikes are not valued very highly so often go un-cared for. This particular design was so beautiful that Elgin kept it for a number of years and it was at a time that Sears Roebuck company introduced a payment plan so that boys and girls could buy their dream bike on a payment plan. I'm sure that many paper routes and baby sitting jobs ended with the proud ownership of what is now a classic Elgin.
Putting a motor on this bike was problematic due to the fender skirts... can't do a belt drive or a left chain drive without interfering with the left skirt guard. The answer for me is an SBP shift kit so that power can pass through the pedal chain to a three speed internally geared rear hub.
Happily, I purchased a slightly used kit today from a forum member. I'll need to purchase a bottom bracket conversion kit from SBP, but that's about all it needs. I've had this bike for a number of years, ran it with an electric front wheel at one point and tried it with a little Tanaka (Bikebug) friction drive up front. Neither was satisfactory and looked out of place. I think this will have a nice early motorcycle look to it and should give a really nice ride.
The Elgin is back in Minnesota while I'm in Maryland for the winter, but come summer the shift kit will be installed, the engine fired up and a bike over 75 years old will have been reborn as a very cool, one of a kind motorbike. Woohoo!
