Huffy-built Monarks???

handyandy1100 · Jul 22, 2019

Picked up an early '60's Monark Thunderbird this past weekend. I know it was built by Huffy and is basically a Monark in name only.

I was wondering if Huffy used specific serial numbers for Monark production and specific numbers for Huffy, or were they all lumped together and it was the luck of the draw if the frame was badged Monark or Huffy?
In other words, If I took off the tank with the Monark nameplate would there be any other way to tell the bike was a Monark?

Thanks,
Andy

Wildcat · Jul 22, 2019

Unless the chain guard has a specific name that belonged to Monark, then it's the same bike as a named Huffy of that year. I see you have a Thunderbird, they named bikes after popular cars. That may be a Monark name as I haven't seen it on any other bikes. The white trim may be specific to a Monark model. Huffy had the Camaro and Galaxie, and Eldorado. It should have a Huffy serial number also which will ID the year of the bike. 8H at the beginning would be a 1968 bike, 7H a 1967 bike.

I found a couple quotes while researching Monark:

"Monark Bicycle Co. was purchased by Huffman Mfg in late 1957. Huffman continued to produce Huffy bicycles, and near identical models under the "Monark" name until the late 60s / early 70s. It was an attempt to gain more ground in the dept stores, without directly sacrificing the "Huffy" brand. It did not work out long term, especially since many Monark bikes had the wrong trim or color put on. The models were too similar, and confused production workers. It is not uncommon to see a Huffy-badged bike with Monark emblems or model names."

" The Monark Thunderbird is the cousin to the Huffy Eldorado."

Here's a 67 Huffy Camaro:

handyandy1100 · Jul 22, 2019

As near as I can make it out, the serial is 4H138160. Making it a '64 model, one year newer than me.
So it sounds like if I took off the busted tank and repainted the bike, I would obliterate any sign of it ever being a Monark. It would be just another old Huffy, not that there's anything wrong with that. [emoji6]

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

handyandy1100 · Jul 22, 2019

Some more looking at the bike after work this evening. I see a faint outline of a crown on the head tube little crowns in the stripe on the rear rack. Finally got the grips off. I don't think they are regulation Huffy grips though. Not sure if those are M's for Monark or maybe W's? Western Flyer? The seat says Western Flyer on it.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Wildcat · Jul 23, 2019

I found a pic of a 65 Monark, looks pretty close to yours.

Yours looks original except for the handlebars and grips, and seat and tires. I would tear it completely apart and clean up everything as much as I could. The paint doesn't look too bad, it might shine up nicely with a coat or two of wax. I would keep it a Monark just because they weren't as common as Huffys. JMO, anyway you do it will work great, it's a 1964 American made bike.

handyandy1100 · Jul 23, 2019

Thanks Wildcat. I'm not sure exactly how I want to do this bike, except, I do want to keep its Monark identity intact somehow. Kinda like owning a "Packardbaker."

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

handyandy1100 · Jul 24, 2019

Spent a few minutes with some WD-40 and steel wool and the bike tonight. Swapped out the apes for some cruiser bars I had. Not the right style, but closer to stock than the ape hangers.
Got the painted over AAA sticker off the rack, but the white spray paint has some tenacity. Left a decorative design. LOL
The bit of red spray paint on the guard cleaned up nicely. The chrome sticker above the crank shines again.
I think what I might just do is get it rideable and save it for next year's build-off.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

handyandy1100 · Jul 25, 2019

Cheap and easy replacement for a missing headlight assembly on a light tank...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

handyandy1100 · Jul 27, 2019

Been messing with the wheels on this bike today.
The rear tire is an Allstate white wall with a date code that seems to be saying 3rd quarter of 1965. The bike's frame date on the serial number is 1964. Possibly the owner had to replace a year old tire due to road damage, or would there have been the possibility that the frame was made in '64 but the bike wasn't built until '65, just in time for Christmas? Did Sears sell Monarks?

The front tire is also an Allstate, but with a narrow white wall and a date code of 1st quarter of 1969. That had to be a replacement!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Wildcat · Jul 27, 2019

Schwinn made about 850,000 bikes in 64, and Huffy was more common, so there were probably more than a million of them made in 64. 138,000 sequence number on the frame would have been built in the first few months of the year 1964. 3rd quarter 65 on the tire would have been a full year later when the tire was made, so it was probably a replacement.

handyandy1100 · Jul 27, 2019

Wildcat said:
Schwinn made about 850,000 bikes in 64, and Huffy was more common, so there were probably more than a million of them made in 64. 138,000 sequence number on the frame would have been built in the first few months of the year 1964. 3rd quarter 65 on the tire would have been a full year later when the tire was made, so it was probably a replacement.

Thanks Wildcat.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

HerrOtto · Dec 11, 2024

So if I am following this thread correctly, and I have a Monark, with a serial number beginning with 9H, that makes it being made by Huffy and either a 1959 or 1969?

Wildcat · Dec 11, 2024

HerrOtto said:
So if I am following this thread correctly, and I have a Monark, with a serial number beginning with 9H, that makes it being made by Huffy and either a 1959 or 1969?

That's right. Post a pic and we'll see what decade it matches up with.

HerrOtto · Dec 12, 2024

I'm saying 1969

us56456712 · Dec 12, 2024

I have a beautiful blue woman’s Monark. It’s got a 1968 city tag on it. I put a smaller chainring from a Huffy kids bike on it so she could climb our hills. Same chainring pattern on both. I also have an 1890s Monarch, but that was a different company that ceased to exist in early 1900s.

HerrOtto · Dec 12, 2024

I have changed my guess to 1959. The rear hub is a F&S Super Komet, with the date code of "B", which I believe is 1959.

idiotboy · Dec 13, 2024

I have a Huffy that was IDed as a 1961 with the same frame, chain guard and rack, yours could be a 59

ParkRNDL · Dec 16, 2024

HerrOtto said:
I'm saying 1969

that's a great looking bike

HerrOtto · Dec 16, 2024

Thanks, I can't believe how lucky I was with this purchase.

Wildcat · Dec 16, 2024

HerrOtto said:
I'm saying 1969

The bike in your pic is a 59 Huffy.

Huffy-built Monarks???

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

handyandy1100

Wildcat

handyandy1100

handyandy1100

Wildcat

handyandy1100

handyandy1100

handyandy1100

handyandy1100

Wildcat

handyandy1100

HerrOtto

Wildcat

HerrOtto

Attachments

us56456712

HerrOtto

idiotboy

ParkRNDL

HerrOtto

Wildcat

Latest posts

Huffy-built Monarks???

Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:

Attachments

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!