I've had this 1947 Monark Silvering Hextube laying around for about 15 years and have always planned on acquiring the needed parts to assemble it correctly. After recently acquiring the correct fork I decided to mock it up with the parts I had so far but after installing the fork I decided to go a different direction for the short term. I decided to make a custom out of it using almost exclusively parts I already owned. nothing about the frame or original parts have been modified so when I acquire the few parts I need to make it original I can easily go back. Unfortunately I did not plan on posting this here so I didn't shoot many pics of the build but here's what I do have.
This is the first mock up. The rear fender was previously mounted on the front. I stripped off about 3 or 4 layers of paint, rolled it, sprayed on about 4 or 5 coats of filler primer then sanded it. I just used metallic blue Rustoleum with a matte clear finish coat. There are extra holes in the fender which I used to mount a taillight and a clip to hold the electrical conduit for the light.
Sorry about the orientation of some of these pictures. They were correct when I uploaded them but somehow get switched during the upload.
I fabbed up the fender brace from some 1/8" rod I had and attached it to the rear frame bolts. I took some stainless nuts and ground them thinner for clearance that ran them on the buffer for few seconds.
I used a rechromed Manton & Smith sprocket I had along with some custom weighted Magna pedals. They have a weight added to the bottom so they are always in the correct position to start riding although the one in the picture is upside down.
Since the rear fender had a hole in it right near the tip I decided to add lighting. I did have to buy the Schwinn headlights and taillight at a swap meet. Along with the H-bars I spent $20. I decided to make my own bracket to mount the headlights from a piece of scrap 1/8" aluminum plate that also got the buffer treatment.
Tis was the initial mockup of the lights
The lights were originally for a generator setup so they only used one wire and the frame as a ground. I used a battery tube I had and soldered wires onto the bulb holders so I could use 2 wires. the lights are now leds.
I added a center-stand, some blue tread whitewalls, an Elgin stem and the bars I bought at the swap meet. Most of the nuts and bolts are stainless with the buffer treatment. The next pic is the result of taking it out for it's initial ride and forgetting to put both parts of the master link on.
In total including the lights, bars, paint and assorted nuts and bolts I have less than $50 into this thing. I have some grips ordered and it still need a little fine tuning but it's fun ride.
Forgot to add picture of bike as it currently is.
This is the first mock up. The rear fender was previously mounted on the front. I stripped off about 3 or 4 layers of paint, rolled it, sprayed on about 4 or 5 coats of filler primer then sanded it. I just used metallic blue Rustoleum with a matte clear finish coat. There are extra holes in the fender which I used to mount a taillight and a clip to hold the electrical conduit for the light.
Sorry about the orientation of some of these pictures. They were correct when I uploaded them but somehow get switched during the upload.
I fabbed up the fender brace from some 1/8" rod I had and attached it to the rear frame bolts. I took some stainless nuts and ground them thinner for clearance that ran them on the buffer for few seconds.
I used a rechromed Manton & Smith sprocket I had along with some custom weighted Magna pedals. They have a weight added to the bottom so they are always in the correct position to start riding although the one in the picture is upside down.
Since the rear fender had a hole in it right near the tip I decided to add lighting. I did have to buy the Schwinn headlights and taillight at a swap meet. Along with the H-bars I spent $20. I decided to make my own bracket to mount the headlights from a piece of scrap 1/8" aluminum plate that also got the buffer treatment.
Tis was the initial mockup of the lights
The lights were originally for a generator setup so they only used one wire and the frame as a ground. I used a battery tube I had and soldered wires onto the bulb holders so I could use 2 wires. the lights are now leds.
I added a center-stand, some blue tread whitewalls, an Elgin stem and the bars I bought at the swap meet. Most of the nuts and bolts are stainless with the buffer treatment. The next pic is the result of taking it out for it's initial ride and forgetting to put both parts of the master link on.
In total including the lights, bars, paint and assorted nuts and bolts I have less than $50 into this thing. I have some grips ordered and it still need a little fine tuning but it's fun ride.
Forgot to add picture of bike as it currently is.
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