Garbage special

[Wildcat]

It's definitely a Monark. Same frame, chain wheel, and rack as this one.

And it is 50's. "Monark officially shut down the Chicago plant at 6501 W. Grand Avenue in 1958"

The tag attached numbers go into 1954 and the last number was 1,911,106. After that I can't find anything. So, I'd say it's 1954-58 bike. Huffy made them later, but with an H serial number and their chain wheels, so it's not Huffy made, it's Monark. The tags were riveted on so two small holes would show if it was removed. Your numbers are 8A268 and 2,485,087. The first was probably the model and the second numbers the sequence number. That would put your bike 573,981 bikes after they stopped using the nameplate. Using the 50's numbers, Monark made approximately 400,000 bikes a year. 1956 or 57 would be my guess as to the year of your bike. All guessing.

I'd fix it and ride it.

 

[Pedalpat]

It's old it's free it's cool and yeah I think it'd be worth it to put it back to original
Unless I find some major issue on it which so far not

 

[RustyGold]

It's post '54. I'm used to seeing the model #s as SK20, SK30… etc. I hadn't seen a model number like what you have...it's probably just later than what I've seen before...`57 maybe.

 

[Pedalpat]

It's old so it's got some sort of stories hidden in it's years .
I'm just glad the crusher didn't get it and it came back as a wallyworld special

 

[RustyGold]

If that came up on my local CL... I'd probably pay up to $125 for it...far from garbage. Maybe more in this post covid world.

 

[Pedalpat]

Going to part it out

 

[Pauliemon]

Got this from a 2015 post by The Tinker.

List for Monark serial numbers

Monark #s prior to 1941 #s deeply punched under crank housing.

3600 or under....1934
3601 to 8100.....35
8101 to 9126.....36
9127 to 11019....37
11020 to 30000....?
30001 to 46001....38
46001 to 62000...39
62001 to 79000....40
79001 to 100761....41
100762 to 112911...42
112911 to 118000....?



#s on aluminum tag : starting in 1946

118106 to 286500....1946
286521 to 429919.....47
429920 to 539000.....48
539001 to 737063..... 49
737064 to 827982.....50
827983 to 950701.....51
950702 to 1387335.....52
1387524 to 1762369....53
1762370 to 1911106...54

1946 -47: horn button is on left side of tank
1948-49-50: button on right side
1951- 52-53-54- small button on top right of tank

1946-49 pedestal light
1950 .....train light

beginning 1953 single horizontal springer

I double checked this info . If anyone can add anything or finds an error please amend

Also ,be aware if you are adding or replacing a springer fork that the forks are deeper on the post war bikes that are equipped with deep fenders. Also the two threaded rods that the springs set on may be longer then the pre-war and early post war.

 

[RustyGold]

Alum tag #'s start with 'A'...the six digit #s should have a leading '0' in the tag years.

Some early '46s have no tag.

'55 to '57 no tag.

'58+, any Monarks are Huffy built...I have a Monark tandem that is just a rebadged Huffy Daisy.

 

[Pedalpat]

Bike is being parted out posted in sale section if anyone is interested

 

[Pedalpat]

Well no parts sold at all off this old bike.
So I pulled the rack off it and the trusses. It's now yard art.
Bb seat tube has break at bottom of seat tube so I'm not going to reweld it. Just hanging some wicker baskets on it and let the plants enjoy it as their perch .

Should see the looks neighbor's give as I have two ratty bikes out front used as yard art