Monark, I think?

[Fv2]

My friend Carrie gave this to me, have it in the I.D. forum.
Appears to be mostly there, should I do repaint or leave it as is and put it back on the road?

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

Looks all Monark to me, clean it up put some wheels on it and enjoy it ,you can always repaint later...
even has the original seat pan, good friend i'd keep her around for a while .

~Rafael~

 

[Fv2]

Looks all Monark to me, clean it up put some wheels on it and enjoy it ,you can always repaint later...
even has the original seat pan, good friend i'd keep her around for a while .

~Rafael~

Yea, she's great. And owns my LBS.

 

[Georgeediii]

That is an expensive gift your friend gave you.

 

[A.S.BOLTNUT]

Remember they are only OG. once ,but hey can be repainted over and over again

~Rafael~

 

[Fv2]

That is an expensive gift your friend gave you.

I tried to pay her for it, she said if I sell it to spend the money in her shop. I think I'll keep it a while, any idea what it's worth?

Remember they are only OG. once ,but hey can be repainted over and over again

~Rafael~

It appears to have been repainted, there's red under the blue and white. Looks like someone tried stripping the paint.

 

[The Black Monark]

dial in the mechanicals then Leave it Be....and ride it

 

[KJV]

Cool, Columbia.
Get it riding...
Dig the , Ratina.

 

[The Black Monark]

Similar to yours, here's The Black Monark, built in 1990

 

[Georgeediii]

With those fenders its one of the older ones, pre-1950. If you have any pics of the rear reflector and the rack we could narrow it down farther.

 

[Terry66]

Nice Monark. I have a Firestone badged Super Cruiser. Does the top of the rack have three large slots and one small? I'd take a guess at it being a 1948. Probably had dual torpedo headlight on the fender.

If you decide to paint, I'm pretty sure you can get a repop tank for it

If you don't repaint, that would look cool with some cream colored tires!

 

[Fv2]

With those fenders its one of the older ones, pre-1950. If you have any pics of the rear reflector and the rack we could narrow it down farther.

I have pics, will post when I can. Rear reflector is kinda tear drop shaped with two lenses. Not sure on the rack, will look when off work.

 

[Georgeediii]

Nice Monark. I have a Firestone badged Super Cruiser. Does the top of the rack have three large slots and one small? I'd take a guess at it being a 1948. Probably had dual torpedo headlight on the fender.

If you decide to paint, I'm pretty sure you can get a repop tank for it

If you don't repaint, that would look cool with some cream colored tires!

48 was the only year with a separate reflector and bumper on the rear fender. Should be easy enough to tell.

 

[Terry66]

48 was the only year with a separate reflector and bumper on the rear fender. Should be easy enough to tell.

Interesting info. I didn't know that....I was basing my guess on the old Firestone catalogs. According to the pictures they have, 1948 is the only year that shows this version of the rack. 1949 and later show the cheese grater rack. Then again, I am certain there are other variations than what are shown. My Super Cruiser has the dual spring fork, train light, pointed chainguard and no fender "rocket". That combination isn't shown in any of the catalogs from 48-59.

 

[Georgeediii]

Interesting info. I didn't know that....I was basing my guess on the old Firestone catalogs. According to the pictures they have, 1948 is the only year that shows this version of the rack. 1949 and later show the cheese grater rack. Then again, I am certain there are other variations than what are shown. My Super Cruiser has the dual spring fork, train light, pointed chainguard and no fender "rocket". That combination isn't shown in any of the catalogs from 48-59.

Got a picture of yours? 46 and 47 have the early rack but from 48 on they are supposed to have the cheese grater (I think) and the shroud. Technically 46 was not called a Super Deluxe and since this bike shows no sign of a name on the guard, that is what I am leaning toward but its hard to tell without a tank.

This is my 48 but sadly it lost its rack long before the bike found me.

 

[Fv2]

The rack had three long thin cut outs in parallel and one short thin cut out at the end.

Rear fender doesn't appear to have ever had anything other than that tear drop reflector on it.

There are holes in the front fender, I assume for a light or that jet looking ornament.

I'm gonna try to download tapatalk to see if it will let me upload pics from my phone, but it's an "smart" phone.



Ok, so I'll try to figure that all out tomorrow.

 

[Terry66]

Here is mine. Based on SN, been told it is a late '52.

 

[Terry66]

Falstaff....you are in central Ohio? I am in the Dayton area. Are you going to the Indy show next weekend?

 

[Georgeediii]

There are holes in the front fender, I assume for a light or that jet looking ornament.

The holes upfront are for a pedestal light.

 

[Fv2]

As I said my friend Carrie gave me this bike, but there's more to the story of this bike.

Carrie owns the bicycle shop I go to, the shop was started by her husband Dan. Dan was a road bike guy, his bikes were carbon fiber and titanium. But he had an appreciation for all things bicycle, so nine years ago he opened his own shop.

I met Dan about a year after the shop opened, I had just gotten my AMC VIII and hoped he'd know something about it. He didn't.

Anyway that was before I was even really into bicycles, before I ever heard the words rat rod and bicycle used together. But I still would go to the shop and talk to Dan, we ended up being really good friends.

Dan had a barter system at his shop, if he felt something was worth a few bucks he'd take it as partial payment on a new bike. Well apparently about five years ago Dan took this old monark in on trade. He didn't know what it was, just that it was old and probably had some value.

Dan and Carrie had talked to a couple bike restoration guys, but they said they didn't have time for it. So this bike sat in a box in back of the shop.

A few years ago Dan started losing weight and became ill. A trip to the doctor found colon and liver cancer, he fought the valiant fight as long as he could. Unfortunately Carrie and her children lost their husband/father, I lost a good friend.

After Dan passed, Carrie kept the shop open (glad she did) and this bike eventually got put under a shelf and left. Then yesterday I walk into the shop to ask Carrie about some parts for my build off 11 bike. I was off work, so we just talked for hours before I finally asked if she had anything old. She let me in the back room, as I was looking she said oh, I have this. She moved a couple boxes and pulled out this box with a frame and other parts, she said I'll just give you this.

I was taken back, I didn't even know what it was but told her I had to give her something for it. That's when she told me if I sell it to spend the money at the shop.

I called Carrie today to fill her in on what you all have told me about the bike, she said she was happy to give it to me because she knew I'd get it back on the road. I must have thanked her five times during the conversation. All she asked in return is to see the bike when it's done and copies of before and after photos.

I'll do those things for her, but I also think I'll make this a tribute to her husband and my friend Dan.


So that was long winded, but I wanted to share. Thank you all for the info you've given me on this bike, once I get the pics up you need to figure it out exactly I'll use that info to build it back to something special.

Thanks again.