# 1947 Murray built, Firestone Pilot



## piercer_99 (Dec 10, 2018)

so I got a new project. It is going to take a little bit of time, and work.

Hardest part is going to be finding the correct fork as someone put a 1948 Monark fork in it.  Although, that is kind of really sweet, as I need a correct fork for my 1948 Monark, as the original one was tweaked beyond repair, and now I have one for it that is in nicer shape, same color as my bike.  Funny thing on that note, when I was rebuilding the 48' Monark, I could not find an original fork for it anywhere, so settled on using a early 70's Murray fork and now one shows up with the original graphics and the color I need.  Kewl beans.

Anyway, here is a 1947 Murray built, Firestone Pilot.  I hope to have it in riding condition by the weekend, I already straightened out the rear fender quite a bit, it was twisted, bent and mangled, knocked off some of the rust and have all but a few minor dings out of it, it is about 90% better than it was.  I have a drop center wheel set for it, and a new departure model d coaster coming to lace into it. I will convert it to speed chain, just because I prefer them.

Hoping to get a period correct Troxel for it, but I will use any seat I can until then, same with the fork, I have something that I can use until I get the right one. Odds are I will swap out the handlebar also, it is bent.





































This bike spent over half it's life in a chicken coop in Mounds Oklahoma and deserves to be in the sunlight again, tearing up pavement.   The time in the chicken coop, wasn't all to kind to the paint, but for what it has been through, it should be salvageable. That means I am going to save as much of the original paint as possible and then just polish it up.  Chicken poop wreaks havoc on paint.

As it is a little cold, I am having to deal with it in the garage, tomorrow the sun will be up, so I can take it outside and get to work on it.  The bike barn has no heat, or light, so I won't work on it in there.

More photos as it comes to life.

Stay tuned.


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## rollfaster (Dec 11, 2018)

Looking forward to it!


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## piercer_99 (Dec 11, 2018)

One of these days I will have time to install the hardwood floor on the second floor of our house and empty out the garage.  Of course that mean redoing the master bath and getting all of that tile out of there also.  There used to be so much room in the garage before I brought that stuff home.


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## piercer_99 (Dec 11, 2018)

well, did a bit of work on it today.

some of this will change, the saddle for certain, I just bought an old Troxel for it tonight, it will be here in a week.

have to add some truss rods, forgot that as the sun was going down.   A few of the parts are just so I could ride it.  Rode pretty nice for a bike that spent so many years in a chicken coop.


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## Sven (Dec 12, 2018)

_*From the chicken dung heaps in Oklahoma to the mean streets in Texas!  Nice job!*_


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## piercer_99 (Dec 27, 2018)

Finished.


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## Awhipple (Dec 30, 2018)

That turned out great!


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## piercer_99 (Dec 30, 2018)

by the way, it is for sale in the complete bicycle forum.


https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1947-firestone-pilot-murray-built-285-00-shipped-conus.144926/


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## rollfaster (Dec 30, 2018)

Great job!


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## piercer_99 (Nov 10, 2019)

Funny thing about this bike, the guy who found it buried in the chicken coop, is the one who is now riding the bike around Stillwater Oklahoma.


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