# Request for info with pictures, Firestone Speed Chief maybe Monark?



## BradCon (Dec 19, 2020)

I have another request for information. Please help, with pictures. Show off yours if you have one! I know Firestone hired manufactures to build bikes with the Firestone name on it for their stores, but I do not know who made this one. All the stickers are gone from the frame. 
I have seen a post with an AMF like this, but the suspicion is this was made by Monark? It looks like a Rocket. How can I tell? Currently it has 26x1.75 tires, but it looks like enough room for larger tires under the fenders? How can I tell what size tires it needs? 
What is this color, if I need to go for a paint job? The frame and wheels definitely need some paint, but hoping to leave the 'green' paint alone. How do I clean and shine painted areas?
Can anyone help with this seat? It needs restored, but I am not familiar with the materials, colors or even who works on these. Anyone help with pictures of a nice seat? 
Anyone have a picture of what the head badge was or looked like? Was it decals? 
As for the fender light. It looks like it is all there, but needs restoration. Does anyone have information on the light to help what it is and how to restore? 
Anything missing off this Firestone Speed Chief?
I appreciate any help you can help with. (I know I asked a ton of questions)

What type of value do these things have? Please post pictures of yours. @falconer @Oilit


----------



## Freqman1 (Dec 20, 2020)

Not  lot of value--maybe a few hundred serviced and ridable. You can check the resto section for cleaning tips. A pro seat recover would be about $250 so I'd get some high density foam and go for it myself or have it done locally. I had a seat for a rat bike done for $35 by a local guy but you can probably do it yourself with a little practice. Bike appears to be Monark is there a tag riveted underneath the bottom bracket? Appears to be a middleweight so tire are correct size. I'd just clean the headlight up and repaint white with an aerosol--Duplicolor/Krylon/Rust-Oleum. A repo lens can be had for a few bucks. Not sure about the head badge on this one. V/ Shawn


----------



## oldfart36 (Dec 20, 2020)

The bike is basically a Monark Rocket, made for the Firestone stores. Because of name I would guess it at a 55-58, do not repaint anything, cleaning, recovering seat, and attention to details will get you further. Repainting will destroy any value the bike might have once done.
I have a 53 that was named as a "Special Cruiser" with the Monark style guard. You are missing the truss rods, wrong pedals, and I would like to see the wheels close up.
Below is my 53, I have tried to leave the patina as found.


----------



## BradCon (Dec 20, 2020)

oldfart36 said:


> The bike is basically a Monark Rocket, made for the Firestone stores. Because of name I would guess it at a 54-55, do not repaint anything, cleaning, recovering seat, and attention to details will get you further. Repainting will destroy any value the bike might have once done.
> I have a 53 that was named as a "Special Cruiser" with the Monark style guard. You are missing the truss rods, wrong pedals, and I would like to see the wheels close up.
> Below is my 53, I have tried to leave the patina as found.
> 
> ...



That’s the coolest patina I’ve seen. I’d leave that one alone too. Thanks for the info.


----------



## falconer (Dec 20, 2020)

Brad, I think we have the exact same bike. My bike has NO numbers or tags, dont know why. Headbadge is decal. I wouldnt do any painting. Maybe find another seat or cover yours. Just grease bearings, and I really dont think this bike came with truss rods.


----------



## BradCon (Dec 20, 2020)

falconer said:


> Brad, I think we have the exact same bike. My bike has NO numbers or tags, dont know why. Headbadge is decal. I wouldnt do any painting. Maybe find another seat or cover yours. Just grease bearings, and I really dont think this bike came with truss rods.
> 
> View attachment 1323558
> 
> ...



Yeah, that looks identical to mine. I was thinking of painting the frame because it has been touched up just under the seat post, same as yours. That’s odd they both have that. I do not see any evidence it is missing the truss rods. Does yours also have 26 x 1.75 tires? Thanks for close up of your seat. Yours looks almost white and mine seems brown. Do you know which is more accurate and what material was it?


----------



## falconer (Dec 20, 2020)

I have correct seat I believe, white with green trim. Yes, middleweight tires. I will glue green seat trim back in place, add a front light, service bearings. I think mine has reweld on frame there. I will grind down and touch up


----------



## Oilit (Dec 29, 2020)

I don't have one of these so I can't help with dating your bike, but what I do know is Schwinn introduced the middleweights in mid-1954 and they were successful enough that by 1955 the other manufacturers were scrambling to follow suit. But while Schwinn introduced a new rim for their middleweight, I believe the rest just used smaller tires on the same rims. The Schwinn tires were marked "26 x 1-3/4" and had a 571mm bead seat diameter, most of the rest were marked "26 x 1.75" and had a 559mm b.s.d., same as the balloon tires (26 x 2.125). The good thing is that most 26" mountain bike tires are 559, so you have a good selection and can use whatever will clear the fenders. The original advantage was that the smaller tires pumped up to a higher air pressure and were easier to pedal, but with modern tires even the larger sizes will handle the pressure, the limiting factor now is the rims, too much pressure and the tires will try to "walk" off the rims. I'm guessing that with your rims, 50 psi is about all you want to use.
The pan on your seat looks like it may be buckled, if you're going to recover it you may want to straighten and reinforce it first. If the rust is too bad, just find another seat, as @falconer said.


----------



## rustjunkie (Dec 29, 2020)

Oilit said:


> The pan on your seat looks like it may be buckled, if you're going to recover it you may want to straighten and reinforce it first. If the rust is too bad, just find another seat, as @falconer said.




looks like a faulhaber seat, many of these did have a very pronounced "bucket" shape to them


----------



## BradCon (Mar 15, 2021)

@falconer 
Does your speed chief have white wheels with silver spokes? I’m trying to figure out what to do with mine. Someone painted the wheels, but they over sprayed about an inch of the spokes. Not sure what to do about it. Any ideas?


----------



## falconer (Mar 16, 2021)

Yes, mine has white wheels, but spokes are rusty. Its always fun, lol, to clean paint off spokes. Get some sandpaper and get at it!


----------



## BradCon (Mar 16, 2021)

falconer said:


> Yes, mine has white wheels, but spokes are rusty. Its always fun, lol, to clean paint off spokes. Get some sandpaper and get at it!



Oh no!!! I was hoping for a miracle cure, not sand paper. It’s my first go around with painted spokes. Slow and steady on...


----------



## Superman1984 (Mar 16, 2021)

BradCon said:


> Oh no!!! I was hoping for a miracle cure, not sand paper. It’s my first go around with painted spokes. Slow and steady on...



Brad tape off the wheels & use some oven cleaner or even steel wool/scotch brite if you're not comfortable with chemical stripping


----------



## Superman1984 (Mar 16, 2021)

This isn't a Firestone but basically the same. I believe it was only built for '55-57
Not Mine! It may fit 2.125" wheels but You may have to use 24"  Oh & yes they usually have Truss rods on the Rockets. Maybe Firestone didn't but I would add them


----------

