# Prewar Monark



## cds2323 (Mar 16, 2015)

Found this double bar Monark Rocket last summer. It's been painted black over a sea foamy green paint over the original red paint with white darts. Rims were ivory with pinstripe. The chainring has the holes for the piecrust guard. I added the rack and regreased hubs/crank/fork and rode as a winter beater. Today I tried to strip the overpaint with Goof-off. The black comes off easily but the green won't. Cleaned up the serial number. 


   The serial number is C84328 and is in small letters on the left rear dropout. I have a list that puts this in 1941, but I thought it would've been earlier. I also read that prewar Monarks had large hand stamped serial numbers located under the bottom bracket. Nothing on this bottom bracket. I can't find a catalog or ad showing this model nor have I seen any other Monarks with this frame. 


   Does anyone have a catalog or ad with this frame? Does anyone have one or a picture of one? Would 1941 be the correct year?


Has anyone seen a Monark with this frame before?


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## monark-man (Mar 16, 2015)

hello    Spiegel  cat. no.  148        thanks


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## Dangerwagon (Mar 18, 2015)

'41 Monark Rocket.  Serial number should be on the drop out.  its the 5-bars which have the # under the BB.


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## Dangerwagon (Mar 18, 2015)

Very similar frames.  Different lower bar though.  Yours is curved, mine is straight.


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## cds2323 (Mar 22, 2015)

monark-man, thanks, I think catalog No. 148 is from Fall/Winter 1939-40. Do you have any pics? I'll have to look for Spiegel catalogs. Does anyone know if all the bikes sold by Spiegels had the Airman headbadge or might some of the lesser models been sold with the Rocket badge?

Dangerwagon, really like your bike. However, mine has the curved lower bar and a straight downtube. Yours has a straight lower bar and a curved downtube. Two different frames. 

Still working on stripping the green paint with little luck. Decided to list on my local CL for now.


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## cds2323 (Apr 2, 2015)

Interesting twist, although the rear tire is a replacement special IRC balloon tire, the front is an Argyle with no nylon markings. Argyle tires were sold through Speigels. Wonder if this bike was sold through Speigels? Anyone know if all Monarks sold by them had the Airman headbadge? Might they have sold lesser models with the Rocket badge?


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