# 1948 Monark Rocket



## piercer_99 (Nov 30, 2018)

Here is another one I recently rebuilt.   Once again, if you are a purist, now is your chance to look at another bike.


I was given this frame from a friend, who got it in a bulk purchase of bikes, it wasn't in pretty shape, but he knows I love Monark's and well, it's mine.   It is also the least original Monark in my collection.


The forks, crank, seat post, were welded by years of rust and sitting in the bottom of a stack of scrap.   It took me about 7 months to get the fork out, and the crank free.   I had to literally drill the seat post out of the down tube, all 8+" that were joined by to much rust.   That took a couple of weeks on and off, it was not fun.


I had to re braze the bottom bracket in a couple of spots, and try to touch up the paint in these areas.   It was pretty coated with surface rust, but I knocked it down with 1000 grit w/d paper, and it polished out pretty nicely.   The original forks were tweaked beyond repair, sadly.  The dogleg crank was bent also.   When I first put it together, I had a set of Araya 7X 26 x 1.75 faded red rims on it, didn't like that look so took my gold set off of the bike I have had the longest and used them on it, I have had this gold anodized set of Araya's since they were new in the early 80's.    Chen Shin motorcycle tread tires, they are old but in as good of shape as my new Duro Beach Bums on other bikes. Bendix 76 coaster, and a Suzie sealed front hub.  My own take on a Monark lettering for the down tube, just because I like it.  Very good rider, 52 x 19 gearing, it is a pretty fast bike.  Someday I will get a different saddle, but there are other bills to pay, so you use what you have.


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## Skiptoothgrin (Nov 30, 2018)

Nice job. Cool looking ride.


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## rollfaster (Nov 30, 2018)

Nice! Had a similar 48 Rocket.


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## OZ1972 (Dec 6, 2018)

Cool ride looks awesome !


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## jimbo53 (Dec 7, 2018)

That’s some hard, dedicated rustoration going on! Thanks for the effort to bring it back from the dead.


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## piercer_99 (Dec 27, 2018)

I think it is closer to being done now.   I had originally used a newer fork on it, as the original fork was roached, bent and garbage.  However I bought a Firestone frame, 47 Murray built and someone had swapped out the fork with one from a Monark and, well it is on the Monark now.   I also have the original stem in it, but swapped out the wheelset.  The Araya's are going back on the bike I borrowed them from and I installed a Shimano Nexus Inter-7 with alloy rims on it, different tires also.

Started the wheel / fork swap yesterday, but the torrential rains came.  I was working on it outside, when lightning hit a house across the street, so I decided to pack it up for the night.

Finished it today, took it for a test ride and this is it.




































.   It rides sweet, and I think it looks great (for now).

Maybe fenders someday, maybe not.


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## piercer_99 (Dec 29, 2018)

another part found.

maybe fenders / mudguards will be on the horizon.


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## Balloonoob (Aug 16, 2019)

Wow Pierce - a lotta work went into this one.  A labor of love.


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## piercer_99 (Aug 16, 2019)

Balloonoob said:


> Wow Pierce - a lotta work went into this one.  A labor of love.




yep, it is a great riding bike, I never should have gotten the Pierce Racer, because now all my other bikes feel like heavy pigs.


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## piercer_99 (Aug 18, 2019)

2 days ago I had 5 Monark's.   Today I have one and it is going up for sale soon.

It's a Silver King though.


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