55 Monark Rocket Tank

[fasteddy]

Mike GeniuS, here is a site that will help you for parts and information.

Nostalgic.net - Vintage Bicycle Photo and Information Archive

You will see a menu on the left. For parts check "ebay search links". They will list every bike make plus.
For information or parts requests join the "Cabe Forums" also on the menu. If you need information just give them a photo and they will tell you everything there is to know about the bike. These guys are dedicated bike nuts and are willing to help.
Hope this helps.
Welcome to the world of all things Monark.

Steve.

 

[Mike GeniuS]

Thanks for the site info. I tried to sign up at that site, & they kept saying incorrect confirmation code?????

 

[Mike GeniuS]

It looks like its the crank i need - correct for my bike. I'll take it. Thanx. now I have to find the mount for the 2 rods on the front fork assy. (two new rods if i can find them)

 

[fasteddy]

Maybe if you tried to join the CABE Forums directly it will work. I'll look and see what else I have to get on it.

Steve.

 

[fasteddy]

I typed Classic and Antique Bicyle Exchange on google and it came up. Might not like it coming from another site.
Hope it works.

Steve.

 

[silverbear]

Mike,
PM me your address so that I can send it off. I'll get it into a box today and the next time I go to town it will get shipped. I don't want to be paid for it. I will want to be reimbursed for what it costs me to ship it which you can do later.
Last spring I lost much of my belongings in a fire. Most of my bikes, tools, my truck, personal belongings. Many good people on this forum came to the rescue and helped me back on my feet. Without their help I would have given up on trying to have a little business with motorbikes. Thanks to them the dream lives on and I'm a busy old boy building fun machines. So much kindness came my way which I pledged to pass along. Some of their kindness has come to you now, through theirs to me. What I hope is that now you will pass something kind along to someone else. That's what I want for that old crank, not money, but something more valuable. As a bonus, I'll be able to look at a picture of your bike later on when it is looking much as it did when new and even better with a motor and I'll zero in on that shiny crank and know where it came from. Ha! How good its that?
SB

 

[Mike GeniuS]

Wow, that's awsome. If you need anything for cars or motorcycles (I am auto tech - I don't work at a shop anymore because I broke my back) or any thing else, (like R/C cars - planes, a hobby of mine) let me know. I sure do appreciate it. I'm doing a 100 point resto on this, as this bike is more important to me then any project i've done. Believe me, you'll see it through the entire resto process, & the finished bike. You'll be first on the credit list for sure.

Thanks again.

 

[curtisfox]

Silverbear, the sprocket off my bike is the same if it isn't a skip tooth which it shouldn't be.

Steve.

Arnt the skip tooth and regular chain the same spacing? I thought the were the same except every other tooth was gone. In other words can't you use regular chain on a skip tooth?

Also I have the pasthrough Monark that I will be taking parts off and will have frame and fork left over. Steve is send me a front fender and will match the rear off this one.

 

[silverbear]

Mike, Will pack up the crank & sprocket today and get if off in the mail soon.

Hey, Curtis. I never tried, but have the impression they are not compatible. Steve probably knows.
SB

 

[curtisfox]

Hey Here's some original paint, have the rear rack, too.(also painted on from factory.) Their not pictured here, but what are the 2 rods on the front for for? I have them, but I think i'm missing the top mount. The only thing not original on this bike is te sprocket.(my dad said he changed it in 1965.)
http://motorbicycling.com/attachmen...storing-late-40s-rocket-then-pict0122-50-.jpg

I have a front fork compleat with the rods and mount

 

[fasteddy]

Curtis, will box the fender today. Haven't been feeling great the past week and even less got done than usual. Sending you the fender Silverbear sent me. Drilled the front support out of the one I had and will send it as well. The girls forks usually have a longer steering tube. The truss rods you have may be longer than on a boys bike as well. Truss Receiver on top of the forks should be the same

Mike, the truss rods it seems, stiffened the forks so young rovers like myself couldn't destroy them.

I've read that the regular chain won't work on a skip tooth chain ring. Not sure just why though.

Steve.

 

[curtisfox]

Curtis, will box the fender today. Haven't been feeling great the past week and even less got done than usual. Sending you the fender Silverbear sent me. Drilled the front support out of the one I had and will send it as well. The girls forks usually have a longer steering tube. The truss rods you have may be longer than on a boys bike as well. Truss Receiver on top of the forks should be the same

Mike, the truss rods it seems, stiffened the forks so young rovers like myself couldn't destroy them.

I've read that the regular chain won't work on a skip tooth chain ring. Not sure just why though.

Steve.

THANK YOU will be looking for it. Somehow I had it my head the you could us regular chain oh well I only have one scip tooth and that is not anything special. Let me know if there is anything you can use like SB I have a lot of bikes......Curt

 

[fasteddy]

Thank you Curt. May be asking for parts. Keep saying the Silverbear Monark trike will be the last but I'm going to buy a trailer tomorrow and I'm up to buying one a lot longer than I first planned. I know me all to well.

Skip tooth chain. Well I just couldn't stay uninformed and searched it out. Unlike our regular chain where there is room for a tooth to go between links the skip chain had room for a tooth and then the next link was very close together leaving no place for the tooth to go so they had to skip that tooth. I think the problem of removing every other tooth on the regular chain ring to get a skiptooth chain ring is that the skiptooth chain ring is fatter and the chain rides on a shoulder on either side of the tooth which has a slightly different shape.
Hope this helps a little.

Steve.

 

[curtisfox]

Thank you Curt. May be asking for parts. Keep saying the Silverbear Monark trike will be the last but I'm going to buy a trailer tomorrow and I'm up to buying one a lot longer than I first planned. I know me all to well.

Skip tooth chain. Well I just couldn't stay uninformed and searched it out. Unlike our regular chain where there is room for a tooth to go between links the skip chain had room for a tooth and then the next link was very close together leaving no place for the tooth to go so they had to skip that tooth. I think the problem of removing every other tooth on the regular chain ring to get a skiptooth chain ring is that the skiptooth chain ring is fatter and the chain rides on a shoulder on either side of the tooth which has a slightly different shape.
Hope this helps a little.

Steve.

OK I just wish I had all the skip tooth that I used to ride as a kid. Plus all the others.

 

[Mike GeniuS]

Thank you much, SB. Can't thank you enough. It's nice to know that there's other people with a passion for these old bikes besides me. I am really serious about this restoration, & having a friend in the buisness like you is invaluable - more important than just parts, but the knowledge also. Thanks again, look foward to sending pics soon.

 

[silverbear]

Thank you much, SB. Can't thank you enough. It's nice to know that there's other people with a passion for these old bikes besides me. I am really serious about this restoration, & having a friend in the buisness like you is invaluable - more important than just parts, but the knowledge also. Thanks again, look foward to sending pics soon.

You're very welcome, Mike. Like you, I appreciate these old time machines. I am not an expert, however, with any of them. For old Schwinns we have Norm at Venice Bikes and Steve (fasteddy) is the Monark guy. Bairdco knows his Colsons and is pretty sharp on all the old timers. When I need to have something identified I defer to the guys at Cabe. But what I lack in knowledge I make up for in enthusiasm. Rust is my favorite color... ha!
I have a confession to make. I was so intent on my hardware run today, getting the nit picking little dealies I need for the immediate problems on a 51 Schwinn/ Greyhound engine build... that in my state of preoccupation I forgot about the package in the back seat that was supposed to get mailed and one of the reasons for going to town in the first place. Oops. Next run to town, I promise. I'll put the package up front with the dog to remind me. She'll remember. I packed it up with birch bark inside for cushioning if you open it up and wonder what the weird packing material is.
SB

 

[Mike GeniuS]

Curtisfox, you got my attention. You have the front end for my rocket? If so, how much do you want for it, & can you show me some pics? I'm looking to get all the original stuff back on the bike - 2 things ain't right. the front end is one of them. Please let me know.
Thanx

 

[curtisfox]

Curtis, will box the fender today. Haven't been feeling great the past week and even less got done than usual. Sending you the fender Silverbear sent me. Drilled the front support out of the one I had and will send it as well. The girls forks usually have a longer steering tube. The truss rods you have may be longer than on a boys bike as well. Truss Receiver on top of the forks should be the same

Mike, the truss rods it seems, stiffened the forks so young rovers like myself couldn't destroy them.

I've read that the regular chain won't work on a skip tooth chain ring. Not sure just why though.

Steve.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. That and with the light,rack,and the spring fork from the same guy on ebay I will be perty much compleat. More so then I ever thought. Thanks also for that web site. PS get fealing better ok?

 

[curtisfox]

Curtisfox, you got my attention. You have the front end for my rocket? If so, how much do you want for it, & can you show me some pics? I'm looking to get all the original stuff back on the bike - 2 things ain't right. the front end is one of them. Please let me know.
Thanx

Ok next time I go to the lake lot I will take some pictures. Keep in mind that Steve said that the passthrough are longer in the head tube and the rods are longer. How long are your rods from the axel to the top mount?
PM me your email and I can send them that way haven't learned how to post pic.yet.......Curt