Monark Board Tracker - (mbuna's first build)

[mbuna]

Hey guys, just recently obtained this beautiful starting piece, a Western Flyer of some type. Somebody rattle canned it rust, I think it used to be white. Don't even own sandpaper yet, so haven't yet determined the serial number and therefore year (any guesses?). Somebody did some really gross welding at the seat post and again near the crank tube... thing.

My vague plans are for a very minimal look, maybe dirty, maybe a little cleaner... still forming a picture in my mind as I just picked this up this morning purely on a whim, because I've always wanted to do a custom cruiser. I'd love a point in the right direction of obtaining some fat fat tires & wheels, maybe colored? Any suggestions for repairing that weld? I don't weld, but I can grind it... or should I have them redone by a pro? The only other question is, those bikes that have the seat all the way down, and the handle bars downturned, how comfortable is the ride? I love the look, but not if I can't cruise with some degree of comfort.

Thanks!

 

[udallcustombikes]

Re: My First Build

It is a Monark built bike. This is the third one I have seen recently where the seat tube has pulled out of the bottom bracket(crank tube thing ), including one of my own. Monark used an ID tag on the bottom of the bottom bracket with the serial and model number. If it is gone then you might be out of luck figuring an exact year, unless you are lucky like I was and the number is actually stamped on the bottom bracket it self. Mine has the same frame and it is a '49 or '50.

 

[mbuna]

So here it is assembled a bit, just trying to get an idea of what exactly I'm doing with it. I definitely want a board tracker look. I'm going with 26x3 Kenda Krazes on 26x50mm black rims & spokes, I got my friend trying to find those for me. I picked up this springer fork, looks like I'll have to chop an inch or so and rethread it? Will be heading to the plumber supply to try and figure out a seat stem that'll put that seat right on top of the rear tire. Going to chop the handle bars right at the top of where the grips sit now. I think finding a tank to fit this is going to be difficult, but I think it's absolutely necessary Looking at 66cc motors, but also playing with the idea of finding an old mower engine and making it work. Paint... I'm either going with matte olive with black trim, or I'm going to rust it out, I've been reading about vinegar / salt water techniques.

 

[mbuna]

oh... does anyone have a trick for removing the handlebar stem? The bolt is out, and stripped, so I think the wedge is stuck down there pretty good. :x

 

[mbuna]

My buddy Brandon came over last night with an angle grinder. We PB Blaster + hammered the handlebar stem off. Ruined the stem and the fork, but it's out. After a half hour trying to wire brush two coats of paint off the frame, I decided I'll just have it media blasted. So we proceeded with chopping up the rear of the frame like this:

Tonight it'll be welded back together like this, which I think gives it a much more "boardtracky" profile:

 

[mbuna]

More questions... (this is my first attempt at modding / building any kind of bike). Do you think that bottom bracket in the photoshopped bike above is too low for the cranks to turn properly while turning? Am I receiving very few replies because I'm a noob? Is it sacrilege to chop up a vintage bike frame? Where the heck can I find some 26x3 Kenda Kraze tires??? Are you not supposed to ask questions in your own build? Thanks

 

[cactus]

I like where the build is going. you can always get shorter cranks and for the kenda kraze, this is all ive found http://www.choppersus.com/store/product ... nda-Kraze/

 

[diceman]

theres no such thing as a silly question .

as for the pedals , it all depends on how you feel riding it , i had my jesse james bike down low enough that using the pedal as a kickstand , the bike was almost vertical ( ok if your riding slow and strait ) ... go with whats comfortable to you .

i think what your doing will look super cool when its done .

26x3 , don,t ask me , they are hard to come by in my neck of the woods
( unless i wanna pay almost double what they are worth )

i see a lot of chop and weld jobs ( i haven,t done one yet )
BUT , if i was to , and i didn,t have some kind of jig to hold everything stait and in line

i would probably put the forks back in , and mount the rims as centered as possible .
then i would use two nice and strait 2x4,s and clamp the front and back rims between them , so the alignment is good .
then weld the frame back up . ( i have no idea what you have to work with )