Noot

Flying off the Wagon . . .

IF I can stay focused - I'm golden. It's just boring living in a small town in the dead of the winter months. I must find things to make it interesting. Like walking over to the shop after dark.(I do it a lot). I get focused and work away . . . affixing a VLD cylinder to a boring plate and cutting valves seats, grinding valves, you can see I achieved nearly textbook seat widths for intakes and exhausts (exhaust a bit wider to carry away some heat) - The '49 lower is done, honed a set evo cylinders . . . walked home in the dead of a cold winter night, over the bridge with ice and water running cold and clear. Opened a bottle of bourbon and started drinking, broke out the records, cranked 'em out - and turned myself into a total wreck by 10pm. I had fun for about 4 hours - then 24 hours of "this sucks."
Moral of this story: I should stick to work & drink Coca Cola.

Chris Berg @FM95.9 & AM1580

Chris does a great job on his morning show. I walk by and he always gives me a wave. Our local radio booth looks out over Main Street, so anybody can walk by and see 'em broadcasting. Their weather report is always spot-on . . . just look out the window ! I like their blend of oldies & newbies. AM1580 is my go-to station . . .

(P)art Exhibit at the Harley Museum

This is a unique idea - Harley-Davidson is showcasing drafted and air-brushed drawings from their old service manuals, advertisements, bulletins, etc. I've been looking at these drawings since the age of 5 or 6yrs old. After you learn a little more about these, they are a valuable tool for restoration, assembly and general information to the consumer (for which they were intended). After your interest in these motorcycles becomes more and more advanced - you notice "inaccuracies" and incorrect drawings. The artists saved a little time in many occasions by using the previous year's touched photos, and re-airbrushing parts - and even airbrushing entire parts out-of-the-picture . . . whereas the part is not shown at all. Parts floating in mid-air with no brackets - fender rivets that disappeared? It's kinda funny sometimes. You know what would be really cool with this exhibit? If you acquired the actual parts (like in the drawing above), and hung them from very thin thread in the correct positions. You could cadmium plate and/or Parkerize the parts as original - and the viewer would get a 3 Dimensional look at the display parts. Maybe they did do it ? I'll have to go check it out soon.

Little John 5 Speed

Paul Cox acquired a couple of these for his latest bike build. I noticed a case at the Cedar Rapids swap meet that had "Little John" cast right in the case, but I didn't know what it was. I saw this advertisement in one of my old, magazines - wouldn't you just know it ?

Rex Beauchamp

His name still comes up . . . I talked to a guy from Michigan who owns a race bike of his . . . and, an XR ridden by Beauchamp recently sold at the Meccum Auction. Time just keeps going . . .

Good Reading Over & Over

Old magazines from the late 60s, 70s and 80s are so great. They are incredible useful sources of information and ideas to the motorcycle (and auto) enthusiast. My thinking is that, guys just had less money back then - you had to do-what-you-could. Now it's so easy to just "buy" anything you want. That's why these mags were saved, 'cause they were a valuable resource. Knowledge to be learned. They had more tuning and tech-tips then today's publications . . . showing you steps to modify and service your hot rod. Information. Products. Photographs showing the bike, the motor, the paint - and the parts you want to see. Now it's just different. Hey . . . I page through Dice, Show Class, American Iron, but, it's just not the same. These old issues are originals - from the era "when the shit we dig was in" . . . Now what goes around - comes around. Old mags give it to you - from when it was bro - pick some up soon, turn on a lamp, kick back with a beverage - and enjoy. (with a candy cane !)

My Dad's 70th Birthday Today

Still going . . . and still crazy about Harley-Davidsons !

Happy Birthday Dad

Wednesday WALK to work . . .

Why fire up the Dodge to walk a half mile? I just throw on my Yak Trax (special traction footwear) and take off to the coffee shop. I bid a "good-morning" to all the local businessmen and patrons of this fine establishment. Then I'm off again, through Central Park (not shoveled? huh?), make a loop past the theatre and then duck into Car Quest - housed in the old vintage, deco Trowbridge Grocery Store building. My friend Doug owns the building and runs the store. More gossip, more coffee (now with a donut) and I continue this power-walk past more people waving and smiling - and starting their days with kids to school and having a job - and going to work. I feel fortunate. (PS. that's not my parking ticket)

Sound City DVD

The documentary SOUND CITY that Dave Grohl and friends put together is great. Add it to your collection to be watched over & over & over again . . . How this "board" which was purchased by a guy who just wanted to make some money in the music business - became a unique and legendary sound for all these different upcoming musicians - and the classic albums they produced at Sound City . . . it's just a great storyline. Some critics say the later part of this feature is just Grohl promoting himself . . . but, I disagree. It's like a kid who appreciates an antique car, an old Harley, a classic guitar . . . Grohl took the board down,
disassembled it, packed it, shipped it with care - and reassembled this thing to make music again - preserving it's heritage, to function - what it was designed to do. The final scene with (basically Nirvana) but with Paul McCartney filling in is totally awesome. What a rad song, and McCartney is just a god of rock who can do anything. Nothing compares. It almost brought tears to my eyes - you could just see Grohl, Smear, Nova . . . just diggin' it - like a dream. Buy it - Watch it and Save it.

Aromas Coffee House

When I catch that "french toast" smell of roasting coffee beans . . . mmmmmm, I have to go get some. It makes our little neighborhood smell so good. There's lots of good coffee out there . . . I'm happy we have a place like this - in Charles City.

Drag Racing: Movie Reviews

The movie Snake & Mongoose is very weak. No empathy for characters, weak story-line, too clean of uniforms, perfect hair, it's so fake and unrealistic. Spotless clean rail dragsters parked all cock-ways next to their pull-type campers with no tools or extra slicks anywhere - no nitro tanks, no oil, what-the-hell - they must run perfect right-outta-the-box? The race scenes are so staged (studio shots) with the cars lined up - then they "crop in" real racing footage of actual runs. The girls don't look like 60s or 70s chics at all. Flash footage of real drag racing gals like Linda Vaughn or Jungle Pam, and you about fly out of your chair. It's a good movie to make fun of . . . my wife was like, "That doesn't even look right, does it?" . . . No sweetie, it doesn't. They didn't even get the Movie Name right - I grew up watching these guys race on television, (I still have the hot wheels and track somewhere) - and the media always referred to them as:
The Mongoose and The Snake ! Mongoose comes first . . . then Snake (sorry Don, didn't you edit this thing?) D+

Now, if you want to see pretty damn good drag racing movie - Buy: Heart Like a Wheel. True empathy for characters, the actors are awesome, the story-line is superb(Shirley's career of coarse) and much of the racing footage is Shirley's car (with Tommy Ivo driving) and the interviews after the movie with Shirley, Garlits, Kalitta and Tommy himself - are classics in themselves. A-

Working

Harley '40ULH ready, Harley '49FL ready, Harley '56KHK almost ready, Harley '75XLH ready, Harley 74" pan wheels ready, Chevy '60 283 gettin' there . . .

email from Mert . . .

I got an email from Mert Lawwill today. It's really neat this guy actually responded to my "very good question" that I had . . . not too busy for me. Mert is one of my all time heros of racing and engineering design. He manufacturers parts for people with disabilities and makes their lives richer, fuller and more worthwhile. These products help people. His hard work and dedication doesn't go unnoticed, and he's been so much more that just a famous motorcycle racer and promoter of our sport.
But, I gotta say . . when you see the "In-Box" is a reply from Mert . . . it's like - Alright ! Dude !
So cool. Thanks Mert.