Swap Meet Scores . . . Need Fixin'

I bought some unique parts last weekend . . . at some reasonable prices - BUT, all the parts need work.  They all need fixed.  This pig snout kicker has a tight, solid outside bushing which Jeff will locate off and bore the inside for a steel sleeve with a flange.  Press in steel, then bore steel sleeve for the bronze bushing, hone to fit the shaft.  (steel sleeve will resemble the bronze piece pictured)

I picked up these early (E)series S&S flywheels.  S&S flywheels don't have thrust washers at the crank pin.  The wheels are made of a special forged steel, that if everything is set up correctly(key word: correctly) you don't need them.  This set was worn.  McFarland will set this up in a rotary table and machine it so the washer is just flush (or maybe a touch above) the flywheel surface.  He'll do it so the flush washer has a press-fit, I'll stake it, and she'll be good as new !
NOTE: Early pre-1955 motors(loose roller) with no left Timken, flywheel assemblies will move right to left (.012 endplay preferred) with engine revs.  This is why it's important to have the Left & Right case races aligned properly (lapped properly) so the contact made with the thrust washer areas are random and not constant contact on one side or the other.  Keep 'Em Rollin' - Keep 'Em in the Center !  

Cedar Rapids Swap Meet

Bound for Cedar Rapids . . . Trailer, bike, parts . . . 

Coffee stop with Dino.

 From Left:
Al, Bill, Noot & Zimmer . . .

Things get kinda weird . . .

I think it's rays from those huge electrical junction boxes they put us under every year ?
25+ years at this swap !

 It didn't mellow out much through-out the day . . .

THE "Jeremiah" of Cedar Rapids:
Married, dad with (3)crazy kids, bike builder, vintage historian,
bmx racer, hard ass worker, beer guzzler, pizza buyer . . .
Thanks dude - See ya'll soon !

Al's Ironhead Stroker Frame

Added some stripes Saturday . . . make it Pop !  Splits are for brackets, etc.

Sacred Spots

These places are everywhere, but are slowly slipping away from us, due to construction, deterioration and time.  Find a sacred place that holds past history which is dear or interesting to you - and go there.  Civil War battlefields, historic homes, crime scenes, film scenes, music venues . . . all do it for me. 

Early Shovelhead

SU Eliminator carburetor . . . she's so sweet.

BORN FREE California Bound

My dad delivering an engine for a Born Free build . . . 
( Thanks J.G. ! )

Generator Brush Maintenance

Your brushes may look ok . . . however, the shorter they get, the less spring pressure on the armature.  I like to keep my brushes good and new.  I replace them before they start jumping around, maybe earlier than necessary, but I don't have a lot of generator problems either.  When your brush is worn, all that material worn away from the brush has turned to dust (and it's all over inside your generator to gum things up).
Real exciting stuff on this blog !
PS. Take a photo before you start unhooking all your wires . . .

Panhead Parts-Motor Challange

Our vintage motorcycle friends bring motors to build that have never been "a motor" before.  To get it correct, it's a Mind Trip of spacers, thrust washers, end-play, side-play, stack height, clearances . . . then, when you get it all correct . . . the bearing retainers are aftermarket "junk" . . . and it's a switch, swap, trade, mod, deburring game of switch & swap.  Trying to get all the parts to "like each other" is the hardest part. 
Why can't everyone just get along ?????

Half - A - Century

Yesterday, in my own mind, "50" was the new "90" . . . I felt a bit down.  My family threw me a pre-party on Tuesday night which helped . . . but, I just couldn't get over this impending gloom.  Then, this morning I get a box full of money, gift cards, a cool home-made card, candy . . . coffee, donuts . . . everyone tellin' me jokes and wishing me a Happy Birthday - It was really nice - and I feel a whole lot better.
 Ready to do wheelies again. Age is just a number everyone . . .
I need a good iron to get these bills flat !

Vintage 1 Shot

A retired sign painter gave me boxes filled with his old One Shot paints.  The lids are dusty, kinda rusty, but the paint inside is perfect.  Probably the good lead-based stuff ?  This paint is smoooooth !

Morty made the paper . . .

It's Pet Week !

 I'm not sure how he gets the 'possums to leave . . . ?

. . .  if The Hyde scares 'em off ?

or . .  The Mort just makes-a-deal with 'em ?

Ready for your close-up ?

I like Sportsters - Stock, Mod or Turbo !

Sakes Alive . . . That White 55 !

Gene Payne was nice enough to show & tell some tricks to these KRs & XLRs for my own projects.  Gene has a real neato stable of race bikes with enough history to fill a small museum. 

Milwaukee sites, sounds, and a groovy dinner . . .

Below: Pete is still in a trance from meeting Doc Brown . . .

Michael contemplates his next build . . . 
or should he get fried ice cream?

Mama Tried 2016 was crazy good . . .

Mama Tried Show - Milwaukee 2016

I got there early, early early . . . 

This is the 3rd year for this show.  Excellent venue (the best so far).  The lighting in this old warehouse (top floor) would vary throughout the day and give some awesome lighting to the motorcycles.  It was so cool.  The best was after the sun went down - and the room lit up with chrome & candy !  Scott and Warren know how to do a weekend of racing, shows, party, food . . . great beer choices . . . holy shit this was just sensory overload everywhere.  Killer weekend in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

 

I just kept making a big circle, going around and around - and I'd see something different everytime.  I was at the show from about 8:45am until they kicked us out at 10:00pm.  I looked at absolutely every single bike, artwork, photo, paintjob . . . and talked to all the builders, vendors and friends I could, to find how they did it.  I didn't want to go home and miss some of the best people I've ever met in this huge family of custom motorcycle enthusiasts - with a racer and a party animal thrown in here & there . . . This show kicks ass !