Vintage Torque

I'm ready for another 5000 miles on the '52 panhead this summer.  I got a new set of (Black)Beston Grips, upgraded the transmission seal(not leaking yet), Yost Power Tube(more zip, they work), changed the oil again, running a battery-eliminator(no battery), all the motor mounts were tight (they've never been loose yet), went over it a bit . . . and it's ready for Dubuque.  Ricky & Amber comin' tonite, maybe Cycle Nazi going, maybe Kruse, maybe Hux, maybe Weasel & Steve, heck, maybe Klein, heck . . . maybe even Chvrch show up?  Ride, drink, ride, eat, repeat. No rain.
Photo stolen from Zen of Neato blog . . .

Sportster 900s

All 3 cool bikes . . . but, this gold XLCH is just the class act.

Coverdale - Stormbringer

Coming to Surf Ballroom this summer  . . .

David Coverdale (Whitesnake) will pay some tribute to his early years with Deep Purple - giving us a taste of the Jon Lord, Ritchie Blackmore, Glenn Hughes, Tommy Bolin years.  It will be an epic concert.  Coverdale is the complete, professional showman of rock . . . and Whitesnake alumni Reb Beach and Tommy Aldridge will make the Tour of 2015 one to remember.

 Coverdale, (Iowa's Own Tommy Bolin) & Hughes

Mothership - Vintage Torque

I heard this is the best thing outta Texas since 

Buddy Holly, ZZ Top, Pantera, SRV . . . 

Now we got  

Mothership

Japan got rods too . .

Forever Two Wheels Company

Ready to throw-it-around in my new baseball T . . . For my Thursday Nite baseball gig with the Mexicans (they are really good, so you gotta be on your game to throw-it-around with them - Batter Batter Swing - Come on now, base rap now, come on now, put it by now . . .) . . . and you can't go wrong with Danny.

Got it running . . .

I just couldn't get it initially started with the velocity stack and the choke ball.  It just kept poppin' out the carb(advanced condition) no matter where I retarded the timing.  I finally put the stock choke set-up on it, and she took right off.  It sounds tough.  I let it barely warm up and cool a few times.  Kept starting on the first kick each time.  I've been running it on and off the last 24 hours.  No smoke.  No oil leaks.  It had one small fuel leak out the hi-speed brass nut, so I dried it all up, and used some classic Indian Head - and it's dry now.  Man, she sounds tough.  Did I already say that ?

Engine Specifications:

Stock stroke flywheels 

Dynamically balanced by Irish at Lakeshore H-D

Linkert DC-10 bored to H-D Racing Specs w/ No. 4 Main

XLR intake manifold

MC 10:1 Forged Pistons +.040

P Series Intake Cams

PB Series Exhaust Cams

H-D XLR Cylinder Heads

Custom Timed Oil Pump Breather Gear

Raybestos Dry Clutch (shimmed stock springs)

20T Trans Sprocket - 34T Engine Sprocket

Fairbanks-Morse Magneto w/ Morris Points and FM Condensor

Solid Copper Core Plug Wires

Autolite 65 Long Reach Spark Plugs

XLR Chrome Exhaust Pipes

That Day . . .

Photos . . . Scenes like this . . . impossible to recreate.

Dean's '32

I don't know a whole lot about hot-rods . . . but, if I could have any car in the world, it would probably be this one !  Not all cut-to-hell . . . it's just perfect.  1955 Cadillac motor, manual transmission . .  If only I had a ka-billion dollars . . . but some things just aren't for sale.  I cautiously talked with Barris (and his old buddy mostly) at SEMA one year looking at all the customs, and he told me they all call 'em period right, or old time traditional, but he never remembered everything havin' a cut off top.  It's hard to add material once it's gone.  Chopped tops - The new billet?

#XLCH JAPAN

If I had my bike over in Japan, I'd be a lot more popular.  I'd have guys I could go ride with, exchange parts, talk about ironheads into the latest hours of the night.  The Japanese love the early XLs . . . I do too.  We obviously share a common interest in these motorcycles.  I really need to put my bike on the boat and head over for about 2 years and get my fill.  The book, "5 Easy Steps to Learn Japanese" in my back pocket.

The NEW ANCHOR MOTO - Kansas City

My friend Ricky got all moved into his new shop.  He's moved about 3 or 4 times, in the last 3 or 4 years . . . and you could tell it was kinda draggin' on him.  Now finally - relief !  This shop looks really cool.  Old time building, down in the bottoms, classic, old industrial windows on one side.  New paint, new sealed flooring - and all his friends lending a hand to get the job done.  A solid crew down in KC.  Perfect place to build choppers, make some money, have fun, work hard, reap the benefits.  Good for the soul !

Stroker Clearances

You can see the thin scribe on the right side . . We have this case marked out to remove material to clear the crank pin for stroker flywheels.  This stroke is greater, so the pinion(and nut) is moved up, and if we don't remove material from these bosses, it will hit the case.  Depending on the size of the stroke, you must remove material from other areas of the cases too.  S&S has excellent instructions on how to do these modifications correctly. 

Dry Miles - No Rain

Looking forward to more "sunny day" miles this year . . . I hope.

Paint by Horst

In all my old magazines . . . Street Chopper, Hot Bike, Custom Bike, Custom Chopper, Easyriders . . . there's many customs with "Paint by Horst."  He's been doing custom paint, striping, leaf, murals, originals, flames, candy . . . on and on.  Horst knows what he's doing, and deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award for all the works he's done.  
It brought Horst to mind when I recently saw a fuel tank Pete had for sale painted by him . . .

DC Linkert - MSP

My original DC Linkert had run on for 20+ years without a single cleaning, clog, misfire or problem.  I'll disassemble it - and give it a good cleaning and detailing.  I'll run this new, bored out, modified DC to enhance my recent engine modifications.  Maybe I'll try this vintage velocity stack ?   The intake manifold is lined up perfectly.  Carb spacer matches perfect.  Carb bore matches perfect.  A smooth 1 1/2" tunnel of fuel vapor all the way to the XLR Intake Valve.  Hopefully she'll run about as good as I can get with these common Harley-Davidson components.  M.S.P. - Modified Stock Parts only

Piston Squaring Plate -26

This original Harley-Davidson tool (plate) came in a two different sizes.  One for smaller bore pistons(above) and a larger one for big-twin pistons.  It's designed to check rod straightness, and possibly used for assembling cylinders (my application).  It's slotted where it fits around the connecting rod and serves as a solid base to hold the piston while you assemble the cylinder, with rings compressed.  It gives you an "extra hand" and eliminates problems such as nicked pistons(on cylinder studs), rings popping out, damaged rings, etc.  If you see one at a swap meet, buy it ! 

30 Year Reunion

On my trusty Schwinn to morning coffee, saw a guy fishing . . . Hadn't seen him in 30 years (since high school) and he recognized me too . . . Jim?  Rick?  How's it going? etc.  He chose a life of no job, no wife, no kids, didn't like pressure or hassle.  I chose the opposite.  I did notice he didn't have any gray hair, if any.

Good Day for Panheads . . . LED SLED

I guess the more I ride these panheads - be it a rigid, hand shift, stripped chopper with narrow bars . . . or a late model, dressed, Electra Glide with cushy suspension, wide bars and windscreen . . . the more I like them.  That whirr of the motor is such music to my ears . . . no other motor sounds like a panhead.  Not really sure what causes that whirring either?  Most likely the thin, hollow rocker covers?  Or a combination of hollow covers, rocker design and gear drive generator cases. I always run the felt pads, and they supposedly quiet down the sound, and get soaked with oil, and keep parts lubed and wet with motor oil.  Who knows?  H-D factory parts experimentation continued with model after model on many engines - like the "intake oiler tubes."  Most panhead engines I disassemble don't have them in there anymore, and if they do, the little check ball is stuck - so useless.  Or it's completely broken off, laying in the bottom around a valve spring collar.  The panhead can be the prettiest motor, or the ugliest.  The most oiled out, rat-out pan chopper is the scariest bike ever . . . parked next to a gleaming chrome daydream of a '65 Electra Glide, in Vivid Black or Hi-Fi Blue.  It's up to you.

Iron XR

Hot Dog Kustoms

Arizona Trip

Took a 5 day trip to see my son and his wife in Avondale, Arizona.  They've really got their act together and have a great set-up when the ol' man comes to visit.  We did a Crescent Ballroom show with Red Elvis, Koffin Kats and The Rev & Jimbo to kick start the fun.  Jeremiah (at Love Cycles) put me to work for a day - and I was impressed with his shop and his welding ability.  He's always been really nice to me, and I was honored to get to hang and work in the shop.  Chase Stopnik is a new friend now too - I really like his ideas, and he's just a cool So.Cal cat . . . Nice to meet you dude.  The kids took me to the Andy Warhol show, the Japanese Gardens, old Glendale trolley museum, I went biking about everyday . . . and Eric's Carne Asada recipe is so delicious . . . They like cooking, so I didn't go hungry.  The weather hung around 80, but you can feel those 110s and 120s coming.  A really good time was had by all.  Thanks folks - See you all again soon !