Vintage Torque

It was a perfect couple days for Torquefest this year, much deserved by all those who like to attend this event.  No cold, no bad rain, no snow . . . mostly just sun and cool rods, trucks & bikes.  Always a professionally run show, with lots to do & see.  I like how they allow the "later model" stuff to come too . . . those 60's Pontiacs and Buicks are growing on me . . .

Josh got his bike goin' again.  I'll bet he feels great being back on a machine that has taken him so many places.  He just bolted in a different engine to soak up the vibes of that mystical rollin' chassis !
Always neat watching men ready themselves for the ride home . . . directions, planning, tensions and relief when you finally hit the road again . . . 

It was cool to see Scott and Jeremy still painting up a storm and working on their craft.  Both just keep getting better and better.  Pete had Ol' Yellar runnin' sweet, and it made the trip without a glitch.  Hans had all his Cycle Goods on display, and I heard he even went around the track a few laps !  Go Hans ! My tranny appears to have stopped leaking, appears nothing fell off . . . but, I always throw the bike on the lift after every run to check it out.  This thing just runs so good - fortunate to have a good bike to ride and a place to go.  Life is short - go do some stuff.  -Til next time.

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.