Saturday 31 July 2010

love at first sight

Tators Shovel on his Trike
from Church of Choppers blog
Check out the detail on this baby! Another electric start cut away primary!

Friday 30 July 2010

Make your own

Brake Caliper piston extractor
Rowan came up with this tool, it took me a couple of hours and it didn't work for me.
The bung just compressed outside the piston. I'll try again with a bigger washer on top.
What I really need is a Blind Bearing Extractor (I didn't even realise these exist)
There's a tool for everything.
This is a Chevy Door Handle Spanner made by Snap-on
I use it on my shovel head bolts.
knuckleheadtheology.blogspot.com

Captain Sensible thinks that stopping is good and maybe more money from the empty dinero sack should go on a good Harrison billet caliper. I'm running one disc instead of two, looks good and saving money. Mainly because I got a brand new stainless unused disc at Warrs jumble back in the day for £25 (new £100).


Wednesday 28 July 2010

This kid thought he was cool

 Special 175
Off to School. Check out those gloves!

Tuesday 27 July 2010

Time waits for no one...

Found in my toolbox today
So, I was thirty nine when I finally stopped riding the shovel and put it to one side.
And now its 2010.
Fuck what a waste of time.

Shovel Lite found in the box of life
Bought in Santa Monica Harley Davidson '79
I know its just a lighter to the rest of the world. 
But the shop guy told me that he'd served round the world (vietnam man), and this was the only place he knew where he could ski in the mountains in the morning and swim on the beach in the afternoon. 
Californication.

Well I debated about posting a pic of my scar that I got a look at for the first time today, but no - I don't think the world's quite ready.
Latest probs: The battery box is too small and the rear pipe has a long 1/2 millimetre deep seam in it thats quite noticeable, except I didn't see it when I picked it up, too excited I guess. So back to fenland.
Waiting for final postage costs from the states, I've added a rotor / alternator kit to the BDL belt drive and clutch order. So thats a £700 bill I hadn't planned for, - great. 
My problem with the seized front brake caliper may have been solved with a brilliant tool that Mr Rowan came up with that involves a rubber bung and bolt. We shall see.
Fuck I'm bored bored bored.
I love my bike.
Phew, thank god its beer o'clock. 


Monday 26 July 2010

thought for the day

Beer is Best
copyright brainsoldiers blog

Saturday 24 July 2010

decisions, decisions

Seized front Brake Caliper
Well I'm fucked off, of course its my fault, if you leave things twelve years what can you expect. I had my calipers polished, but forgot the caliper piston was left in there, well its fucking stuck now. I've soaked in penetrating oil. Maybe heat it up in the oven may shift it and fit a rebuild kit. But if its scored and then dont work? Am I going to throw money at this to find its shit?
Trouble is because the forks are pre '84 there are no calipers on ebay to fit.

Handlebar brake master cylinder
My mate bead blasted this for me again ten or twelve years ago, but it looks a mess now, needs a rebuild kit and polish.

Whooa, dream time. from Kustomtech.eu

Thursday 22 July 2010

Racing Cuffs

Made by a 'JPS' in London with pewter
Ren had these made and gave me them to me when we first met.
Looks like old Laurence on his vincent speed machine!

The view from my sofa

If I start, I will do too much. Bloody frustrating
I sit here and gaze at my creation and type this:
The lift's in the shed, I need to lay down a sheet of 8x4 Ply that I have, - if I crack that tiled floor, under that shitty carpet! HMMM I laid that floor, big ceramic tiles, could have started the hernia then, who knows. Staples out today, 4 weeks no lifting to go.
Anyway I'm going to order a BDL 1.5 belt drive and clutch
and keep the elec start primary (with some ventilation!) every thing else is just too much dinero.



Pic from Scotty on The Jockey Journal
Tech cycles do a elec start mount but again £800 phew. I will keep more (most) of the inner primary with hot rod go faster speed holes and make a better shape on the outer. Mind you if I had to buy the inner and outer primary? ££££.
Anyhow fortunes can change and have to get this baby on the road this year!

big hair - and how the f*@k did I get in that jacket

Teddington, Middlesex 78'/79'
God help the neighbours when we rented a house in this lovely road near Bushey Park. We all had bikes. Me a Sporty and a Triumph 5TA, Neil a Yam 650 twin, Pidge a Suzuki, Jon a Honda 950?,
Bill a Yam 750 shaft, Dude? a Bsa Single and Yam 650 twin.
If you look close my bike is a little worse for wear. I've still got that side mount no plate. The bars were monsters I got off Jake @ Motique for an advert I did. After all these years the Sporty Reg plate is still attached to the side mount and as is the (drag specs) rear light so its going on 'the Holy One' for now.


Monday 19 July 2010

Headline Prophecy '74

Tomorrows Custom Harley today
Somethings don't change

Sunday 18 July 2010

wanna Jam it ...

jammin'

jam it wid you

I like jammin', too

jammin', jammin', jammin'

The Jammer catalogue ruled my life back in the day 78' and the're still going strong today.
Makes you wonder about the prices as a lot of the parts are still the same, no re-tooling costs etc.

Saturday 17 July 2010

I'm a speedking baby...

Good Morning World...

Jeremiah and a new customer (from England) Picture copyright of Love Cycles

Hallo Hallo. Wow feeling ten time better this morning, must have been the cider and wine combo last night, - or was it being able to hit the bathroom after 7 days?
Too much information?
Just want to say hi to you chaps visiting my page, a special hi five to the US contingent: Texas, California, Illinois, Connecticut, South Carolina, Colorado, North Carolina, Arizona, Florida, and Georgia.
Hey sign up so we can put a face to the map guys.
Just visited Jeremiah @ Love Cycles site, fucking great to see his gorgeous knucks and pans and shovels in his own inimitable style. A refreshing take on the custom chopper/bobber scene.
Saving up for the tee Jeremiah, great Logo!

Friday 16 July 2010

gazing at you...

see me...

feel me...

touch me...

heal me...

A bit over the top chaps, but sums up all I can bloody do at the moment.
Making a list of essential can't do without parts. Cos there is no money now.
Got to get her dry build on the road, before winter, this year!
I have 5 weeks of no lifting to go.
I reckon it will be last week Sept, first week October.
And thats my optimistic heart rules head projection.

Thursday 15 July 2010

its like waiting for a bus...

AND TWO COME ALONG at the same time!

From Mr Kutty Noteboom in Hemet, California

Wednesday 14 July 2010

life is worth living...

Got the shirt man, missed the show
from Mike Davis @ Born Loser
Going next Year?

Sunday 11 July 2010

well that bloody hurt!

lucky lucky lucky
The hernia was bigger than anticipated, a bit more work and I had to stay in.
All I can say is I won't be working on the bike for a while.
And I was in the same room, opposite the bed my wife Ren had with her masectomy op last year, freaky - well it freaked Ren.

Wednesday 7 July 2010

Crossed fingers..

Having an op tomorrow, bloody umbilical hernia!
Heres my lucky figurehead, going on the sissy at the top.
Cast in brass he faces to the front and rear
I guess I'll soon know about the luck part!

Monday 5 July 2010

Spot the catalogue parts...

Hand made Oil Tank

and Remote Filter (for a Volks!)

Hand Made Stainless Battery Box

Hand Made Hot Rod Brake Arm and stainless Axle Plate

Hand Made Stainless Shotgun Exhaust and Hotrod Heatshield

Petcock moved to rear of tank

Sunday 4 July 2010

In a gadda da vida baby...

check it out, -'the holy one' in arcadia

'darling there's a fucking chopper in the kitchen'

karma sickboy karma

home at last
Pick up my bike time.
Thought I'd hire a luton van with hydraulic tailgate, it worked with one of my moves with the shov. I took one look and realised my chop which must be all of ten foot long! (not) would not work , so a long wheel base van would do (cos you know its a long bike), not available saturday, fuck.
Ring joe, she's ready pick up friday, hire the van, set off at 7 am, and back at 5 pm. A long day.
Its Christmas and I'm six years old. We got trashed and just sat and looked at this gorgeous metal machine that I designed, trying to take in all those little details that make this - a fucking work of art!

Thursday 1 July 2010

Celebration time... come on!

Picked up the hire van tonight so I can leave early tomorrow and... pick up my fucking bike!
Come on lets celebrate... good times... come on!