Saturday, November 27, 2010

Project 45 pedals and pegs






Made some passenger pegs on the lathe for Garys bike. Not something I would manufacture, I assumed at least a dozen people have already done this pattern because it's so simple not to mention the market is saturated with pegs. Sure enough shortly after making these I found the same style stuff online by Chica, so check him out if you like this style. The kick pedal was unplanned. Earlier this year I had a raw uncleaned casting chromed, later I decided to clean it up and toss it into the polisher. It has a one off weird finish of brass and chrome.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Flanders Bars and Risers Sell for Over $2000!


ACTUAL EBAY LISTING BELOW:

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Yes, really! I've sold complete running Shovel motors for less and bought complete running Ironheads for less. I'm happy to know we own the same parts, several sets of the risers. The bars pictured above here are Flanders #8 but in storage we have a couple #0 anybody want to buy them? LOL. This Ebay listing started for only .99 cents! Free shipping must have helped? What I like the most are the disclaimers.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Biltwell seat for Gary's project 45






For Gary's bike today we attached a Biltwell weld on front hinge with a Biltwell tuck n' roll seat. I wanted the springs to run straight with the seat rather than bound and forced in place so we added gussets at level. Now we can use spacers if needed.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Sunday, November 21, 2010

XL motor mounts completed



New complete Old-Stf front motor mount kit for 1957-85 XL Sportster.
Custom powder coated black mount plates, black locating washers, custom polished brass spacers, chrome bolts, nuts and washers.
All made in the USA!
Parts also available separately.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Manufacturing Old-Stf Kick Pedals




We've had some delays in timing between the materials arriving and machine work being done, so today we had to go back to our original method of drilling the castings, polishing, making shafts on my pathetic lathe and assembling the parts. Typically, I pass this work on to my friend who knocks out a couple hundred a day in his machine shop, but like I said, I'm still waiting on material and we ran out of pedals. Then came an order for ten which took about an hour to put together no big deal, but when we have parts to sell and bikes to work on I'd just rather outsource the work (locally). All of our stuff is made in the USA!

Monday, November 15, 2010

New Bike Rebuild Project


Tim stopped by today with his bike stripped down to the frame, as he is about rebuild it. Will post pictures as he progresses.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

1960 Mercury Monterey Cruiser / 2 door hard top



Bubble top Merc. I believe most of the car manfacturers around this year used the same windshields. I wonder if a glass company presented it and the manufacturers built their car around the glass? I found this car for sale for $6500 and when I went to see the car I fell in love. The problem was, the engine wasn't hitting on the passenger bank, and it also poured smoke. The seller explained that he had just changed the oil, but then his son took it for a ride and brought it back with the cylinder misfiring. Given the changed condition, he offered it to me for $5,000. I R&R'ed the plugs, checked the firing order and finding no obvious problems, so I offered him $4,000, which he declined. So I headed home.


Once I was home, I researched the car online and found only three restored online. Still wanting the car, I called the seller and offered $500 more ($4,500 total) and told him I would bring a car trailer, which he accepted. After returning home with the car, I left it in the garage for a few days until I could dedicate some time to investigating the problems with the engine. On a Sunday morning, I pulled the valve cover off and found a bent pushrod. Turns out, he (the seller) had put some thin oil in the engine, right before his son had taken it out hotrodding on a hot summer day and stuck a lifter. Thirty minutes later and a $7.50 pushrod bought at a local auto shop done deal, and the car has been running perfect ever since.


The car came with some 20" wheels on it but the seller also gave me the original wheels which I fixed up and put on the car recently. While the car has been painted, the white body with the red top is original to this car.


On a final note, that is my knocked up wife, due late December.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Replicant Metals





Thomas Feeser has my utmost respect in the mc world. He's been around for some time, making it easier for people to restore old bikes with his line of reproduction parts. What he's succeeded in doing is not an easy accomplishment, considering not many bikes were built pre 1936, which makes his customer base fairly small. By true passion alone he has compiled a nice product line and most of it is his own work made here in the USA. In my experience, you spend more time and money trying to repair a set of pretty old tanks than you would buying a set of his perfectly copied tanks. Where are you going to find two year tanks like these 28-29JD ?? Even if you don't have a pre 36 bike there is still a ton of cool parts to use on a custom bobber. Check out his website and make sure to read the history section. http://replicantmetals.com/

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Brian Branch's England Shovelhead



Brian shared his finshed shovelhead, which I really like for the obvious reasons just look at the photos. Functional, simple and clean. Perfect bike for actually riding several hundred miles. Brian wanted to make note of his friend Carl who did most the work.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010