Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The Art of the Engine #3 & 4, Grime Time

It's been a long time since I last did an Art of the Engine post, so here's two old crusty nuggets.

A recent non running barn find. 1948 UL in a '51 frame.


A 1938 Knucklehead Bob Job at Born-Free 3. It features many chromed parts including the forks, which leads one to think it was a real pretty bike back when it was first bobbed.... It's still a beauty in my book.

I actually prefer old bikes with their "earned patina" over ones that have been freshly restored. At most gatherings, bikes like these usually get more onlookers than clean fresh bikes, but many still don't get it and hastily erase all the signs of time and originality. The guys that get my goat, are the ones that take real nice original bikes, and repaint and re-plate them just because they ain't perfect. Keep in mind, any old pile can be re-plated or painted but an old motorcycle or part is only original once!

3 comments:

Rigid Hips Stockholm said...

Very nice...

robert hernandez said...

i have a very similar view, i love antiques in general. bikes and parts, i love the old one best the early engineering and designs were very exciting.
the older things are, the more pure they seem to be (lot less craze's and faze's).
i respect a piece of history that still lives, functions and is well preserved.
these things started out shinny and new at one time, then stood the test of time earning the patina and nostalgia.
anyone can put together a bike with these parts and have a winner; however not everyone can put together a bike that captures their individuality,era and stand the
test of time earning its timelessness, patina and quality.

drsprocket said...

I like the new header. '41 - '46 with 6" air cover and 18' or 19' front rim. Sometimes you have to paint them because they're to far gone. Also there's a lot of phoney patina work going around these days in the guise of the real deal and a few patinaed that where never all togther that way. It's the new look. Whatever floats your boar.