Holiday Wishes

May all your dressers be lit like a Christmas tree.

The Hustler

.... and a little more Joe Hurst history.

This time from Choppers Magazine May 1969.

Roth liked nicknames and the bikes named for the features. Roth asked Joe if he had any nicknames, Joe said no.... then Ed asked, if he liked playing pool.... Joe said said yup.

The Hustler is pretty much the prototype of what would become the South Bay Style.

If I got it straight, this was Joe's second Harley and the Shovelhead was out of Dick Allen's chrome frame bike (Wheeler Dealer Chop. Mag. Oct.'68). Joe always laments, the funds from selling his complete Panhead only got him an engine and trans.


Joe's the Godfather of the swooping double braced sissy bar and Dick Allen springers. This fork was the first one Dick Allen made. Actually second, the very first was for a Triumph, but Joe jokes, that doesn't count! The first few Dick made had Harley spring perches and top trees, later versions were completely fabricated from scratch.

From the shadow of the sissy bar, I was able detect the bike next to Joe's was his friend Jim Andrew's Grapes of Wrath. It was featured in another issue.


The tank featured a stylized "13" as on his former Panhead. The seat maker's credit is an error, Phil Ross stitched it up. As Irish Rich pointed out, this front view of the forks was used for the ads in this issue and others.


Here's the cover of the issue it was in. Not Joe's bike, but I know you guys enjoy the Choppers Magazine stuff.

Prior to this feature, the Hustler had tall stacks and had won First Place in the Street Bike Class at the Trident's custom car and bike show. More on that later.

Merry Solstice

Believe what you wish, but there's no denying that this time of year has always been linked to many traditions, ceremonies, and celebrations which were connected to the sun's rebirth. Decorated evergreen trees and the 12 festival days of Yule are just a couple examples of those old celebrations.

This art shows why we have seasons. The globe to the right is where we are now.

Christians did not always celebrate the birth of Jesus as the original focus had been on his resurrection. It's interesting how the birth of the "Son of God" is celebrated at the time of year that many ancient (and not so ancient), cultures celebrated the return or rebirth of the "Sun" which they worshiped as God.


Talk about alignment. It was rained out here on the west coast (bummed I couldn't see it), but a rare lunar eclipse that coincided with this year's solstice happened early this morning. It's been centuries since and will not happen again until 2094. Most people alive today won't see it. Makes you stop and think... and wonder what the world will be like then?

I have to admit, I like the ancients, have always been a bit relieved and happy when the days get longer each day.

And Now ...Something Completely Different

I'm not into Hondas, but it's cool.


Just in case you were wondering where it's from.

It Took A Lot Of Balls...

328 chrome ones!... to customize this '77 Harley Full Dresser.

Recently on Ebay

286 small chrome balls, 42 large chrome balls, 75 lights, 263 chrome bullets, and 23 visors to be exact.

You might say, a dresser for the "Fringe Element".

A lot of balls and horny too!

Seller said, "this bike is VERY front end heavy and will take getting used to". "this bike will NOT do 70 mph on the freeway".

Also stated, "this is an old bike that rattles, vibrates, and has seen better days. Definitely a treasure".

Really?!! ...a treasure?

The Loose Goose Lives

I didn't make it to last week's Chopper Fest, but found this shot from the show on Bikernet.com

The bike is credited to Levi Louie and is called the Loose Goose. You might recognize it from an earlier post . Yes, that's Grant Peterson stalking behind it.

Pete Millar's High Flying Santa

Pete Millar's cover art for the Jan. 1963 CAR toons. Millar did CAR toons for Peterson Publications before he started his own comic Drag cartoons.

It's not motorcycle related, but Pete is an Art Hero. Taken at an exhibition of his art the summer of 2008.

S.I.E. Sissy Bar

Vilmino of LoserRules posted a S.I.E. ad with this sissy bar in it.

This is likely the same as the one in the Dick Allen photo. I'm still not 100% sure they made mine. This one has flat fender mounts like the one Mark sent in. Mine has side mounting holes, is taller, and a license plate/taillight mount.

My '65 and More About Sissies

Another shot of my '65 survivor. Vilmino commented in the previous post that it's a S.I.E. sissy bar.

One cool thing I found out right after buying this bike is that the rear fender is an old knucklehead front fender. It's been molded smooth but I first noticed they left the holes where the original fender's supports were riveted, then I spotted it's three piece construction on the inside.


A combination one piece fender strut/sissy bar is a clean way to set up a swing arm bike. Makes for pretty good lines too.

The last owner had it since 1970 so the bike probably took on this form fairly early on. The oil tank must have been swapped out later, as the original tank (chromed), along with the stock battery box came in a box of extra parts.


Mark Schauwecker sent in a similar constructed sissy bar. He says it's NOS and has Munch Choppers Chicago stamped on the inside. He got it from a friend who bought out an old dealer (Banta's in Lancaster, Ohio), in '91.

Foot Pegs 4 Sale

SOLD

These just went up on my parts page. Go to MCparts for more info.

Mystery Sissy

A little while back, the Church of Choppers had this cool photo of Dick Allen for it's header. Upon checking out the bikes I noticed something interesting about the swing arm chopper next to him.

The sissy bar appears to be of similar construction to the one on my '65 survivor.


Enlarged detail for a better look.


My '65. I've always wondered if this sissy bar was a one off, or a production piece made by a small company or shop. A flat bar with so many bends seems like it would be hard to make. Especially because it narrows just above the fender.

I've been following the chopper scene for along time but, have not seen an ad for or another bike with this sissy bar. If anybody can shed some light, let me know.

Dick Allen Flat Tracker

On the dirt in Indio, Ca. Photo courtesy of Joe Hurst

This Month's Header

I admit it, I cheat. It's very time consuming to start from scratch, so I recycle images whenever I can.

This art was originally done in 1990 for an Art department Christmas display when I worked at Hughes Aircraft Company Space and Communications Group.


Ink up a chopper riding Santa and a few bikes, then work some Photoshop magic.

P.S. Sorry for the lack of post. I've been out of town for two weeks and it takes me awhile to get back in the blog groove.

Born-Free 3 Art

It's Official

Today, Mike and Grant announced the use of my art for the Born-Free 3 show flyers and ad promotions.

I submitted a few versions as the contest went on. After they picked it, I worked with them on recoloring it. I then re-worked it in higher resolution for printing etc.

It's an honor and I am more than happy to lend a hand to their amazing effort to put on what is becoming the best chopper show in the USA.

For more show info and updates, click this: Born-Free 3

I'm thinking about doing a post on the complete process. From the roughest sketch, to the color choices, influences, and final completion.

A Gaggel of Geese (species: Southbayneous Bluenis

For some reason a lot of Goosenecks are blue. Here's a couple of submissions that flew in recently.

Grant of FMA sent this one from an old (large format), Choppers Magazine. I've seen this bike on some blogs but not this great centerfold shot.

The two Geese below were sent in courtesy of Vilmino of LoserRules. If you haven't gone there, check it out. It's in Italian, but there's no need for an interpreter to enjoy the photos. They both are from Easyriders.




This one sports an Indian type girder, instead of the more typical Dick Allen style springer.


Goose Girl approved.

For many years an old gooseneck Sportster sat in a buddy's shop awaiting resurrection. The color?.... metal flake blue of course!

Doc Holiday's Witch... Too Late for Halloween

I wanted to post this for Halloween but got hung up on some other stuff.
Randy Smith painted the Witch on the tank. The text mentions that Randy is now making his finned valve covers.

Typical Choppers Magazine layout. The print quality wasn't the best and not one good overall shot of the bike, but you got to love it. Roth mistakenly says that the chrome front tubes of the frame were twisted. They were instead made from hex stock. In addition to the tubes and tank, the fender tip also features a dip of the shinny stuff.

Randy Smith is another famous South Bay builder. Here he is on his Hawg Wild panhead. The nearly identical stance of Doc's Witch is probably no coincidence. The similar length of springers and sissy bars, handlebars, bates style seats, 19" front wheels, tells me that Randy was a major influence. The Witch also had Randy's "Finned Dishpans" installed about a year later when the bike was redone. Since they were all South Bay bikers, Joe Hurst knew both Randy and Doc.


Roth shot some interesting angles. Robert Williams wife Susan, is said to be responsible for that lovely masthead.
Back around 1969-'70, I was lucky enough to see the Witch in the parking lot of what is now called the South Bay Galleria.

In the House....

Interior Decorating.... Nice Furniture... Preferred Parking...

Yet another gem from Mr.H.

Living the life. Besides capturing the flavor of the times, there's a few interesting objects against the wall. This was towards the end of Joe's ownership of the bike. A couple of noticeable changes, the collector is painted black and the thin seat is from Dick Allen's chrome frame bike. Dick didn't like to pad his seats.

Freeway Jamming

Another awesome photo courtesy of Joe Hurst.

Joe blasting down the freeway on the pre- White Bear rat. It would make a great painting.

Hardly David 3

Also from Choppers Magazine Nov. '69 issue. These cartoons are always signed Luke? As mentioned before, they look like they could be Ed Newtons work.

This Month's Header, Freaky Forks

I try to relate each header's image with something to do with the month. This time it's the cover from Roth's Choppers Magazine Nov. '69 and the drawing I did of it sometime in 1972.


For all you Choppers Magazine fans, here's the actual cover. I recently posted a few Goose-Necks, so why not a Freaky Fork?


Regardless what you think of the strange fork, it's a cool image, and it inspired me. India ink and a black color pencil on illustration board. 1972.


Here's a better look of the featured bike.


Too bad the forks got cropped in the magazine's gutter. I'm not sure his chic was dressed for a putt.

Then as now, guys have always been look'in to be different but, there's a point when it gets ridiculous. Thankfully freaky forks never really caught on.

Stupid-Glide Tanks

4-Sale SOLD

1984 original paint super-glide tank. Go to my parts page (MCparts), for more pics.

Origins, last of their kind.


My new favorite tanks for an FXR.


Great Looks, More Filling. H-D use to put them on touring model Sportsters in the late 70's, Roadstsers and XLS's in '79- '83. The Torrance P.D. had them on their XL's too. SOLD