Friday, April 29, 2011

More Loco

Dick on a their (the South Bay group's), annual cross country trip. Probably about 1973. These were some of the first photos Joe Hurst sent me, but I never got around to posting them.

Here's a pretty good shot of Dick and his Knucklehead chopper Loco-Motion. For such a well known bike, there aren't many good photos of it.

I believe this one is in Iowa.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

LLL 4 LV2


Here's another one from Hurst Airheart featuring Linda Vaughn.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

B.P. Chopper Sculpture

After seeing the post on Greg Parigian's chopper sculpture, Bruce Parrish sent me some pics of the one he did for his father. It was based on and done when he finished his first build back in 1971. Bruce says, "It's 9.5" long and about 4" high at the sissy bar tip... and, yes, those are nails as well as washers, nuts and bolts, plus a few welding rods".


Bruce added, "Maybe I should go back to this form of art. Things happen way quicker".

Friday, April 22, 2011

Dick Allen's Blue Print Part 2

These shots of the Blue Print are from an old Street Chopper and were found floating around the blogs awhile back. I Photoshoped the top one, it was taken by camera and had a flash reflection and was distorted. I had this issue (since lost), and am guessing it's from around 1974-75. Anybody know the month and year of the Street Chopper this is from?

Except for the paint and the bars, the bike is pretty much the same as first built. Note the raised transmission. I forgot to mention that feature of the frame in the first post. It looks like this was shot near the Del Amo financial center at Hawthorne and Carson Blvd. in the South Bay.


If you can get past the model, you'll notice some of the goodies of the bike. She helps illustrate just how low this bike sits. Note the seat. Dick liked to keep them real thin.


Sorry about the magazine gutter but it's not my scan.

I wonder what became of the bike or frame?

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Old Chopper Drawings

When Greg Parigian sent his sculpture photos, I asked if he could send some of my old drawings that I haven't seen for years.

I haven't seen the top one since about 1969. He sent a copy of the bottom one a few years ago and it's been posted before.


The chopper out front is a trike featuring a surrey type top and wooden pickup box in the back. Until now, I completely forgot this drawing. It's funny how the memories come back.


I'm 99% sure this of an actual trike. There's are just too many details that I know I didn't make up. There was a Asian biker who went by the nickname "Chink" that had a trike like this. He and some other bikers lived in an old two story house across from the Jack in Box on the corner of Flower st. and Century Blvd in Inglewood, CA. Greg and I once rode our chopped Sting-Rays over to check out their bikes. The bikers got a real kick out of our bicycles and took turns trying to ride them. If only we took a camera. I Google mapped it, and it appears the house and a remodeled Jack in the Box are still there.

Born Winner

I must be the luckiest man alive! Just look at how many winnings I came into last month, and it wasn't even the whole month.

P.T. Barnum: "There's a sucker born every minute".

Friday, April 15, 2011

Kool Knievel Art


Kolorized art from the H-D museum.

WTDWA 79 XL II

Garage Co. Evel Knievel Replica

Evel never had one this pretty. It's making me take a second look at my '72 XLCH. Maybe one day...?

Friday, April 8, 2011

Dick Allen's Blue Print

Bruce Parrish sent me these photos of Dick Allen's Blue Print. It was called the Blue Print because it was blue, but more importantly, it was planned to be the first of a series of ground up choppers built using Dick's parts and established styling cues.

Here's Bruce prepping the ultra rare Dick Allen frame for paint circa 1973. Only a few were ever produced. Dick didn't create the frame jig. For now, Bruce doesn't remember the name of the guy who Dick got it from. This was at Bruce's paint shop adjacent to Dick's in Gardena, CA. Note the Parrish Arts Logo in the background and compare it to Dick's Logo (both designed by Bruce), shown below.

This appears to be a under construction shot. The rear fender looks to be painted at this stage. Later, as on many South Bay bikes, it's chrome. Note the use of a (then), late model oil tank. The Blue Print was built for Freaky Fred Williams.

Above and below. Two of Bruce's photos from either the Tridents or the Long Beach car show.


This bike conjures up some fuzzy memories. I seem to remember seeing a feature on it and possibly another very similar bike using one of Dick's frame in a one of my now lost Custom Chopper Magazines. I know it was later featured in Street Chopper with a lighter blue paint job. More on that to come.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

This Season's Header L.L.L.#3


Since the beginning of the year, I decided I'd change the header every season instead of every month. I may go back to every month but this will do for now.

Linda Vaughn (Miss Hurst), from an old Hurst Airheart ad. I never thought I'd post a Kawasaki, but I dig the composition and thought it would make a great header. Linda ain't bad either.