Freeway Flyer Fats

Joe Hurst sent me this photo last Feb. It's a cool pic, but it was really badly distressed. So every now and then I'd do some retouching to it and today I finaly finished it for publishing.

 

Joe Builds a Knucklehead

A few weeks ago Joe came to town to work on and mock up his Knucklehead so I stopped by to visit and help him decide what fender to use

Joe's had a bunch of bikes but never a Knuck

The narrow glide is for the mock up.

Steve Sharp is building a 4" over springer for it

Joe takes a break to get a little ride in on the Chrome Bike

Goose It

Arte sent me these awhile ago. It's his buddy Chucko. I believe the Gooseneck was done by Skip Fisk. It looks like the neck is lower than on some others.

The bike features some South Bay standard items. Dick Allen Springer, collector exhaust, Sportster headlight, and sissy bar swoop support.

Dick Jammin

Another never before published photo of Dick Allen headed down the Hwy.

Photo courtesy of Joe Hurst.

Dick at Bonneville

Dick Allen and company (coming or going?), at Bonneville. Just another cool photo by and from Joe Hurst. Not to mention it goes with the header.

A Loco Notion Part 3... Done!

It's been several months since since I've posted anything and really long since Arte finished this bike. As a matter of fact it was finished two years ago this month!

As they say, better late than never.

Keep in mind, Arte was going for his own take on Loco-Motion, not an exact clone. I really like the stance from this side.

Arte had the muffler re-chomed since these photos so it now looks that much better.

Arte takes a break to enjoy some iced tea. Hmmm... sort of looks familiar?

More White Bear at Tridents Show

Two more cool cool photos (this time Polaroids), of Joe's White Bear at the Trident's show from about'72.

Pre-belt drive open primary featured a chrome chain for show. Barrels were aluminum sprayed.

As good as they get. White Bear was the epitome of the South Bay Style.

A Crazy Idea... or a Loco Notion Part 2

Arte knew that one of the most important parts of this build would be the forks. He figured that even if he could find a set of Dick allen forks, they'd need to be refurbished and re-chromed. He also wanted to run a front brake which would be a difficult fit in the very narrow forks. For these reasons he decided it would be better to source a new one.

He contacted an individual who builds Dick Allen style springers. The conversation was friendly until he mentioned a brake, then the old timer turned cold and said what he's heard before, "you can't run a front brake on them, it ain't going to work!" 

After that pleasant exchange he contacted Sugar Bear. Sugar Bear makes them two ways. Very narrow for no brake or slightly wider with a provision on each rear leg for a brake anchor. And in addition to his two styles of signature rockers, he still offers the Dick Allen type.

Sugar Bear proudly holding the newly finished forks. He makes them look very small. Arte started to wonder, "were they really 12"over?"

Arte not really being a long bike guy and a bit of a conservative builder, ordered a 12'' over springer. He knew he wasn't trying to build an exact clone, but rather kind of a Loco-Motion tribute bike in the general South Bay Chopper style. After putting in the order, he started to wonder if he should have gone for 15" over?

Sugar Bear said they would be done in about six to nine weeks and they were. 

While waiting for the forks Arte had been busy working on all of the stuff covered in part one, plus painting the tanks and building the motor. 

Arte did a slight variation of the lines surrounding the lettering. Working from old and tiny photos, he did his best to capture the feel of the lettering on Dick's tanks.

The left side was even more challenging since fewer photos exist of it.

The engine started around an old set Knucklehead heads, lifter bases, and a few other parts he's had for many years. The cases are new S&S with a alternator left side for modern reliable juices. It was also chosen for the readily available and less costly '70 and later OEM electric starter hardware.  

The New Old motor in all it's glory. A good last minute decision was to send the new cam cover out for a polishing.

Since Arte now had his forks, he could finalize the rake and weld up the neck.

A narrow glide spool was chosen for the 18" front wheel which he also already had. The front and rear brake are late model swap meet finds. Again readily available and cost effective. Also, since he's used them on more than one build, he's very familiar with setting them up.

Some last minute checking of the stance before the tear down.

Off the bike he thought the forks looked short, but once mounted he was happy with them.

Did I mention Arte does his own paint?

Once torn down the frame was lightly molded and painted. Now the final assembly would begin.

White Bear at Tridents Show

Six years ago this month I do my first post on Joe Hurst and his bike White Bear talking about how I first saw the bike at the Tridents car show (LA Sports Arena '71-'72?), and how it made an impression on me. So after these six years of getting to know Joe, talking with him, and posting a bunch of his photos, a little earlier this year he sends me some more pics from the show. WTF!? Here's the link to the first post

This really takes me back to the memory of walking up and first seeing it at the end of the aisle. A couple of other other interesting things. 1. Check out the pin striped mufflers on the yellow bike. 2. Check out the people. We used to dress nice to go to a custom car and motorcycle show. Not like the bums we are today.

A Crazy Idea... or A Loco Notion

Our story begins about a year and a half ago when Arte accompanied me to the Dick Allen Memorial party. 

 Arte got to thinking... Since he already had a few parts like some knucklehead heads, a flat rear fender, a Wassel peanut tank, a Lucas tail light, and some Anderson pegs.Why not build a Dick Allen Loco-Motion inspired chopper? It didn't have to be a perfect clone, but rather something with the general look plus a few of his own touches and some updates for comfort and safety.

First up was the exhaust. Arte had made a few collector systems before but it had been with existing mufflers. A friend was throwing out some stock 3" dresser mufflers so he took them to play with.

A Goldilocks tale. From the bottom up: A collector he had laying around. At about 3 1/4" It was a bit too big in diameter. The middle one was an experimental first try with an improvised turn out (it's since been refined with a proper one). Top: I gave him an old muffler with a good turn out and he got the next try just right.

Moving on to the tank. Dick's tank rested high on the backbone Frisco style... so out comes the tunnel.

Tunnel relocated and front filler piece ready for welding. After welding, the sides were indented

Arte chose a Kraft Tech frame to stay within his budget. While he's not crazy about the thicker 1 1/4" tubing, Kraft Tech's $400 swap meet price made it easier to live with. Also, since the frame will be black the larger diameter won't be so noticeable. While at the swap meet, he ordered a seat from Bar Enterprises. While Dick used a very thin cobra, Arte being a senior biker made a concession for a little more back comfort.

With a frame in hand work began on a South Bay Style Sissybar and the fender mounting. The swoop bracing was made as a separate bolt on section to make chroming and installation easier. 

Tabs were added for passenger pegs and at the rear for some turn signals and running lights. This was done to keep it legal (easier to get pass the CHP inspection), and to be seen on the busy SoCal streets.

Stay tuned for part 2.

Kern River Run

The 22nd Kern River Run was last weekend. It's an annual South Bay event honoring Fats. I'm always out of town when it's happening, but my art made it on this years T-shirt. 

They slightly modified my old header art it to make it Fats and Dick... and yes, it was done with my permission.

Dick Allen's Time Machine/ The Chrome Frame Chronicles

I've been sitting on this photo for some time and it might just be the oldest known photo of Dick on the chrome frame. But I kind of hesitated to post it.

In Sept. 2014 Dick Allen's daughter Darcy came to visit the South Bay and brought along a scrapbook. Inside was this photo, only it wasn't exactly a photo. The original was disintegrating and too fragile to transport so Darcy brought a color photocopy. I was pretty bad with bits missing, cracks and lines everywhere, plus purple colored ribbons running through out. She let me borrow the copy to scan and later I spent many hours (off and on), restoring it the best I could.

It's pretty cool to see this early stage in this bikes development. It still retains the Sportster fork boots, alloy wheel and brake. After working on this photo so long, I wonder how many times it will be copied and re-posted all over the internet without anybody realizing what a pain it was to restore? I guess I gotta share.

A Time Machine you ask? Well, I've seen the photocopy on another site stating that it was taken in 1959. Well if it was 1959 then Dick must of had invented a Time Machine since the gas tank is from a '66 Harley Sprint. It's much more likely that the photo is, at the earliest, from 1966.

Here's a 1966 H-D Sprint for reference. 1966 also happens to be the first year for this style of bar and shield logo which is faintly visible on Dick's bike. 

Around the same time, I also scanned an original print of this now famous photo. My archives have it marked as 1967 which may be correct. I never really thought about the paint's design origins, but clearly Dick liked the basic design from the 1966 tank.

The high res scan reveals some details that are interesting to see up close.

It also revealed this message on Dick's button.

South Bay Chopper @ LBSM

Spotted this nice South Bay Style Chopper at the swap meet last Sunday. Later, it's owner confirmed it was indeed a Fats springer.

I was sans-a-camera so Arte snapped this photo for me.

The Grass is Always Greener...

...with a chopper on it.

It's been awhile since I've posted anything and even longer since it's been something from Joe Hurst.

Joe's Green Bike. I'd say this is sometime in the mid seventies. Nobody liked it cause it was green. Joe didn't care.

This is the only other photo I've seen of it. It was posted back in July 2011. Now you don't have to look it up.

Juxtaposition Is Everything

More from Angel Mark

Marc says: Larry and I were roommates at one time. We did a lot of riding together and to make it easy when we parked, we would use one chain through both rear tires to lock the bikes. Well with my Jewish star and his Nazi gas tank, we got a lot of looks.

Little Brother Larry (AKA Kansas City Larry), and his Nazi Helmet gas tank. 

Angel Marc pushing his Pan.

The photos are cut because they were once part of a collage under the glass of Marc's coffee table.

The South Bay Originals

This should make up for the recent lack of posts.

Around 2006-2007 I went on a mission of surfing the net to see if there were any good vintage chopper photos floating around. At that time motorcycle blogs were just starting to take off and there were some really cool photos showing up here and there. 

That exercise eventually lead to the creation of this blog in 2008. Through the blog I was fortunate to connect with guys like Joe Hurst, Bruce Parrish, Kerry Crist, and lately Angel Marc which really helped in sharing some of the best vintage chopper photos out there.

About two and a half years ago I posted three South Bay Originals photos that Joe sent and was totally knocked out by them. They especially touched me since I had memories of seeing choppers on  my visits to Hermosa Beach in the late sixties. Other than they were being shared by a few old South Bay friends on facebook, I did not know their orgins. Then recently I was contacted by Angel Marc who filled me in. As metioned in a previous post they are photos of his Huns brothers taken by the club's unofficial photographer Bill Miller.

I had hoped there were more and now it turns out there is. Marc has sent me several more to which I have included the three previously posted ones to round out this set.

They were taken around 1967 in Hermosa Beach. Some in front of the pier and a few others near the pier by the old Taco Bell. 

These are as good as it gets and it would be hard to pick a favorite. Because they were taken at night they have a great aura about them. I'd put them right up there with the classic photos of the Hells Angels by Bill Ray or Irving Penn.

2x4 Joe. He got his name after one time when his bike wouldn't start he picked up a 2x4 and beat it.

Alky Al

Filthy Frank 

Rac

Steve Drale

Ron

Dishpan Dave

BSA Bob

Lindsey

Thank you Marc for sharing.

South Bay Originals- Angel Marc Setting the Record Straight

My name is Marc, AKA Angel Marc.  I was a founding member of the Huns MC So. Cal. in Hermosa Beach and one of the seven Huns who patched over to became the Hells Angels So. Bay.  I moved out of California over twenty years ago. Several years ago, living away from my friends and family, I joined Facebook in order to share photos with them.  A lot of my old Brothers had passed on, Dick Allen, Fats, Randy Smith & Outlaw Chuck among them.   I decided to share the memory of them by posting some of my old photos, first on my Facebook page and then after it was started on the South Bay Originals page.  I posted quite a few old photos for my old friends to enjoy. One old friend and Brother is Joe Hurst.  I got together with Joe when I rode down to the Kern River for the Fats Memorial Run and he told me of your site and that he had sent some of the pictures I had posted to you, among them Dick Allen doing the wheelie, Frank on  trike and the bike with the Huns colors on it.  I realize that when you post on the internet, you’re showing it to the whole world, so if more people enjoy the memories of my old South Bay Brothers, that’s Ok with me.  Which brings me to the reason I’m writing to you, I want to set the record straight as to the bike with the Huns colors on it. You wrote that Joe thought it was my bike, but that beautiful Pan belonged to my Brother Bob Kurek.  Bob was shot dead the year after this picture, so I feel it is important that he gets the credit that is his as the builder/owner of that bike. I enjoyed looking at your art work and pictures.  A nice bit of history.  You have some nice pictures of Randy Smith too, so I thought I would send one of him and me from the last time I saw him.  Also sending one of Bob with his bike.  Use any of the pictures you like, quote me if you want, but at least put Bob’s name with his bike.  Oh and most of the pictures I have were taking by a free lance photographer named Bill Miller.  He was like our unofficial club photographer.

 Angel Marc and his Pan circa 1967.

Hun's at the wall behind Taco Bell in Hermosa Beach. Left to Right: Marc, Lindsey, Dishpan Dave, Filthy Frank, Nez with Copper up front.

Bob Kurek with his Panhead.

One story was left out of Marc's email which will be included in a future post.

Joe Hurst always says the history of the South Bay Chopper really can't start without the tales of Marc and his brothers at that time. Therefore, my thanks goes out to Marc for sharing this history.