G.P. Chopper Sculptures

Greg Parigian and I were friends in junior high. Until about 6 years ago, I hadn't seen or talked to him since 1969. If you scroll down in the right column, you'll find a picture of us on our chopped stingrays that was once used for this blog's header. Greg sent a couple of emails with photos the other day. The text below is combination of them explaining the chopper sculptures he made in the 70's.

"Back in the early 70's I made some Harley chopper sculptures. I was selling and trading them for Harley parts to Hells Angels and Satan's Slaves. I would sketch their bike and then make a sculpture of it.

I think I made about 50 of them, but only saved one. I would sign them by putting a "P" on the rear wheel. The sculptures where all about 18" long and 12" tall. They had no bolts or nuts in them, they were all just metal I bought in the metal yard. They were welded together with gas torch and do not remember if I ever brazed any of them.

I was living in Canoga Park at the time and one of my neighbors was a guy they called big Louie. He was then the president of the Satan's Slaves. He rode a really cool bike, a chopped Knucklehead with a extended springer. I made one of his bike that was really nice. Some of them were clear coated. I also made them for other club members. Some of these guys were really scary. But they always paid me or gave me what I wanted in trade. I almost collected enough parts to build a flathead 80". - Greg

Two degrees of separation. Here's a photo of Satan's Slave Louie. I think I grabbed it from the Satan's Crate blog and believe it's from a Easyriders in the 80's. -CK

Anybody out there seen or have or seen one of Greg's sculptures? If you have something like it, look for a "P" or "GP" on the rear wheel.

Mystery Bike Part 3, Bruce's 1st Build

Working from the first post backwards, here's photos of Bruce Parrish's first chopper. This is the same bike that would become the Funny Bike in it's second iteration.

Escape from New York. Bruce bought a complete 1950 Panhead late in 1970 for $100. The frame engine and trans were loaded in the trunk of his friend's Chevelle and they headed for California.


Once in Cali., Bruce stumbled upon Dick Allen's shop, where the bike above, became the inspiration for his build.


Bruce's first mold job.


The proud owner with his freshly finished creation circa 1971.


Nicely detailed motor. Until I asked about it, Bruce had forgot about the chromed barrels. Turn down tips were added to the drag pipes at this point. The hex end bolt forward and highway pegs were made to match the rocker stud bolts of the Dick Allen springer.


Back to New York. Bruce rode his Pan cross country a few times.


Another trip to the east coast in '72. This time with SU carb and 2 into 1 collector exhaust.


Happy Birthday! Bruce said he was never superstitious since his birthday was the 13th. Then, on 1/13/73 (his 23rd birthday), some dude in a Mustang gave him a nasty present. Some might say it's the Green Bike curse. This was the end of the bike as it was and the beginning of the Funny Bike.

O'Happy Day

Almost forgot!

Have a good one... but watch out for drunken idiots.

Knice Knuckle Kiyo!

I was really late getting to the Garage Co. unveiling of the Born-Free Knucklehead last Saturday. I hate going to bike events in a car, so earlier in the day I paid a visit to my friend Larry Settle's shop to drop off some parts and hopefully get a new battery for my bike. He had one. It had been a really long time since I'd been there, so I ended up hanging out until about 5 p.m. I then rushed home, dropped the battery in and took off.

When I finally got to the Garage Co., guys were still hanging around mesmerized by the Knuck.


The bike has good balance of chrome and black.


A Knucklehead on a Knucklehead? I certainly hope not. Grant prodded me to try it on for size. It fits me well, and I even like the color.


I've said it once and I'll say it again... you really can't improve upon the classic chop. While at first glance it might seem simple, there's a ton of hand made goodies on this bike.


Kiyo making some post party adjustments.


Some lucky soul is gonna win this bike. This could be you!

Japan

Although this is pretty much exclusively a motorcycle blog, the tragedy in Japan can not be ignored. I would have posted something sooner, but was basically lost for words... and still am. If you're in Japan, just know that everyone here is discussing it and has you in their thoughts. For the rest of us, it's a reminder how we should not take anything for granted.

Ed Roth's Hustler Photos Uncut and Uncensored

Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit... nothing was censored, but these photos have never really been seen before.

Awhile back, In the midst of an unrelated email subject, Joe Hurst surprised me with Ed Roth's original photos for the Hustler feature in Choppers Magazine. As it turned out, Ed gave Joe the photos after it was in the magazine. The first two photos (below), were not published. I did a post on the Hustler feature last Dec. and although the last three made the magazine, I'm posting them again since they are much bigger, much better (than the bad print quality of the magazine), and uncropped.

Here's a cool one. It's an alternate to the shot Roth used to open the article. Yes the angle of the one used is better, but it has that big finger print on it. Like Roth said in the feature, "those forks really shine!"


Another photo that didn't make it.


The sissy bar in all it's glory. This one and the two below were featured, but the top of the sissy bar and the groovy trash can got cropped out.


Besides the details of the Phil Ross stitched seat, Jim Andrews bike "Grapes of Wrath" (upper left), is easier to spot in this large print.


The money shot, large and uncut. Joe later had the big SU carb polished to match the other shinny stuff. As mentioned in the first post, the engine came out of Dick Allen's Wheeler Dealer.

I think it's pretty cool to see these behind the scene shots all these year later.
Thanks Joe!

What to do with a '79 up Ironhead

When the 1979 Sportster came out very early in '78, I like many tradition Harley fans hated it. It's new frame may have done things better, but it was a lousy platform for a custom. The first thing that struck many was the triangle section under the seat making it now look like every other (mostly from Japan), motorcycle . The seat was too flat across it's top, and then there was those pipes! Sure almost everyone replaced pipes on a new Harley, but this one proved difficult due to the location of the rear brake reservoir. Soon custom catalogs advertising pipes had the now famous disclaimer, fits all years except '79.

Perhaps ugly ages more gracefully with time... or maybe it's just the slick studio photography? Later, I sort of liked this look. Even the weird pipes kind of grew on me. This two page center spread ad is from the May 1978 Street Chopper.

The brake reservoir location, pipes, and this style of battery/oil tank cover only lasted a year. It seemed like each following year, Harley would slightly modify the Sportster to try and make it once again more appealing to the traditional Harley buyer.

The once unpopular 1977-'78 XLCR. Harley recycles everything. If I'm not mistaken, the fiberglass front fender is the same one that was advertised in the parts and accessories catalogs many years before this model was offered.

As time passed and XLCR's became collectible (nobody liked them at first either), I thought these later Ironheads would be good raw material for XLCR type bikes. One big plus, you could do them up anyway you wanted without messing up a collectors item. (My personal idea/concept was always to be more like a XR750 with no fairing and traditional spoke wheels). I wasn't the only one. A few years ago at El Camino, I saw XLCR clones made from '79 and later XL's.


This bike (from last week's Long Beach Swap), prompted this post and is fairly close to my vision of what a cool street tracker would look like. It turned out to built by the guy that does the CR clones and was done up from some of his parts wheeling and dealing. It would be really cool to use a pre-cone motor with magneto in one of these frames for an even more authentic look.

Maybe Harley is smarter than we think. It's history seems to be littered with models that were not first liked or didn't sell well, that later become very sought out. 1971 Boat tails and 1983 XR's come to mind.

The story of the first FXR's is pretty similar, and I didn't like them at first too.

Panhead Racer and Other TT's

I don't normally like to just lift and post images from other blogs but I had to share this one I found on the Lucky B Design blog.

You don't see many factory photos or bikes like this. Looks to be a '51 TT Racer. Note the raised transmission and the magneto at the generator's location. You can definitely see how bikes like this influenced the street bobbers built by guys like Dick Hirshberg.

I then Googled Panhead TT and almost nothing came up. I did find the '48 below at http://roadboogers-1948panheadtt-bobber.blogspot.com The strange thing about this blog is that it's one page devoted to just this bike. A look at the guy's profile revealed that he has 20 blogs all dedicated to a single bike.

Nice, but a bit too shiny and pretty for me. Should old bikes be so pristine?

Almost a twin '47 from another of his blogs.

Some Dudes....

Like 'm Long Too

She likes it. Other than the forks, the bike itself is nice. I'm not sure the unequal fork links are wise.

Oink Spotting

If your anything like me, you dig checking out bikes in old biker flicks, and also dig Roth's Oink. About a year or so ago I saw this sequence but hadn't bookmarked it and forgot wich film it was from. Recently, I found it again. The film is Run Angel Run and it's a fairly long chase sequence done in a series of split screen shots. All the shots with Oink are pretty quick, so here's the best of them.

You wouldn't know this is it if you didn't see more.


I pasted these frames together. He almost loses it and quickly recovers.


Not sure what frame is better so here's both.


Here you can clearly see the sissy bar's tell tale iron cross.

WHAT SORT OF MAN READS MC ART?

A Sporting guy that takes on any and all curves that lay in his path. The kind of guy who seeks MotorCycle entertainment that matches his 4-cycled zest for life.

Foot's South Bay Survivor, All's Well That Ends Well

When Bruce Parrish first started sending me photos, he also included the shot below of his old friend Foot's bike. He then added, Foot still has it and wants to sell it. As you might imagine, that got my attention!

Bruce's photo from 1979. This immediately made me want to see more!

Later, around mid January I got the following email and photos from Foot:

Chris,

Been watching your web site with great interest. Every time I look, you have another friend of mine posted. I met Joe Hurst when he first made his transition from the low rider scene. Dick Allen and I, Tiny, Washmachine Charley, Red bearded Bob and later Joe all lived on 167 th St. In Lawndale in the late 60's early 70's. I wound up with Dicks shop when he went to jail. (its a long and sorted tail) Anyway I can trade lies with the best of em. No joke though, there are about 10 years that are kinda fuzzy and blurred together. We used to get after it pretty good!

Foot's bike today. Joe had toyed with buying it, meanwhile, I was trying to think of ways I might buy it myself. The Dick Allen springer was originally about 20" over but later cut down to 15".

Bruce tells me you might know of someone that would be interested in my old sled. Shes been sitting a long time and slowly gaining that (as the gun collectors like to say) "fine brown patina." More pics and info available if needed. Keep doing what your doing man, its pretty cool to re-live the old glory days.

I told Foot that I would post it on my blog, but to send more information when he got the chance.

About a week later Foot sent this:

Chris,
Here is some info about my bike: The engine is a '56 Pan bottom end with a set of '66 shovel heads. Its been a long time but I think its .070 over on the bore 9.5:1 compression, 4 1/2" stroke S&S flywheels,(works out to be about a 86 incher) S&S carb, Andrews B grind cam, Joe Hunt mag, Phil Ross belt drive,and Barnett clutches. Trannie is a 4 speed with a ratchet top (jocky shift) and its polished pretty nice. Chassis is a 1957 straight bar Pan frame, Dick Allen front end (15 over if I remember correctly) Front wheel is a magnesium 18" 12 spoke mag. Rear wheel is a 12 spoke 15" American Mag (aluminum) I bought it from Dick when he was partnered up with them although I don't remember what their association was.

The bike's overall look, the chrome fender, the mags, and bead blasting of the engine makes it quite similar to White Bear. You even might even call it White Bears' cousin... or maybe sister. As a matter of fact, Joe says the flywheels came out of White Bear!

The oil tank is a rare 1938-39 seamless. Also has a pretty nice custom clutch peddle and plate we used to make at my old shop (Arm & Hammer Cycle) Looks like a mirror image of the brake assembly on the other side. There's probably more but you know how it is, over the years as I let more stuff into my head I had to let other stuff go.

Dick Allen built the engine and Foot estimates he clocked about 30,000 miles on the old gal. Other than 3 years ago when he took her to a swap meet to sell, she's been in storage for the last 20+ years. Foot says she fired up and sounded good and strong that last time.

Later we talked on the phone and told him I would post it For Sale when I got the chance. I got busy and then left town for 2 weeks. A couple days after my return, while getting ready to post it, I received an email from Rich Ostrander with the same photos saying how Foot sold his bike to their mutual buddy Chuck.

The left side showing off a good stance. Note how the front wheel's magnesium patina has darkened compared to the rear's aluminum.

It was really good to hear the bike went to a friend. Not only that, but Chuck lives really near where the bike was born. So, the bike is returning to it's old stomping grounds in the South Bay.

Update: Last I heard, Chuck has sold the bike and it's gone to Japan. All the good stuff is going there. I can't fault the guys in Japan. We seem to be quickly selling out our past.

Rumors of My Demise

....have been greatly exaggerated

In case you wondered.
I've been out of town with no web connection.

Time to get it in gear.

33 Coats

In my book, Duo-Glides make the best Full Dressers.

This 1961 Harley FLH, while cool, is fairly mild Dresser by show standards. On the other hand, I'll bet the paint looked great in color. A lot show displays included tool kits, but this selection, while arranged nicely, strikes me as a bit ordinary or funny. I guess it's all those sockets lined up.

L.L.L. #2

Long yes, but square?

7-Ten?

A while back, I posted a 4 engine 45 for 5 and a 2 engine Harley Limo trike for 10. Here's another Harley 10 seater.

Below is a couple of frame grabs from a video I stumbled across a while back. I believe this video was a originally a segment on some CBS News affiliate.

I generally think such contraptions are dumb but, everyone is having a good time and it's pretty interesting to see this thing go. Watching it take a turn looks crazy as it sort of plops it self on it's outboard wheel. It also seems to teeter back and forth on as it travels down the highway.

It's called the Timeline motorcycle and it has 7 Harley engines. A J-model, Flathead, Knucklehead, Panhead, Shovelhead, Evo, and Twin-Cam. The engines are suppose to represent the history of Harley V-Twins from 1909 to the present. All engines run and can contribute power, but the Twin-Cam is the only one used on the highway.... what's up with that? They run all 7 for exhibition rides.

It was ridden to Sturgis in 2009. If your interested in videos, go to Youtube and search 10 Seater Harley or Timeline Motorcycle.

Maybe they should have put another seat on it and called it 7-Eleven.

A Rare-it-"T" and the "Z" Man

When Bruce Parrish told me he still had a Dick Allen T-shirt, I told him he had to send some photos.

This may be the Holy Grail of vintage chopper T-shirts. I find it interesting that it says California. Perhaps, so Dick could use the same design no matter what city his shop might move to.

I'm not sure if this is a dark photo of the same shirt or a black one. Bruce designed Dick's lettering and drew the art. Joe Hurst said Dick looked like the Zig-Zag man and says he suggested using his head on the art, but Bruce said it was from a cigarette (I never heard of and can't recall the name), that Dick like to smoke. I have to admit, it looks like the Zig-Zag Man to me. Bruce, send me the name if you get a chance.

I don't know about the T-shirt art, but....

Update: Joe called and said the cigarettes that Dick smoked were (sounds like), Shebeedees or Zabedees). That's what Bruce had mentioned. When Bruce told me I did a search, but came up empty. I now found Azadbidi, a brand of bidi cigarettes. That's likely it. Bidis (pronounced bee-dees) are small hand-rolled cigarettes manufactured in India and other southeast Asian countries.

These are not Azadbibi, but show the type. Azad's usually have an elephant on the pack. Bidis are tobacco wrapped in tendu or temburni leaf . Traditionally they are tied with string and come in flavors, like chocolate, mango, vanilla, lemon-lime, mint, pineapple and cherry.