Help Me Because I Need It....

So if you have a set of stock Shovelhead tappets and ever thought about upgrading to some Sifton Maxi  hydros now is the time. I need some stock tappets for a 77 shovel. I am gonna run solid lifters and I can't use the inserts on these brand new Siftons. So how about a even trade from one of you fine folks. Siftons have 0 miles on them and I might even pay for the shipping. Come on throw me a bone. Email is in the upper right hand corner . Use it

Anchor Theme Song

Snow Day Awesome Post

We are having the second crazy snow storm right at this moment. Fucking retarded out. So I am choosing to think about Hot Rods, choppers, cool parts, sweet hand tats, diggers, and warm weather. Shovel head can wait because the only shovel I'll be seeing today is a fucking snow shovel. Dang

Retard Brain, Retard Reasons

So I have been slowly acquiring parts for my Hot Rod truck project. What I really want is this car above but what I have is a truck to start with. I will do my damn best to get it right but for now I have to get some more parts. I have never built a Hot Rod, up till now it has always been customs and lowriders. Both are fairly cheap to build when compared to a full on Hot Rod build. As of right now I have 0 dollars invested. Lots of free shit from friends and some barter items. So here is the list so far of what I have:
Steel 15 inch wheels
1946 F100 truck cab
1939 truck frame
1955 272 Ford Y block w/fordomatic
also have 1962 292 Yblock if desired
Steering out of Cos's 1965 Chevy van
Rear Spring out of  1940's Car
Jimmy is hooking me up with all the roller stuff like Dropped axle, front and rear cross members, dropped leaf for the front and the split wishbones for a good  price I'm sure. 
Once I have a roller it will go fast so for now dreams and reality are coming together. I still have a week of work or so on the 51 to get it back on the road. Good times and dirty hands get shit done.

Sunday Morning Slow Jam, Wake Up And Get Bummed!

Grapevine Pt 2.

I for real have been looking up Watson cars for the last hour. Argh.

Drop The Redhead Bomb........

It's been awhile since I dropped the redhead bomb so here you go.

Evidence.....

Top 5 Saturday

Another week has flown by and the weather has been treacherous. So I am headed to the shop in a little bit to try and get the truck buttoned up. Bought a new radiator for the old girl but have to weld some flange mounts to get it stuffed in there. Also bought a new tranny oil cooler that I am gonna mount back on the frame rail rather then run it all the way up to the front. So this weeks Top 5 will tie into last weeks. Top 5 cars or trucks I would own if money was no matter. Dreams my friends are a mother fucker.

Number 1. The Grapevine. Larry Watsons original grapevine. It is my favorite year Chevy as well as being the most amazing custom car in my eyes. My taste doesn't really like show cars of that era but more like real cruisers and this one is the best of the best. 

Number 2. Milners Coupe from American Graffiti. Seeing that I have watched that movie like 1000 times and it never gets old I woud say it is one of my favorites. Every time I watch it I want that Hot Rod more and more. I like how that car pretty much is Milner and the Milner is that car. I hate the color yellow but besides that when I think of a real Hot Rod this is one of the cars that is embedded in my brain. There is one scene where they are leaving to go cruise and the car lurches forward and almost goes out of control. I love it because that car is a beast and acts like it. The end drag scene is also amazing and if you have not watched the movie in a while or ever I highly suggest doing so.

Number 3. Frank Barris's 1950 Emerald Merc. this is one of those dream cars to me that actually bums me out that I can never own it. This was built for Frank himself then sold off in the early 50's and the car was lost for almost 50 years. The Rodders Journal did a story on it a few years back and it has been restored to the original Barris quality and finish. Amazing for sure.

Number 4. Chuck Porter F100 truck. I have posted it before but this truck is so slick it is so hard to get all the panels to do what he did. Sectioned, channeled, chopped, and then laid out as well. This man was a wizard with sheet metal and used this truck as his shop truck as well as push vehicle at El mirage.

Number 5. 1963 Galaxy is one of the best looking cars of all times. If you like sleek lines and long roofs then this is the car. If you lower them and add some supremes then you have one of the best customs around and that is all you have to do. This is one of the only cars I have never owned that I could own if I really wanted. someday some way I suppose.

Norton More.....

  So almost two years after we started this bike I pulled the frame down and got to getting the front end set up. I would not use Baxter Triumph again for anything. We sent them the motor and it took almost two years to get it back. Not to mention they were shit heads about it. Lesson learned. Let me just say that fitting a unknown British girder to a Norton 750 frame is no walk in the park. So after doing some grinding on the lower section of the stem I got a Harley Big Twin bottom bearing on the neck. Took the old lower Norton bearing and put it in my lathe. After a very long time I got the ID right and then just pressed in the race with a little spacer made out of the old lower. Took apart the spring and had to cut two coils out and then torch the lower section and recoil it up so it fit tight in the holder. Worked out good. The top bearing is the stock Norton bearing that only needed a spacer put under the tree so the top clamp would not rub. Fuck that was a little bit of work for like three hours of time. But in the end it will be killer diller and is a nice piece to have. It is missing all the dampener parts so if by chance you have a pile of 1940's British girders just laying around let me know. Right. I hard tailed it almost two years ago as well. I like the flow of it and the rear section is 0 stretch and 3 inches of drop. Bike should sit real low and look fast as fuck just sitting still.

The Bottom Falls Out......

Well up till today the weather this winter has been pretty mild. Well it is time to pay the balance I guess. We got our asses handed to us in the way of about 10+ inches of snow. Even for KC that is a lot. I went to work this morning and left early to make it home. It  was like a scene from Mad Max there were cars and people all over the city stranded or they just abandoned there cars. I made it all the way home then got stuck at the end of my street. Wedged it onto the curb and just walked up the block. I will go dig myself out tomorrow. I have had enough for today thank you very much.

Moon Duo - Motorcycle, I Love You (Live on KEXP)

Benchtop........

So here are some random shots of my work bench. I think I have logged about 10,000 hours in front of it so I am pretty fond of my bench. So Eric gave me a little peep show so I thought I would share. I usually have a 1972 Norton Commando motor just hanging out. Nah this is the next bike to get finished up. So look out for updates. Gonna be real slick when its done for sure. 750 Norton in a rigid frame I did with some other trick pieces. Gonna get cranking on it this weekend and this bike should pretty much kill the little bit of desire I have for a british bike by the time I finish it. Still it is just another feather in the hat as for makes and models of bikes I have built. Take a look and wonder how I get any work done.

Arggh.....

Shovelhead 2, Ricky 0. Well after another day of losing I am pretty sure I have a collapsed lifter and am gonna change out to solid lifters. Found a setup on Ebay for 50 bucks so I dropped the hammer on them. So I checked the timing and it was light years off. New points, new condenser, and a compression check. Guess what, the rear cylinder has a whopping 0 lbs when the pushrods are adjusted. With them loosened up it hits 100+. Front one is also 100+. So I thought it was me just not getting the pushrods done right but after 5 times I am blaming a lifter due to the fact that 3 feel nice and tight and the exhaust on the rear is loose and will not collapse to adjust. Fucking knew this was gonna happen. Should have just left it under a sheet. Lucky for me it is cold as a mother out so riding is out of the question.

Top 5 Saturday

 Been thinking about holy grail motorcycles. Like if money was no issue what I would want. So Top 5 is dipping into the dreams of holy grail sickles.

Number 1. Vincent Black Shadow. Not only do I want one I want the one Rolli rode for the speed record. At one time they were the fastest motorcycle in the world and looked amazing doing it. I have seen a few at shows and they truly are breath taking machines.

Number 2.Bsa Gold Star 500. These were the quintessential cafe racer bikes. Giant single cylinder thumpers that can really go. When these are set up right they flat out go like stink.

Number 3. Harley Panhead. I want a Panhead with all the trim, bells, whistles, trinkets, conches, and a two tone faded windshield. Yep you heard it right. I already have two choppers I want a land yacht and I want it now.

Number 4. The Widowmaker. Kawasaki 750 triple H2. these are up there on the "You Will Die Meter" so I am drawn to it like oil to the floor. I watch videos of these bikes on YT all the time and the feeling I get just hearing one is enough to make me smile for at least a second or two. Slims Haymaker chopper/drag bike has one of these motors in it and it is mind boggling how fun it would be to ride. In the book I posted a while back, Conversation With A Motorcycle the author rides a H2 and it just made me want one more. 

Number 5. Honestly I want one of the Sportster XLCR cafe bikes so bad I would choke a snake out for one. I hate snakes but if giving the choice I might do it. Absolutely the most amazing street bike ever put out by the factory. 1000cc Sportster engine with rear sets, coffin-ish tank seat cowl, etc etc. I have posted pics of the local one and every time I see it feeds my desire to own one. I was thinking about building a low budge version but that is not the point in my eyes. I want a real one. Vroom Vroom you just got spanked by a girls bike. Fuck You.

She Who Can Not Be Named........

So this is this weeks stuff. Wife got me a Panhead for Vday and the apes on the shovel. Yesterday I got Ambers 750 Honda all buttoned up and rode it around. Had a few little issues to work out but at the end of the day it rode killer and starts real easy. She is gonna have to perfect her kicking skills. I deleted all the starter stuff and built the little battery box and then added the charger so she can keep her retarded phone charged at all times. Updated the regulator and then went about all the fab work. Used the skinny fender I built and then made the little struts that tie it all together. Seat was done at the shop I always use and since she is a girl they did it cheap. Flat track bars and chopper headlight, Nissin front master all give it a little street tracker vibe. Enjoy the stance it looks good.