Dud's Crew

Dudley Perkins Hillclimb Team in 1931.  Bike in center is 1930 DAH 509 (9th of 20 built), currently on display at WTT.  Don't know if the hats were a mandatory part of the unis, but man do they look sharp.

Whoops

Floyd Emde going over backwards at west coast hillclimb in 1948.
Machine is 1928 Indian Altoona 61" Serial Number 1 on display at Wheels Through Time

Cutdown!

Left Tank......check.

Right Tank.....Check.

They fit, real nice.

Everyone loves a 3/4 rear.   Got to get the seat tee welded up, then the seat goes off to Chuck at the Saddle Shop.   John.....get your ass up here and lets finish these tanks.  T-minus 31 days till big mountain.  Its gonna be a push.

Cutdown Tank Progress

Measure, remeasure, then measure again

Cut out the shaded sections.......

4 inches cut out on top and bottom, with a line connecting the two sections (front and back).  Imagine the rear part of the tank just sliding forward.   This keeps the gas cap and the bend of the top of the tank the same.

A few tack welds to hold it together

Perfect fit.  Check out the pockets in the tank around the intake rockers.  No interference.  I hope the left tank fits this nice.  I just finished cleaning it out and I think John's coming up on Sunday to go another round.

New Apparel For 2010 At Wheels Through Time

The Crocker Burnout Tee.........awesome.

The Twin Cam Board Track Racer Tee.....  If you thought they just started making twin cams over the last decade, you're in for a surprise.

Order these and lots of other new great stuff at the Wheels Through Time  Online Store.

Cutdown Tanks

Been working on the cutdown tanks with John.  Cleaning them was hell.  We cut 3.5 inches out of the right tank so far, and have them lined up to be welded back together.

Things are going nicely

the Con....

We're moving right along on this one.  General mock-up is complete.  adjustable rake sidecar front end is permanently on and raked out as much as itll go.  I'm thinking 21" in the front and a big 16" drag slick on the back.  I rebuilt the transmission yesterday and plan on setting up the foot controls soon.  Still LOTS of motorwork to do. We're running 80" wheels and my buddy Moe is hooking me up with a radical Sifton cam.   Who's got high compression 80" stroker pistons?

Breaking ground on "The Con"

I hope to finish the transmission  today.  I'll post some pics when I get a chance.

George Wills

14-time (in a row) Vintage Flat Track National Champion, on his KR.

His WR gas tank

Patriotism...

Long before Evel, Harry Molenaar rode this 41 "Stars n Stripes" WLDR to 1/2-mile glory.

Drivin' from the sidecar

Appropriately parked in the Handicapped spot

Unique, to say the least

Throttle, spark advance, brakes, clutch, and kicker....all accessible from inside the sidecar.

Tire Tossin'

Good form.....

Cutdown!

Light enough?

More from Death Valley 2008

Drag racing at Bonnie Claire Dry Lake.  Nobody beats The Big Fish.

After the races, you're burning fumes to get the 50 miles back to Beatty.

...Not in Death Valley.  Somewhere in Bryce or Zion NP in Utah.

Old dirty primary cover....Check.

The Cutdown is coming along nicely...

Why Death Valley is one of the best places to ride in the world.....

Dry lakes racing.   Where else can you jump out onto a dry lake any day of the week and put old bikes to their limits.  This particular stretch is about 4 miles by 4 miles and about as smooth as glass.

The world coasting championships......kind of.    This particluar stretch of road is just past Panamint Springs when leaving Death Valley.  Imagine cutting off your ignition, then coasting for about 45 minutes.  Nothing but the sound of wind and tires.  Its way too much fun, a little dangerous, and a great way to save gas.  Hell, half of your riding is up hill, and the other half is downhill, so you almost do about 200 miles a tank.  Not bad for 3.5 gallon tanks and a linkert.   The best part.....at the bottom of the hill is Panamint Springs.  Coast in, have a couple of beers, then ride out.

The Road to Darwin

50 miles from nowhere, deep inside Death Valley National Park, lies Darwin, CA.  Once California's largest city, today you'd never know its there.  This photo was taken about 10 miles from Darwin, on a 40 mile dirt road through the desert.  Our buddy Napa Dave has a "winter home" there.  Actually, its more of a remote party spot way back in the boonies.

The Holy Grail

Wish I knew where this one went.

Springer

The pops teaching Jay Springsteen how to ride a tank shift back in 1976.

Adjusta-glide

There's something about the adjustable rake hydraglide fork......  Its a great way to give a little bit more attitude to any stock bike or hydraglide bobber.  I spent an hour or so digging up parts for this one...old black tins, original paint trees, raw legs. 

Destination -- dual carb pan bobber.

The Brick Wall Bike

  Found behind a brick wall in a Chicago apartment building in 1967........the one and only Traub.   Dated to 1916, no evidence of exactly when/where it was built or who built it.  80-inch sidevalve w/ a 3 speed (HDs first sidevalve, 3spd, 80" was in 1936!!!) 

The bike is an inspiration.  If you haven't seen it....stop on by.

Then and Now......

Circa 1950, after being donated to The Henry Ford Museum by W.F. Thomas.

Circa 1990, after sitting idle in the Ford museum's basement for 50 years.

Circa 1992, this time in color, at Wheels Through Time.

Now, in its present form....the 1909 Reading Standard 1000cc Factory Boardtrack Racer. 

One of one in existance.  Perhaps the most rare and intricate early American racing motorcycle on the planet.  I've heard it run only twice...once in 1994 and once in 2009.   Its guaranteed to give you hearing loss and will send chills throughout.  One of my favorite motorcycles ever built.