Period Correct Bobbers

[Chris Haynes]

[/QUOTE]

In the SFV that was refered to as a Fat Bob Chopper.

[koanes]

My 39 as found in 1978. Didn't have a sidestand as it had been raced in the late 40's. The picture in the building was at the Artistry in Iron show in Calgary Alberta 1983. Won first place in the rat class, got a belt buckle, a plaque, and 200.00 cash for the win. I rode this bike as is until 1988. The front fender was modified and moved to the rear, up front was a cut up late VL fender. Real bobber?

[c.o.]

In the SFV that was refered to as a Fat Bob Chopper.[/QUOTE]

In my neck of the woods it would have been called a "chopper"......;D I recall as a youngster, hearing the "hog" reference a bit. That saying went out the window when Harleys were found by the masses, after that, "hog" was thrown around like an epidemic flu!!!

My 39 as found in 1978. Didn't have a sidestand as it had been raced in the late 40's. The picture in the building was at the Artistry in Iron show in Calgary Alberta 1983. Won first place in the rat class, got a belt buckle, a plaque, and 200.00 cash for the win. I rode this bike as is until 1988. The front fender was modified and moved to the rear, up front was a cut up late VL fender. Real bobber?

That's a cool one Kyle...... Was the bike raced in Alberta? It's been awhile since I heard the "Artistry in Iron" reference. The show in Calgary now is the "World of Wheels".

[vph-d]

Is that a tool box strap behind the primary on the 39?
VPH-D

[koanes]

Cory, I bought the bike from Charlie Kucera in Minnesota, about 30 miles north of Minneapolis. It started life in California as a CHP machine. Charlie got it from a friend that purchased it in CA after it was retired from police service. Charlie Two Feathers, as he was known, stripped it and went racing. Charlie told me he was MN state TT champion 1949 and 1950, and still had the trophies. I tried to get him to throw one in with the motorcycle, but he said "Hell No! I earned them". I said the motorcycle might haved helped him do that and should have one, but he told me to go jump off a cliff. The motorcycle hadn't run in 15 yrs or so when I found it sitting in a dark corner of Charlie's diesel repair shop, surrounded by moldy piles of dog du. It took him a few months to decide I was worthy of the bike. He wouldn't talk to me about it unless I showed up at the door with a case of Budweiser. I had just finished restoring a 1961 Pan and showed one day with the beer strapped to the luggage rack. Charlie walked around the bike and asked if I was going to do the same to the Knuck if I got it. I said yes, he said, "We can talk money". A few more cases of beer and we had a deal. I took it home, did the usual stuff to prep it to run, and after the 3rd carb R&R got it to read 95mph on the speedo. I liked it the way it was so much I rode it like that for 10yrs, at which point it was wore out everywhere. Shortly after I took it apart, I broke my back and lots of other things in a crash on another bike, so the rebuild hit the back burner. I still have the 39, on shelves in the shop. With any luck it will be back together in the near future.

[duffeycycles]

My first build.Sold my sporty a week before Anamosa hill climb.My brother gave me grief -What are you going to ride next sunday?Monday nite ,we build the stand.Tues nite we started to throw a pile together.Friday I rode it!The motor ['58G] was built as training exercise a couple years before.Hot little trike motor.Used the stuff you would not restore with.Front fender was '30s 45" that the tail was cut off and the fender rolled back and the braces welded on the bike[came from Paul George ,Indian guy who told me he had a pair of mint 45" fenders for sale--price came down when i showed him the welds!]

[Chris Haynes]

Is that a tool box strap behind the primary on the 39?
VPH-D

CHP used a right side siren so they had their toolboxes on the left side.

[koanes]

That's a good looking 45. You must have put in some long days to build the bike and the table you it assembled on. How many years ago?

[vph-d]

The CHP... That's what I was getting at about the tool box strap, if that's what it was.
VPH-D

[duffeycycles]

20years ago ,2 of us working after work till about 11 pm painted frame, fork fenders in yard .One night for stand, ramp and paint, 4 nites to build.Ran beautiful to the hillclimb and back except for the carb fell off at a stop.Screws did not fall out!The tank emblem was from HD toy semi.Helped the Co. that made the emblems and they gave me some out the back door!Willie designed them and looked at this bike for half hour ,soon afterwards the screaming eagle bike ,all orange w/zig zag stripe came out!These were so rare that at Daytona race one parked away from everyone to be noticed.At the end of the race there were 75 of them lined up next to his!