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Please let me share a recent article that I wrote to promote the AMCA Forum to new AMCA members. I have been sending these types of articles that are basically a summary of various posts from the Forum - Member Bike Builds. I figure these are often some of the more engaging content on the Forum since they are serialized and there is often a good deal of interaction between the posting member and other members. These threads often follow a bike from disassembled parts to finished bike briefly described by the builder and including many photos. I find them so interesting in fact, that I binge on a thread start to finish with hundreds of posts. This is true interaction between our fellow members building a bike with other fellow members giving encouragement, support and some excellent advice and answer to questions. Here is the latest Member Bike Build - Rebuilding the Q-ship; a 1964 Harley Davidson Sportster by forum member chuckthebeatertruck. While chuckthebeatertruck is still working toward completion if you have read his thread you know how significantly far he has gotten on his project. Hope you find this summary on chuckthebeatertruck's project interesting and I welcome any suggestions I can use to promote engagement of new members in the Forum.
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Member bike builds are a most fascinating, educational and inspiring feature of the AMCA Forum. What is a member build? It is when a member documents with images and descriptive details and presents the whole story of completing an antique motorcycle. This has become one of my main rally points for promoting the AMCA Forum because the process is in real-time and involves any members that want to ask questions, offer suggestions and in general is an on-going dialogue of the re-building process. There have been a number of bikes re-built for judging, some for participation in the cross country marathon runs and some have ventured into the world of bike - period modified class like a recent build involving a 1927 Harley Davidson JD for which the member has only the engine bottom end but has an end state in mind as a “I'm thinking a period cut down would be fun and also make the project hopefully a bit more affordable (i have no chassis parts at all...).”
The member bike builds are touchstones for inspiration with their discovery of the many sides of an antique motorcycle project. AMCA Member Chuckthebeatertruck (Forum user name) has started one of the latest bike build stories on the forum about his re-build of a 1964 Harley Davidson XLCH from basket-case to complete project. But Chuck’s approach is different. His vision is to complete a project in the way someone may have done in creating a hot rod motorcycle back in 1964.
So, Chuck’s Q Ship as he has named it won’t be a period perfect OEM restoration it will be a rock-solid street rod torque monster. I have heard more and more in recent conversations with the automobile street rod folks as well as with other antique motorcycle enthusiasts that are interested in how someone would go back to a period of time, in this case 55 years ago and approach souping-up their vehicle to their personal custom and performance interests. In Chuck’s words “For our part, we are headed in the opposite direction. [from OEM, Winners Circle restoration] We are going to show you how a hot, street-going Sportster may have been put together 50 years ago.” I say why not? The story itself is a long one that that will give Forum members that opportunity to binge maybe for hours on the details of how to make a hot-rod bike out of box of old parts.
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Chuck has a very interesting and straightforward writing style that works perfectly for the member bike builds forum. He blends plenty of photos, technical details, cost outlay and personal references. I also like Chuck’s introduction where he included all his collaborator details as well as a list of the goals he hoped to accomplish. His approach can give everyone from members new to re-building an old bike to the long-time veteran builders and restorers tips and ideas that can help keep a project on target. In the most recent post Chuck ends his comments with the following invitation to all readers “The end goal here is to share as much as possible to help folks decide on the direction of projects.”
My intent here is to get people interested in these documentaries of the rebirth of some incredible old bikes, offer some insight to the complex and long process and to maybe prod some motivation and confidence for others to do the same. If nothing else the Member Bike Build posts are interesting and entertaining especially if you are interested in the details of an antique bike build.
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I have had some on-line discussion with Chuck asking questions about his plans and especially about some of his decisions. I am a rookie at classic bike rescue so all my questions are to gain a better understanding. I appreciate that Chuck and many of the other people that have documented their re-builds have always been open and thorough in explaining their approaches. In one area I asked about why Chuck was going to have outside vendors complete some of his work and he provided a very thorough explanation emphacizing the cost effectiveness the time savings because he could work on other things simultaneously. He had well thought out economic theories on why he couldn’t do the work cheaper. In this regard he helped me gain a better understanding of why the treating, de-plating of some parts and plating of others were better done and less expensive in the long run if you contract it out to specialists. This was a big help to me to better understand this thinking.
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The thread of Chuck’s Q ship build is changing and progressing and by the time some of you read this it will be a completed muscle bike wearing out its tires as Chuck enjoys it on the open roads. But you can get the story of this amazing bike and team of collaborators from an idea, to a plan and finally to a finished product. Check out Rebuilding the Q-ship; a 1964 Harley Davidson Sportster Member Bike Build at this link in the AMCA Forum [link] https://forum.antiquemotorcycle.org/...dson-Sportster
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These member build threads motivate me to get back on track with my own projects. I’m not sure of the psychology there but it works and I’m not questioning it.
I encourage members of AMCA – join us on the forum and share your build with others. Your experiences will help and inspire others as they work on their projects. It may even get someone interested in purchasing a “project” just to share their experience.
MikeLove
AMCA Forum Moderator
Screen Shot 2020-03-26 at 11.23.41 AM.jpg
Member bike builds are a most fascinating, educational and inspiring feature of the AMCA Forum. What is a member build? It is when a member documents with images and descriptive details and presents the whole story of completing an antique motorcycle. This has become one of my main rally points for promoting the AMCA Forum because the process is in real-time and involves any members that want to ask questions, offer suggestions and in general is an on-going dialogue of the re-building process. There have been a number of bikes re-built for judging, some for participation in the cross country marathon runs and some have ventured into the world of bike - period modified class like a recent build involving a 1927 Harley Davidson JD for which the member has only the engine bottom end but has an end state in mind as a “I'm thinking a period cut down would be fun and also make the project hopefully a bit more affordable (i have no chassis parts at all...).”
The member bike builds are touchstones for inspiration with their discovery of the many sides of an antique motorcycle project. AMCA Member Chuckthebeatertruck (Forum user name) has started one of the latest bike build stories on the forum about his re-build of a 1964 Harley Davidson XLCH from basket-case to complete project. But Chuck’s approach is different. His vision is to complete a project in the way someone may have done in creating a hot rod motorcycle back in 1964.
So, Chuck’s Q Ship as he has named it won’t be a period perfect OEM restoration it will be a rock-solid street rod torque monster. I have heard more and more in recent conversations with the automobile street rod folks as well as with other antique motorcycle enthusiasts that are interested in how someone would go back to a period of time, in this case 55 years ago and approach souping-up their vehicle to their personal custom and performance interests. In Chuck’s words “For our part, we are headed in the opposite direction. [from OEM, Winners Circle restoration] We are going to show you how a hot, street-going Sportster may have been put together 50 years ago.” I say why not? The story itself is a long one that that will give Forum members that opportunity to binge maybe for hours on the details of how to make a hot-rod bike out of box of old parts.
Screen Shot 2020-03-26 at 11.24.43 AM.jpg
Chuck has a very interesting and straightforward writing style that works perfectly for the member bike builds forum. He blends plenty of photos, technical details, cost outlay and personal references. I also like Chuck’s introduction where he included all his collaborator details as well as a list of the goals he hoped to accomplish. His approach can give everyone from members new to re-building an old bike to the long-time veteran builders and restorers tips and ideas that can help keep a project on target. In the most recent post Chuck ends his comments with the following invitation to all readers “The end goal here is to share as much as possible to help folks decide on the direction of projects.”
My intent here is to get people interested in these documentaries of the rebirth of some incredible old bikes, offer some insight to the complex and long process and to maybe prod some motivation and confidence for others to do the same. If nothing else the Member Bike Build posts are interesting and entertaining especially if you are interested in the details of an antique bike build.
Screen Shot 2020-03-26 at 11.30.45 AM.jpg
I have had some on-line discussion with Chuck asking questions about his plans and especially about some of his decisions. I am a rookie at classic bike rescue so all my questions are to gain a better understanding. I appreciate that Chuck and many of the other people that have documented their re-builds have always been open and thorough in explaining their approaches. In one area I asked about why Chuck was going to have outside vendors complete some of his work and he provided a very thorough explanation emphacizing the cost effectiveness the time savings because he could work on other things simultaneously. He had well thought out economic theories on why he couldn’t do the work cheaper. In this regard he helped me gain a better understanding of why the treating, de-plating of some parts and plating of others were better done and less expensive in the long run if you contract it out to specialists. This was a big help to me to better understand this thinking.
Screen Shot 2020-03-26 at 11.33.01 AM.jpg
The thread of Chuck’s Q ship build is changing and progressing and by the time some of you read this it will be a completed muscle bike wearing out its tires as Chuck enjoys it on the open roads. But you can get the story of this amazing bike and team of collaborators from an idea, to a plan and finally to a finished product. Check out Rebuilding the Q-ship; a 1964 Harley Davidson Sportster Member Bike Build at this link in the AMCA Forum [link] https://forum.antiquemotorcycle.org/...dson-Sportster
Screen Shot 2020-03-26 at 11.34.04 AM.jpg
These member build threads motivate me to get back on track with my own projects. I’m not sure of the psychology there but it works and I’m not questioning it.
I encourage members of AMCA – join us on the forum and share your build with others. Your experiences will help and inspire others as they work on their projects. It may even get someone interested in purchasing a “project” just to share their experience.
MikeLove
AMCA Forum Moderator
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