Oscar Hedstrom Racing

[micmac]

I hate to sound corny, but after 40 plus years of messing with old iron, these photo's make me glad I have finally joined the AMCA. Thanks so much for sharing them.

[pem]

I really want to thank you guys for posting these great pictures. Now, if one was going to
do a movie about motorcycle racing in the early part of the 20th century what time period would you choose? I'm leaning towards 1910-1914 era. There was an explosion of dirt track racing on the fairground horse tracks around the country during this period. Plus of course boardtrack racing. Pre World War I. Pre Model T. There would be no shortage of dirt tracks to use. Or just build one in somebodies hayfield!

I would love to see somebody build a boardtrack too. But if it is built to resemble the boardtracks from this period I'm just afraid it would be too dangerous. I don't think any racer alive today would relish walking around with a 2 foot long splinter sticking in his ass. A lot of racers lost their lives and were severely injured. There is a reason it failed. It is all good to sound like you are fearless and brave but when reality sets in and there is a splinter
sticking through your arm you might have second thoughts. Plus can you imagine what the news media and the saftey nazis would do and say. They just banned atv's for kids recently didn't they. I don't think there would be any insurance companies willing to take a risk on a board track either.

And I was just thinking about how much lumber it would take. With the housing industry in the tank, now would be the best time to build it as the price of lumber is low. What would it cost? What kind of wood? Most likely pine or maple. Maybe poplar. Treated or un-treated?All are plentiful. And where would you build it? Someplace dry so the wood doesn't rot? Someplace where the snow wouldn't sit on the track for the whole winter? What about the fire hazard? And grandstands? Inside the track or outside? And what length would you make it? 1 mile? 1/2 mile? 1/4 mile would be to small I think and would encourage rougher riding. Would you limit the bikes to correct period originals or allow repops which would be quicker for sure. And tires?

I just don't think the possibility of building a reall honest to goodness baordtrack exists in this day and time. However, if somebody does build one and sticks to the original designs I'll be the first to buy a ticket.

later

[rbenash]

I've totally enjoyed this read, photo's, history and detail. Thanks for posting. Another plus was the picture with Milby Jones. I'll never forget the day I spent with him at his then new place in Exton.

It would truly be great if some independent would build a film about the board track era that truly depicts the time, culture, entrepreneurs, technology, and enthusiasm of the time.

[c.o.]

This has certainly turned into quite the interesting thread! Eric, your probably right, I guess we need a New Zealander to make our boardtrack movie! Dick's bang on about the safety police, ya just can't do the things that the crazy buzzards of the past pulled off anymore! I'll also be right behind you in line to buy a ticket if it were ever to happen. Barry I can tell you one thing if we ever happened to by coincidence pick the same lottery numbers, it would be a race to Lonnie's to see what he'd be willing to part with!

Finally to all the naysayers...... what Lonnie is doing should be commended. I mean after all he's not throwing together a random bunch of repop parts and passing it off as a cherry original '36 Knucklehead or some other holy grail machine. He's clearly recreating important historical machines with the utmost attention to detail. One could say he is pulling it off so well that it could be passed off as original and fool the masses. One could also say that he is preserving an important period of race history with examples of significant machines from that period. I don't have the impression that he has been dishonest about his activities up 'til this point, so where's the problem? I guess it's the folks that end up with these machines and how the stories about them could change in the future. Are the antique collectors of the future going to have a confusing challenge ahead of them? In all likelyhood....yes.... But isn't it much more exciting to see an accurate representation of an early machine in the flesh, that runs and thunders like the original (probably better) or should we confine ourselves to the few pictures that are left and call it good? I was under the impression that a healthy debate was encouraged in the club. I can see it now......"This is Eddie Hasha's orginal race bike..........Hey, what are you talking about? This here machine is his race bike!" If folks could just be honest about what they have and enjoy it for what it is, rather than lusting for historical posterity we wouldn't be having these debates.......... as far as calling these recreations fantasy machines......what else would they really be? For those of us who sit around and daydream about what went on a hundred years ago, what else would you call it besides fantasizing? Well I think that's enough rambling for now.........I think I hear the hounds howling!!!

[c.o.]

hmmmmm........ is it just me or is this error deal getting pretty regular again? Anyway has anyone ever heard of this film? Looks like it could be quite interesting....

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgur...%3Den%26sa%3DN

[silentgreyfello]

Is it negative to point out something that is incorrect? Isn't this a forum for learning?

No, it is not negative to point out something incorrect, but get the facts straight first. If you are spouting info like you know what you are talking about when you are incorrect, then who is learning what? The flash nickel in some cases is still bright if the prep work is of high polish before plating. There are many parts like this on early bikes. I would encourage you to take a look at some orig paint bikes and you will see for yourself.
Cheers!

[c.o.]

[c.o.]

Here's some great pics to check out!!!

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgur...%3Den%26sa%3DN

[c.o.]

[c.o.]

Can you imagine what the g-force felt like on tracks banked that steep? Although it seems to me that Maldwyn Jones stated that anybody could ride on those tracks. It was like riding in a straight line on those boards. It was the dirt tracks that were a challenge. I don't know man, it still looks pretty wild!!!

[jurassic]

robbies bike

[jurassic]

i just wanted to finish the whole big base story.when i was 10 my old man got the american racer book from stephan wright.i must have read it a hundred times ,but was really just fascinated by the big base.at that time i never even dreamed of ever even seeing one ,but they always amazed me.years later i had heard there was an engine,but that was all i knew.then i built a small base 8 valve because the top ends were being made.after that i was obsessed with building the big base.the problem was all the known photos never had a direct side shot of the frame,and the pedal crank area was always obscured.at this time i knew they were building a chassis for the original engine. then the new stephan wright book came out with the most perfect side shot of the bike eddie rode.but i still couldn't understand how they attached the pedal crank. so i started building the pedal crank area as it was on the milby jones bike.spent many days on it.then one afternoon at davenport my good friend robbie from oregon was showing me pics of his latest score.and then i saw this picture,and it all finally made sense.the frames were made to hold a tranny ,but they also made this casting if for some reason a tranny was not used. now why they ended up using this setup on the big base is still a mystery.it seems weak to me.but i do know that the milby bike was built before the eddie picture came out ,and i always loved the bike.so i'm not knocking it at all,it is the only real one after all ,and i couldn't hold a candle to brads work.or jims for that matter.

[c.o.]

Super cool story about super cool machines! I bet your big-base sounds like a monster!!!

[jurassic]

[jurassic]

4 valve