Billy Bike Replica

[D.A.Bagin]

Eric, sorry I wasn"t able to answer sooner as I was at Oley. If you remove the sissy bar and cut down the pipes I'll ride it now. The bike was done a long time ago and then was then and now is now. I certainly wouldn't want to see this done to a good bike today. I'm not a fan of the current breed of choppers anymore but do enjoy looking at period correct bobbers. Maybe the parts from that motor went to getting someone on the road recently who correctly brought the bike back. Nobody knows that answer. p.s Know anyone with a set of period "Organ Pipes"??

[Chris Haynes]

This bike was built by Pat Taylor

I think the best California Bobber there was this one from David Jackson of San Antonio, TX. Notice that no original parts were chromed.

However none of these three bikes won anything the Dave Mann Chopper Fest in Ventura, CA The 1ST, 2ND, and 3RD all went to bikes that were obviously Fat Bob Choppers and were incorrectly entered into The California Bobbers class. Their inept judges let that slip by.

[Ross]

Interesting discussion. SirHr you and I have similar beliefs,motorcycle enthusiasts etc.I saw the movie and liked it for all the reasons mentioned. I was in high school and was a rider. I chopped a perfectly good BSA shortly after. Now for the original inquirery.....I'm pretty sure John Parnam bought an accurate repro of a Billy Bike for the National museum in Anamosa and if I were you I would contact them or better still pay a visit with a camera . Perhaps John and Company could put you in touch with the original restorer. I saw the bike with his original Capt. America bike and they looked good together. The movie will always remind of simple and easy going times for me.Good luck with your project.For the record I think any motorcycle forum is appropriate for discussions about all bikes if it's in the right heading ( as you did with P L C). We that have been in the old bike hobby for over 40 years have also done other aspects of motorcycling...so, as always this forum is a must for the antique enthusiast and any motorcycle lover.

[RichO]

Eric and Lonnie

If you go back on Pete's site just a little further there's photos and comments on the early days of the AMCA and other related antique bike stuff here in Cal starting in the late 60's. The guys talked about and shown were our mentors back in the days when we were all snotty nosed kids.

[exeric]

Thanks Rich. Great pictures.

[jurassic]

rich ,really enjoyed the cut down posts on petes site. here's one for the chopper thread.

[RichO]

Cutdowns and bobjobs

Eric, checkout www.occhiolungo.wordpress. That's member Pete Young's blog. He was on the Cannonball Run. Thumb down a couple of posts and he has a period photo piece on cut downs and bobjobs. i think you'll enjoy it.

[RichO]

Green/Blue bobjobs

Eric, The green one was built by Paul Wheeler (L.A.) the second by his partner in crime. It (the blue one) won the Peoples Choice Award at the AMCA Dixon National meet two or three years ago. I build at least one Knuckle bobjob a year for an AMCA friends. Change the exhaust, bars and fenders and their stock bikes again. Even to the parkerized and cad fasteners, etc. My chops are just recycled old aftermarket or already alter pieces. A Socal boy that rode them in the early sixties and never stopped. Hotrod mentality. Go figure. p.s. I do stockers too.

[exeric]

Both of these pictures were taken by Chris Haynes. I really like elements of both bikes and want to incorporate them into my '51FL project. Nothing was hurt building these bikes, and I'm sure the builders have had a lot of fun with them.

[exeric]

[RichO]

The Electric Chair

Eric, Thanks for sharing. I have color photos of this famous show bike, "The Electric Chair", that I took in the mid-sixties at the L.A. Autorama. Also photos of the Roth (parked next to it) Crosley powered trike that showed up at the AMCA Rhinebeck swapmeet about three years ago. All part of our two-wheeled history. I've had stocker Knuckles, Super X's, and 101 Scouts and rode the wheels off them. Now i think i'll go out and wax my '40 knuck Cal bobjob (done after i had restored it to 100 points), fire up my '88 sportster ( that I bought new) now in a rigid frame with a wassel tank painted in Frisco in the mid-sixties, and later work on my Shovel with a '47 hardtail welded on and an 18" over Wayne girder on the front. Some of us have never grown up and still do the miles. Thank goodness we have enough stockers out there to satisfy the need to know. How many stockers do you think were never personalized after the dealer. Twenty percent would be pushing it. Big wheels keep on rolling.

[exeric]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8064337.../photostream/#

I'm curious to hear what you think of this D.A.

[D.A.Bagin]

Anyone at age 22 that joins the AMCA should be welcomed with open arms whether he has a 99 point bike or a "Butchered" bike. I don't know if anyone has noticed but the average age of our club member has to be well into the high 40s or more. As for the "Old Timers" that are hurt because of all the bikes that got chopped back in the day, when I bought my 58 Pan for 740.00 off a used car lot in 1970 it was 12 yrs old. Chicks liked choppers not barges then. I don't see anyone here crying about 99-00 evos or twinkies being butchered. Maybe in 50 yrs someone will be crying about it, it just won't be us. So, 51FL, build your Billy Bike and have some fun. Need some old chrome junk?? I'll be happy to trade with you. PM me.

[cdndewey]

I agree with Sirhr, I bet most of these old timers (including myself) on this forum built a chopper or two back in the day. That's what younger people do to express themselves. When you get older and sell a couple of those choppers for about half of what you get for an original bike, not to mention the better ride of an original bike, you'll realize hey maybe the original is the way to go. But for now build your choppers and don't worry what anyone says, it's your bike! As for me, I sold my swap meet built chopper from 30 years ago about 12 years ago, right when the NEW chopper craze was starting up. I now have mostly original stuff but my favorite is a rat '35 VL......

Louie....I love your VL....it looks a little like my 62....lol

[exeric]

I respect anyone that loves to get their hands dirty from doing their own work. The process of building any motorcycle is both frustrating and exhilarating and ultimately, rewarding. The first big Harley I owned was a '57 chopper in a wishbone frame with outside oilder heads. Somehow, I got that thing together but it cost way too much because I had to go to other people for parts and service. The kicker was paying $160 to have the wheels laced and trued. After that bike I was determined to learn as much as I could and that learning process turned this from a collecting hobby to an inter-active world with a million little doors that lead to whole other worlds. You meet the most interesting people when you are challenged by a bike building problem and need help.

51FL, I do have one piece of advice that will make your bike building project a lot easier, and less expensive. . . . Get a lathe.