New project

Yeah, I know. Like I need another one. I bought this quite awhile ago and finally picked it up. Right now I'm storing it at a buddies place...Thanks Randy;). It's a 36 that I'll get to after the 42 is done.

Da' Shovel

Dave stopped by with his shovel the other day and I snapped some quick pics. It was originally my bike that never got completed. I was waiting for a nice set of Pan heads to complete the bike. Dave saw it and talked me into selling it to him and then ended up having me do the fab and mock up for him. He's gonna' paint it eventually, but he's just having too much fun riding it right now.

Did it again...

Just finished my buddy Chris' frame. Came in as a quite a disaster, but I got it all fixed up. The bottom rail someone tried to put in was about 2 inches too short and it was pushing the front motor mount up onto the bend at a really crazy angle. It also had some goofy "fixture" holding it together. It is now a 31 degree rake, -2 in the down tubes and -1 in the back bone...oh, yeah. It's straight too.

Raking...

No not leaves. Been raking, deraking and stretching frames for the past couple weeks. Fun stuff. I dig cutting stuff up and putting it back together. Talked to Jason at TBW and we both did some cool mods to our frame jigs.


Before















After






Tom's frame





























My FXR...deraked to 25.5 degrees for the R1 front end.

Domestic Violence

I don't endorse smacking your bit** up, but this is some funny sh**.

Days gone by...

Well, I never actually too k the time to say much about this, but 6 months later I am still pretty broken up over it. My wife and I have 3 dogs, Lucy, Linus, and Bugsy. Lucy and Linus came to us from the pound and have a story that I will go into another time. Bugsy was our big, goofy boxer. He became part of our family when Diane's brother passed away several years ago. We knew him as a puppy when Duane got him while he and his wife were staying with us. We weren't too happy that they brought a dog home, but we're not the types to stay upset for very long. Diane's brother passed away in October 0f 2004 and shortly thereafter (another story there too, but we'll go there another time) we adopted him. I have to tell you, I was a little opposed to this because he would slobber on everything. I'm not a fan of dog spit. Anyway, fast forward 5 years and I am really attached to this dog. He had a personality that could win you over even if he just ate your $200.00 shoes. I REALLY loved this dog. I bonded with Bugsy more than I have bonded with most of the people in my life...I know, sad, but true.

By now, you probably get where this is going by all the past tense referrals I'm using. Bugsy had a heart condition that we were constantly aware of. Alot of you that know me, know that I was always trying to sell parts on the Jockey Journal and The Horse Swap Meet to try and pay for his many procedures. Last July 6th, Bugy's heart finally gave out. Diane came home from grocery shopping and Bugsy wanted out. She let him out and he was acting kind of odd. Long story short, he went outside, laid down under the deck and left us. Fortunately, Diane was there to comfort him when he passed. He was 8 years old and the best friend I ever had. Goodbye, buddy. I hope there is something after this life and you're there when it's my time.

I'm over it.

OK, so I'm done with my rant and off my high horse. I still stand by what i've said, but no one really wants to hear me bitch anyway, right? Right. Ok, so here's the latest project...the old crusty Ford pickup rat, street, or whatever rod. I'm hoping for something a little nicer than a rat, but funds will determine that.

I built the frame with 2 X 3 X 3/16 rectangular tube. For my first attempt at a street rod frame, I'm pretty happy with it. It is a four link front and rear with air ride. I made all the suspension components myself...scary!! Frame is Z'd and it will sit 2 inches off the pavement when fully dropped. Why not lay frame? Well, I'm glad you asked. You see, I am one of those guys with really bad luck, I decided that if I kept it 2 inches from the ground, if I blew an air line, bag, valve or anything else, I can still drive it home. Laying frame is pretty bad ass, but I'm not tempting fate. I'll post more pics as it come together. Oh, yeah. That's a 390 FE motor. I love old big blocks and thought an old scholl big block would be way more hip than a 302. It is just massive next to the SBF I originally planned for this...and I'm sure the torque numbers will be a tad higher too.