~check it out!!!!!!!~

Please check a lot of BADASS choppers movie on my page of YouTube.
Thanx dude.


http://www.youtube.com/redrum000069

~my 1971 T120RV Bonnevile~

~1949 PANHEAD~

Views of Life (part 3)

Here is part three of a three part poem by my great grandfather L.J. Schlattman, from his book of poetry "Gleanings from Life". For part two click here, or to start at the beginning click here.

Views of Life

Scene III. - With God

In my chamber I am sitting,
Darkest hour of silent night,
And the clock is ticking, ticking,
Cinematographic clicking
Films of time and human life.

And I see how nature showers,
Wondrous gifts to mortal man;
Fields and forests, fruits and flowers,
Life and love and mental powers,
To enjoy them as he can.

Ah, I see man climbing upwards,
Shunning vice, deceit and lust,
Climbing higher, growing better,
Breaking sin's abnormal fetter;
Striving to be true and just;

Virtue, honor, truth and justice,
Are attained by mortal man;
Helpful service, righteous living,
Asking naught, but ever giving,
Help and comfort where he can.

Yet I see man sometimes falling,
Pleading sin at mercy's shrine;
Sick and sinful he is calling,
"Help me, Master, I am falling."
And I hear Him gently calling,
"I've redeemed thee, thou are Mine."

Oh, the joy of godly living,
To accept redemption's cost;
Death and sin and fear are shriven,
And to man again is given
Back the Paradise he lost.

All ye peoples, every nation,
"Peace on earth, good will to man,"
Is the slogan of creation;
War, the curse of sin's damnation;
Stop it? Yes, with God we can.

Life is love, is joy, is pleasure,
Life is God's productive mine,
Yielding happiness and treasure,
Pearls and diamonds without measure,
To mankind who lives divine.

Silently again I'm sitting,
Beams of sunshine gleam above;
And the clock is ticking, ticking,
And the cinema is clicking,
"God is mercy, God is love."

~narrow2~

Knucklehead Lightening

OK, sure, its a play on words. The original Knucklehead "Lightening cam" has pretty much passed into the realm of legend; at least among those of us old enough to remember such things. This post has only a tangential connection to those camshafts from the 1930's. It was once common knowledge that you could identify a Lightening cam by the "lightening holes" drilled in the cam gear. I am about 95% sure that was bad information. I think most of the cam gears (as well as circuit breaker drive gears and idler gears) were drilled in the same manner on all pre 1940 Harleys. Whatever the case, the idea of reducing weight to add performance is certainly a valid one.

When I first prepared to go drag racing back in the winter of 1984-85, things were still transitioning from the days when the racer did most or all of the modifications himself, to what we have now; where exotic materials are used on custom manufactured pieces to lighten the bike. I have bored many of my friends with the tale of how I had no drill press that first winter, and used a 3/8" Black & Decker electric hand drill to lighten most of the parts on that bike. I would drill holes until the drill was too hot to hold, put gloves on, and continue drilling until the drill was burning my hands through the gloves. Then I would let the drill cool off and start over. Yeah, a lot of stock parts with a lot of holes.

In the spirit of that early experience, I am approaching the build on "Vinnie", my nostalgia drag bike project, in much the same way. Nothing fancy. Just a lot of holes. Thankfully I have both a drill press and a mill to aid me now, since I doubt that anyone currently makes a hand drill that would survive the abuse like that old Black & Decker did.

Vinnie's rear wheel. Vintage rim with original spokes from my wife's '47

Vintage brake backing plate, well ventilated

New Repop hub with Repop brake drum, also well ventilated

Self destruction: the world right now. Von Dutch was visionary