way cool flathead

checkout the blue flathead @ http://www.clevelandmotorcyclemfgco.com

Let's try this '42 for a measure of cool (just a pic snagged off ebay, prolly 2 years ago)

I've seen that blue chopper posted here before.... not my sort of thing at all, I have to say. I'm not in the least embarrassed to stand alongside the 'old boys' who would leave a frame hanging in the rafters for 20 years rather than let it end up like that; modified bikes using 'best practice of the day' or vintage racers are one thing, modern goodies to improve the breed like 12volt electrics or belt drives are fair enough, but builds like that have nothing to do with anything the MoCo ever did or intended.

I wonder how the "Cleveland" gets the gas from the front of the tank to the line at the rear.
It must pop a lot of wheelies?

....Cotten

Cotten~
Maybe the bike is from San Francisco...... lots of hills to get the gas to the back of the tank. It's an interesting custom nonetheless.

I got to say that, after never particularly liking choppers, there are some awfully interesting ones turning up lately, like the one linked to here. There have even been a couple of nice Vincent choppers, which 20 years ago I would have sworn was impossible.

Since just about everything, engines and frames, is available now new, a chopper doesn't necessarily mean someone messed up a perfectly good original machine, so I figure let everybody have their fun, as long as I don't have to ride the damnthings.

I've seen that blue chopper posted here before.... not my sort of thing at all, I have to say.

this is my 1942U, there was no plan in this project, just what was left over after my knuck was stole

Since just about everything, engines and frames, is available now new, a chopper doesn't necessarily mean someone messed up a perfectly good original machine, so I figure let everybody have their fun, as long as I don't have to ride the damnthings.

I've seen that blue chopper posted here before.... not my sort of thing at all, I have to say.

well that's about right, I suppose. The bad old days when good original gear was being wrecked wholesale for no good purpose, producing unusable freaks, are gone and the upside is the availability of good repro stuff, or at any rate you can get pretty much anything of a quality as good as you are going to get

I'm thinking those are oil lines coming off the back of the storage tank Cotten, but still can't see the gas line??
Like your Flatty too, KF, see you're using modern stoppers too. Curious what you're using and how you anchored it on the Front.
DD

Fuel pick up and it's exit point do not necessarily have to coincide. Siphon tubes could be run from rear petcocks to the sump at the front of the tank internally.

I didn't say it was my cup of tea. All my bikes are stock. It looks like no original parts were ruined, all aftermarket or handmade. Just a flathead motor. It just looks cool.

appearance is a matter of opinion... I greatly doubt it has a fuel syphon system, I would suspect that the lines are just 'where they are' because that's where they were on the original tank, or they were put there for styling reasons without regard for function. I don't see anything about that bike to indicate that it has ever run... I've once siphoned fuel out of a tank by priming the suction hose, which you would need to do every time you started the engine if that's how it works, and it's not much fun

Hang-in there, BRAD. You are 100% right about original parts. no probs there

That rig has a form of Chica-like design to it, long & low. I recall Milwaukee Iron (the fender guys) doing something similar.

It's all good for grinz. Sure did get your topic moving...gotta luv that 42U chop, too

Stock v. Modified, a long running discussion that has filled many a weekend and seen the consumption of much alcholic beverage. This (as many of you know) is not confined to just the motorcycle crowd. A buddy of mine has a t-shirt of a guy standing next to a chopped, channeled, sectioned 32 Ford thats powered by an early Hemi (Rules) holding a beer in one hand and a torch in the other. The shirt reads a "Anybody can restore .... it takes a real man to cut something up." I'm sure "Uncle Burt" would argue about the advantages of improving "original factory engineering", but to each thier own.

The silliest arguement (by a bunch of real assholes) was when I was in San Diego at a AMCA meeting discussing who could be in thier antique calender. There was a guy out there (real famous in 45's, had a couple in Easyrider's back in the day, one with his buddy and matching 45's (RL) sporting "Flexi-Flier" (?) side hacks) that had a gorgeous period bobber with fox tails on the handlebars and dice for dash knobs, OD Green w/Maroon striping, etc. The (then) President said his machine couldn't be in the club calender becausr it wasn't factory stock, yet his Knuck was on the cover, complete with chrome rims and bars. I argued that the factory didn't produce bikes like that (although if I'm wrong I'm sure someone here will correct me), that chrome on those parts was aftermarket or a dealer option. They really copped an attitude and I ended up shining the whole thing on.

Stock is cool (but lets not argue whether the engine case bolt is a 40 or a 41 on my 42 U Police bike), custom is cool (a late 50s period Bobber), just as long as they run when ya' kick 'em and stop when the hardbellies smile.

Hey Flatheadride,
What were you drinking when you were at that San Deigo, CA AMCA Meeting? Although CA does have four AMCA chapters there is none within 100 miles of San Deigo.
Were you perhaps at the San Diego Antique Motorcycle Club. If so it is not connected with the AMCA.

Here is a list of the CA chapters.
44. Ishi Chapter – Northern California
James McNichols
4328 Altatina Drive
Chico, CA 95928
Phone: 530-891-8374

45. Fort Sutter – Northern California
Rich Hardmeyer
11701 Clay Station Road
Herald, CA 95638
Phone: 209-748-5126
E-mail: spraynet@softcom.net
Web site: http://amcafortsutter.org/

46. Yerba Buena – Northern California
Rick Najera
370 San Leandro Way
San Francisco, CA 94127
Phone: 415-469-8359. E-mail: loride17@aol.com

47. SoCal – Southern California
Tim Graber
2058 Aliso Ave
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Phone: 949-642-9682
E-mail: tgraber@pacbell.net
Web site: http://www.socalamca.org

48. Los Angeles – Southern California
Craig Taylor
330 Whipporwill Drive
Riverside, CA 92507
Phone: 951-781-8918
E-mail: taylorprimo@aol.com
Web site: http://losangelesamca.org/

My mistake, it was the San Diego AMC, I thought they were a chapter of the AMCA.

My mistake, it was the San Diego AMC, I thought they were a chapter of the AMCA.

No, They feel that are better than the AMCA.

To me, "Form follows Function". I don't see it on that chop. And for an old fart like me, that would be one very uncomfortable ride. G

I just got this one off ebay: 42 UL