Power finds it way to the rear wheel through Independent's proprietary open primary and a Baker six-speed RSD tranny, on which Mark bolted some whoa to his go with the addition of a ProFab trans brake.
The tins were next, and, with a modified Fat Katz rear fender in place, Mark got to work on the handmade tank. "I wanted a much rounder tank than had been used in the past," he said.
With that, a properly proportioned and suitably spherical tank was pounded to life in the Soncy Road shop before Mark added a unique aluminum backbone complete with vintage hot rod-style speed hole detailing. Drawing from the automotive side of his business, a '30s-era Ford replica headlight and taillight were ordered from Greening Auto Company to add to the bike's modernized vintage feel.
"We build some custom cars and hot rods in addition to all the collision repair business," Mark said. "We usually do three or four one-off bikes a year, so it all kind of blends back and forth for us. Even in the car stuff, we might pull something off a bike and incorporate it."
The monochromatic painting duties were handled in-house, as well as the minimalist seat. Coming down to the wire, Mark stuck with the mechanical feel of the bike through final assembly by using ARP 12-point fasteners thoughout.
Finally finished, the bike found itself on a rock star-style tour around the country after the Artistry in Iron show, with stops at SEMA and the AMD World Championships. Mark stood back, satisfied to have built a bike barely recognizable as "just another Hardlife."