Clay Cobb Customs set up the...
Clay Cobb Customs set up the engine with a custom dual intake manifold with twin Mikuni carbs hanging off each side of the Panhead.
My dad's father passed away on July 26, 2000. After returning from the hospital, I emailed Eddie about the passing. He asked me to tell my dad he was sorry and said we really should get together soon. He said things with work were working out good again so he should be able to travel to Michigan maybe the next summer. We said our goodbyes and I went to bed. The next morning my mom called, and told me I needed to sit down. Shortly after our last conversation, Eddie told his wife he was having horrible pain in his shoulders and went to go sit down and try and relax. He died almost immediately from a massive heart attack. Let this be a learning moment: don't ever let life get in the way of living.
A few months later, a large truck pulled up outside my house, and for the first time in 27 years, the Blue Bitch was back in Michigan. She had been idle for almost 13 years by then, having had a good 31-year run up to that point, she needed some work when put up last. Thirteen years of storage in a humid environment with close proximity to a salty ocean air had taken its toll. Even in her present condition, before rolling her into the garage, I faithfully took out the hose and washed and dried every inch and then cleared a prominent space in the garage. Next, began another transformation that would last another nine years.
Being an experienced auto mechanic, taking things apart was not a problem, so over the next few weeks, I removed and stored every nut and bolt. Because this bike had belonged to my Uncle Buzzard, I knew it was special; because this was early in my biking years, I didn't yet realize just how special it was to become.
Over the next seven years, bikes came and went, people came and went, but the Blue Bitch patiently sat and waited. I moved, it moved with me; I moved again, it moved with me again. I finally settled in my current home, and things started to fall into place. I had gotten to know Boomer, owner of Boomers Bike Shop, over the previous year and revealed to him that I had this old 'basket case' in my barn. Being Boomer, he immediately offered to buy it, but after being told I didn't want to sell it he gave me a card for a shop called Chop Docs Choppers and said "If I was going to build a bike, this is who I would call." He also gave me the phone number for the store's previous owner, Terry Gotchuck, and said he was the man to see about getting that Panhead motor redone.
I took his advice and made some calls. Ron Harris, the owner of Chop Docs, agreed to meet and talk about the project. Ron had been invited to compete in a Michigan bike-builders show and was crazy about using a '56 Panhead as his project. I told him about the history and family connection and he agreed that "Ol Buzzard" was going to be his bike for the competition.
Starting with the engine, work began right away. When Terry separated the cases he found an almost pristine 84ci S&S stroker crank, flywheels and rod set. Unfortunately, almost everything else was shot and needed to be replaced or repaired, including the cases. Although reproduction cases are available, it was paramount to me that we keep the originals, so after some masterful pinning and welding, and meticulous machining work by Clay Cobb that allowed for a shovel-style cam bearing, the cases were ready. Terry hand polished all the original parts and replaced the ones that needed it. He installed an upgraded Andrews oil pump, oversized cylinders and S&S pistons bringing the total displacement up to 92ci. The cams were bumped up and the vintage Joe Hunt magneto was rebuilt. Meanwhile, over in Chop Docs Shop, things were moving ahead on the frame.
Ronnie had the frame media blasted and installed a DNA 2-inch over springer. At the local swap meet he scored a set of stock Fat Boy wheels that he had sanded down and polished. Coker wide whitewall tires completed the vintage look and feel. Evil Engineering supplied a 2-inch offset-helical belt drive to handle the upgrade in engine power. The original four-speed kick-only transmission was cleaned up and mounted. As an old Detroit bike, a slew of vintage hot-rod parts paid homage to the hometown, including the Ford taillight out back and the Hurst Lightning Rod jockey shifter. Since this bike was built to ride, juice brakes were installed to give it a little better stopping power to offset the go-go motor.
Up top, the very first set of the new Chop Docs Hang 'Em High bars were installed on dog-bone risers. An alien tank, a hand-fabbed seat pan and a vintage Ron Finch rear fender rounded out the sheetmetal. Having an eye for recycled beauty, Ron mounted an oil tank from a 1987 FXR that looks like it was made just for this bike. Once all the mock-up was done, Ron laid a base coat of Hollywood Green on all the painted parts and then added panels with silver and eye-popping flake. He tapped Dr. Rue to stripe everything out and the time for final assembly had come.
After 53 years, many coast to coast trips, several styling changes, this family heirloom was about to once again take it's rightful place out on the road. On the last night of the last day of the last week before it's unveiling at the build-off, many friends and family gathered and waited with excitement. Ron bolted on the custom made twin Mikuni carbs and dual-intake courtesy of Clay Cobb Racing, the fuel lines and cables were quickly hooked up and the fluids were filled. After some dead kicks to prime the oiling system, the magneto was switched on, the plugs were installed, the carbs were fueled and as Terry brought his weight down on the kicker, the motor breathed to life, roaring through the flanged drag pipes, sounding both as a homage to a fallen brother and a promise that the journey has many miles yet to go.