TRIUMPH BOBBER BEGININGS

The hunchback is on the surgery table ready for a cosmetic face lift.

It will be getting a 4" stretch rear end and lowered front end.

New gas tank, rear fender, oil tank, handlebars,

back rim, both tires and a recovered leather seat.

FLATHEAD CHOPPERS

Some believe flatheads should not be choppers...

Tell that to these guys!!!

CHOPPER TRANSFORMATION PART 1

A BIT MORE 45

This week Dan's 45 was featured on bikeexif.com, and here are some of the comments-

''Beautiful bike, so much character. If only it could tell it's stories.''

''This is a beautiful bike. I know it would probably be blasphemous, but I would finish the paint. Nothing flashy, no metallic, the same color, and I think that would complete the bike. At least for me.''

''I agree with you on the paint; and I think you had the right strategy. People seem to forget that stuff is only original ONCE! I also think modern American culture is obsessed with squeaky clean, shiny stuff, and have lost sight of the "soul" of real hardware, like this bike. But that obsession is a result of generations raised on television, fast food and a lack of the handy crafts. Keep up the good work.''

''One of the best looking bikes I've seen on here in some time. It's brilliant that this was saved and able to be enjoyed so many years later. I remember that flatty bobber that came out of this shop as well which i liked a lot. Keep up the good work Jamesville.''

''....43 wlc would be od green or navy gray....so the patina is off.....seat post gone....civilian muffler with strange bandages on the clamps.....mis matched fenders and all with dents etc.....civilian wheels, unless it be south african wla(c)(?)......it's a sweet story.....waxing nostolgic for a bike that is neither here nor there.....??hey i like it too, but it is what it is.....''

''The change of colours, swapping of parts are the story of the bike. It would be eays to take it back to it's original state and over restore it losing it's character. Congratulations to James and the owner for preserving the integrity of this bikes history. I notice the pillion perch, was the owner's Grandmother courted on this vehicle?''

SHE FEELS FORGOTTEN

JAMESVILLE '43 WLC FLATHEAD

STORY WRITTEN BY MOTO RIVISTA.

James Roper-Caldbeck operates a small custom motorcycle shop in Copenhagen, Denmark called ‘Customs from Jamesville‘. Using mostly Harley Davidson’s from the 1930′s to the 1960′s, James builds custom bikes for people who love the old school look.

Nicknamed ‘Beast’ because of a 666 stamped into the engine case, today we are taking a look at the 1943 Harley-Davidson WLC 750. A forgotten machine this bike had spent the last 60 years in a basement, until the grandson of the original owner took it to James for a restoration. Now if you take a look at the before shot (Click here) you will see this was not going to be an easy process. In-fact James himself wondered what on earth he had got himself into! Safe to say the end result was one that had everyone smiling and especially this old and tired Harley Davidson who got a new lease of life and once again got to see the sights around town!

Restoring a motorbike is quite a daunting job and what makes it harder is trying to keep the originality. Sometimes motorbike builders get tempted during the restoration process and end up replacing lots of the original parts instead, this was not the case with this build. To begin with the restoration James stripped the bike down to the frames with a few problems but nothing a grinder couldn’t fix.

James opened the transmission and the bottom end of the engine, and the good news was they both looked like the day they left the factory – The ‘Beast‘ will rise again! James wanted to keep the original paint so after giving it a nice clean, sanding it down and a little buff with old turtle wax the bike was back in 1943.

“After being dropped out of a plane with a parachute, making it through a World War, and then finally being used as a tow truck to jump start the old 6 volt cars at the dealership, the handle bars were bent to shit, well not anymore!” says James.

The bike begin to take its shape, resurrected from a WLC wreck! The new carb was mounted to the original air filter and the original hubs were completely rebuilt and painted. The last job on this bike was the saddle, James bought an original Harley seat pan for $16 and put some new foam on and covered it with some beautiful 100% cow skin.

In the end what we witness is a blast from the past, a motorbike with it’s history and heritage restored as it would be in the year 1943. For more from ‘Customs from Jamesville‘ check out the website – James also makes some nice looking saddle bags!

'THE BEASTS' DETAILS

HARDTAIL GOOSENECKED SPORTSTER ANYONE??

Sometimes after a few beers the parts start coming off the self.

Sometimes you still end up with a pile of junk, and then

sometimes you end up with something that just NEEDS to be built.

THE BEAST IS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK

The bike has been nicknamed the 'Beast', because at some

point '666' was stamped into the engine case.

After standing for 60 years i thought this

bike would never come to pieces, but bit by bit it is.

WALL PAPER

JAMESVILLE '37 UL FLATHEAD BOBBER

STORY WRITTEN BY BIKE EXIF.

James Roper-Caldbeck doesn’t churn out bikes by the dozen. So when a new one rolls out of his Copenhagen, Denmark shop, it’s invariably worth a close look. And this lean green Harley-Davidson bobber is a curious mix of components that work well together. You’re looking at a 1937 flathead engine and gearbox, sitting in a panhead frame—hence the slight rake on the forks. The engine has way more pep than the original: it’s topped with later-era ironheads, and breathes through a Dell’Orto carb. The forks are from an obscure World War II XA (Experimental Army) shaft drive bike, and the tank is a 1947 item. A Bates seat adds to the authentic look, along with Stewart Warner gauges up front and a Sparto taillight out back. And repro Avon tires sitting on lovely 16″ rims. Unfortunately, the bike isn’t for sale: it was commissioned for a customer. But if you live in Europe and you’re looking for a beautifully crafted ‘Old School’ Harley bobber, give Customs From Jamesville a call.

JAMESVILLE '47 U FLATHEAD

STORY WRITTEN BY BIKE EXIF.

James Roper-Caldbeck is an Englishman who rebuilds old Harleys in Denmark. This bike is a 1947Flathead, and over 62 years it has been though many transformations. When James bought it, he realized the frame, engine, gearbox and oil tank were original. “It came with the SU carb, then I added the Morris Magneto, chopped-down speedster handlebars, 19-inch aluminum rims and a Empi stinger exhaust for old time’s sake.” James wanted to keep the feel of a ‘working machine’, so he painted as few parts as possible: the metallurgy is what you notice on this motorcycle, rather than a Hot Wheels paint job. The tank is stained with Gun Blue, a chemical used to protect shotguns. You can see more of James’ painstaking work here.

SPECS

1947 frame, engine, gearbox and oiltank. Panhead 

primary cover, WL forks, sportster rims, 1926 headlight, 

and custom handelbars. British rear fender and 

Empi muffler. Unknown tank and back light.