Just wanted to wish you ALL a very Merry Christmas, I am between festive food right now, so sneaked off just to type this out for you to see.
Hope all ave a fun time and will chat again tomorrow when I have slept off all this food.
Well, here we are, almost the big day, this year flew past and to be honest, I am looking forward to a fresh start in 2020, had a tough year with life in general, as my Girls mom passed away, things have been quite stressful in life generally and even though I have been busy, it is always good to start a New Year off and with a Bang.
I am super happy with All my Customers, thank you all for supporting me and using my parts to get your machine back together, especially all the Custom builders, as I have seen a real turn in the Motorcycle industry, and the reason for that is because of you lot.
It is you that have taken many months to design and create your unique ride, our “Sub Culture” has been recognized by the big guns in the motorcycle industry and even Ducati and Harley have a Cafe Racer, as well as Kawasaki, who would of thought that? I am super stoked to see peoples machines hitting the tarmac for the first time, I am hoping to maybe feature some of your builds if you can send me a detailed build list, where you are from and some great back ground shots of your masterpiece sitting in the middle of the photo.
It is an exciting time for us all in the Custom world and many more people have taken notice and you see lots more cool machines on the road thanks to you lot and i want to take this oppertunity to wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas, this next year will be a fun one, I can feel it in my bones.
Thank you so much for thinking of me when you come to need parts or apparel and look forward to seeing some of your Motorcycles in 2020.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL.
Hard to believe that Christmas is already upon us and not long left until some of you will be burping and snoring as you have demolished anything that was left of the Turkey, well, that is if you are from back home in Britain, out here in the states, Turkey is eaten at thanks giving, so usually we have Prime rib or Ham for Christmas dinner here, still takes me a bit of getting used to, even though I have been here almost two decades. hard to believe that I left the UK back in 1997, the pic below is the last ride I had on my Triumph to an event.
Loved that Old Daytona and did many miles on it, going to hemsby was a 260 mile ride and I sure had a blast with that 1969 Daytona, but the bloody carbs always went out of tune and was forever tuning the bike, but, thats the trumpys for ya.
Heading back to North London, darker hair and only 140 pounds, those were the days, I loved Motorcycles and Hot Rods and had many over the time, something I still do to this day.
Before I moved to the other side of the world, I repainted the Triumph Black and gold leafed the tank badges, I really wanted to take the bike with me and wish i could of had the opportunity as I knew every nut and bolt on that machine, this was the last but one pic taken of that bike in Alexandra Palace where I loved in North London, I rode this machine every day in Rain, wind and many times in the snow, as thats all I had in 1997.
A happy guy as I had just tuned the carbs once more, I took her for a blast up around the M25 and boy did she rip, as I had just repaired the cylinder head as it had a hair line crack in it, fitted a Boyer Ignition and this T100 would really pull hard as you hit 4000 revs, it was like it found another gear and would literally take off. Wish I still had that 1969 Daytona.
Old photo of me with my 1961 Ford Consul Lowline, I bought it from original owner and painted it Red with a white roof, as it was boring grey, I drove that all over the place and was always doing different things to that car.
Above is just as I started work on the Ford, I didnt like the stock grey color and needed it to be a bright Red, this was a fun project and off I started with another Custom machine.
Jeez, that was a crazy fun time in my life, look at that high Flat top hair cut for a start, but I remember it as if it was yesterday and glad I had this image still.
Probably should of deleted this one LOL but those were the 80’s and you would have to pay me a lot of money to wear that shirt again ha ha ha.
So with that I shall bid you lot a fond faewell, just wanted to share these pics with you, I have always tinkered with old stuff and always will do.
Time does fly when you are having fun, especially if you are at home, or in the Garage, slinging wrenches about and seeing what you can create from a pile of old parts and see if you can turn it into the machine that you have thought about for a longtime.
The weather is supposed to be a bit crap this weekend but the weather doesn’t really effect me in the garage and I can continue to bang and grind to my hearts content if I so desire, and, the same goes for you lot I am sure.
The bit about building a bike or a part for your machine or Hot Rod for that matter, is , the fact that you did it your self in your own time line and how you wanted it, there is something so rewarding as having something that you have designed in your head, come to life and for me, that will always be a buzz when I fire something up for the first time and hear it come to life.
The Grin is always a mile long and I am sure that yours is too? If I can help with parts for you, a buddy or even a gift for that gear head in your family, I am always here to advise etc, you can always email me carpy@carpyscaferacers.com and even text me on 714-598-8392 and set your mind at rest that I will answer and help you on the way to what you need and know, it will fit and function.
This is my Passion and my Life, so- after 19 years here doing this, I strive to do even more in the following years to produce many more cool parts for the two wheeled fraternity.
My Girlfriend Jennifer loves to ride with me when ever she can and she has changed my life for the better, what a perfect harmony that I have with my girl on her Triumph as we belt around this great country, taking in all the sights and sounds.
If you want a Custom seat me by yours truly, to getting enough parts to make a start on a snotty old project that has been sitting for years, just let me know, I am here to help.
Have a great weekend everyone and hope you either get some time in the saddle or have fun building something Above and below is the same bike, see what can be done to these machines?
A whole lot of fun, thats for certain.
Thanks again and I hope that you enjoyed todays little blog.
I have always been interested in Motorcycles and Hot Rods, I had a 3 window Coupe in the UK back in the 1980’s and loved anything that was related to Post WW2 ie Planes, Wooden Chris Craft Boats or Fighter planes of the day etc.
So Motorcycles and Hot Rods go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches or Tea and Biscuits, but I have been so blessed to have been invited to many shows and events and have been a part of quite a few TV Commercials and interviews etc. It is a fun time for me and I enjoy it all.
Thank you all for supporting me over these 19 years. its always a wild ride and who knows were it will take me next, I shall always be myself no matter what.
Well, I need to clean some of my old storage out and thought I would have a bit of a play about today, being its Sunday , and see if I can at least come up with some sort of rolling frame.
So a few bits and bobs were put together to see where this may go, not sure what style or Caff or Brat style but just having a dig around out of my old parts to see where we end up.
I had about 3 hours to spare today and wanted to try and at least collate some parts that have been getting in the way in storage and this would be a fun project to start on today in the garage.
So, a fun afternoon just playing with an old neglected frame that had been butchered up many many years ago and to save it from the junk yard, I took it off a friends hands and thought that I could at least do something with it and save another inline four from the scrap pile.
Well its all about there, not sure if I like it or not, the Alloy 5 Gallon hand Made gas tank is fun but not sure on the seat and I do not like the handlebars at all, but thats all I had kicking around the garage, either needs Clip on’s or a set of Ace Bars.
Not sure on the smaller LED headlight right now but I had these old parts laying about here in my garage, so its a mock up and I am sure this bike will go through a few guises until I am happy with the look and the style that I want to try and create.
Up in my Rafters, I had a coupe of old Dresda swing arms, this one is a NOS CB750 version, so I thought I may as well use the thenig and am happy that I have, of course I shall run a wider rim later too as I want to fill that void up.
I had some old Tarrozzi rear sets brackets so if I go the Caff route, then the ends of the brackets of the frame will get nipped off and sealed up with weld for a clean look.
The whole point of me mocking the bike up , is to see if there is any parts that I really like and may help the bikes lines flow nicely, I am not sure on this old CR750 seat, its ok but I am just not feeling it to be honest, so I may put this one back in the storage and think again.
The 5 Gallon Manx tank is cool but I am not feeling it on this frame at all right now, mainly because I am not a fan of the handlebars I fitted, but as its a Sunday and I am using parts from the garage, it will do for a while but am sure this will change its look as time goes on here.
But I have it all mocked up and I may go with my Custom gauges, just for that Classic look and will refurbish the left speedo to match the Skull and cross bones tachometer.
Just want to show that I do use old knackered parts and I can change the look and style right here in the garage, as this build goes along you will see some progress shots but I need to have a rolling frame that I am happy with, before I tear it all apart and start to the tiresome hours of welding, grinding, sanding and refurbishing, until i am happy with the way it is looking.
it looks ok but just not turning my crank, so i think I will try another petrol tank as some times that alone can change the lines and flow of a bike, so i have an old k3 gas tank I can plop on and see what that looks like compared to this Manx Alloy version.
Well, I do like the Original tanks of the K series, but not sure I like the seat at all now, thats all part of the mock up, just keep going unto you are happy with the look that you are after, this may take some time, but its all worth it in the end, you just cant rush this stuff.
Well, the Handlebars are now doing my head in and as the light is starting to go I may pull the plug for this afternoon and re-charge myself once more and see where we go on this old girl.
The main objective today was just to piece together a bunch of old parts that have been collecting dust in my storage and around the garage, so at least I have made some progress to some extent.
I am glad that I used the Dresda swing arm and hope to be banging out my own version of these again, but stay tuned to how this old K model is going as i hope to make a cool, head turning machine that will belt along the highways and byways of Southern California, stay tuned……………………………..