Carburetor Rebuild Service

Posted on January 20, 2018January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

20 Jan

Offering a Complete Carburetor Rebuild service for ALL of the SOHC HONDA CB750K Models and what you get is a Jewel in the crown of carburetors.

Not cheap at $600 but take a look at the finished set up from the ones you send me and make your own mind up.

Send me your snotty, grimy and oily carburetors, and I will take them all apart, replace any worn parts, clean and vapor blast the bodies, Zinc plate hardware and of course fit New Jets and set the air mixture etc.

Then Fit to a Motor and synchronize to make sure these are right on the money for your machine, all I need to know is what exhaust set up you are running so I can set the jetting.

Also, all the Aluminum Float Bowls and Carb tops are Polished to a chrome finish, these Carbs will really stand out against many and I am sure you will be over the moon with the Quality.

Been doing this over 17 years and offer this service to anyone around the world, we ship Globally and I know that you will love the refurbished set up.

See Below, these are Messy and need totally going through.

Below, now all cleaned, rebuilt and synchronized and ready to bolt on and go.

If you are building your Honda this year but the Carbs are really letting it down, then send them to me and I will send them back ready to fit, just hook your Throttle Cables up once pushed into your intake Manifolds and you are ready to go.

See the Difference when these are completely taken apart and cleaned out, then put back together with new parts, you will love the way these look.

Take the No nonsense approach and get these to me ,and watch how your bike performs with these on rack of Four performing as they did from the Factory.

You can see the Difference, some of the Carbs people have sent me have not been touched in over 3 decades and are covered in all sorts of Nastiness.

Have a look at all the re-plated parts, the finish, the fit, the look and the cleanliness here, this isn’t just sprayed with a bottle of Carb cleaner.

Most people spend all their time on the rest of the Motorcycle and forget about the Carbs, these are all set up right and the air mixture screw is set too, literally push carbs on Manifolds and you are set, your bike will love you for it too.

Needles are set accordingly and parts are stripped and Plated for a show look and you can be sure of a head turning Rack of carbs, they will no longer resemble the ones that you sent in the mail to me.

So treat yourself to a magnificent set of inline refurbished Carbs sending me yours, not cheap but, look how much work goes into getting them to this stage.

I ship all over the Globe, so no worries with that, I also tick the Gift Box and low value for over sea’s Customers, so you dont get hammered with sill Duty charges.

I also offer a Black version of these as well for all the Custom fans out there, the choice is yours.

Thanks for looking and I hope that I am of some Help to you.

OK, back into the Garage as I have many things to get on with on the good old SOHC Honda’s.

www.carpyscaferacers.com 714-598-8392 Call or Text for any help I can give you.

Chelsea Miller Hand Crafted Knives

Posted on January 16, 2018January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

16 Jan

Well I am sure many of you have used a grinding wheel, sanding disc or belt sander to clean up some steel that you have, I always wanted to have a go at making a knife but always seemed to end up making something for the Motorcycle I was working on.

Now, young Dakota went on a Blacksmiths course and he loved it and when you see a finished item, it gives you a sense of satisfaction and pride from all that effort, time, sweat and hard work under a grinder etc.

Now take all this and when your father is a Blacksmith and Carpenter and have a daughter that loves working with Dad, well all I can say is “GREAT JOB GIRL”.

Below is an interview with her and then I added a bunch of very short videos so she can tell YOU her story.

Chelsea Miller:

I’m Chelsea Miller and I make knives. Some of the world’s best chefs use her knives. Chelsea Miller: The chefs at Eleven Madison, Mario Batali, Massimo Bottura. Chefs who make some really, really delicious food.

Let’s say that. And they don’t come cheap. Chelsea Miller: My smaller knives start at $200, the largest knife, the chef knife are $800. I moved to New York when I was 18 and I was singing, dancing, acting, and as much as I love that kind of storytelling, I grew up in Vermont on a farm, home-schooled, my father was a blacksmith, and I was really missing that quality of working with your hands and that creative process.

So I went home for a while at the end of 2011 and started playing around in my father’s shop. These knives came out of that exploration. My friends encouraged me to take out a booth at the Brooklyn Flea and the Brooklyn Flea is an incredible place to be as a creator because there’s an incredible amount of foot traffic and a lot of high profile writers, photographers, chefs. And that’s how I got my first publications in Saveur Magazine and The New York Times and it really blew up from there. Most of all my knives have a grater on the side, which is very unique because I’ve never seen a knife with a grater, but also that is the original function of the original material that I make it from.

They’re made from horseshoe rasps which have that rasp on the side that was originally used for filing horse’s hooves. So in my mind, I thought, “Why take that away?” We can incorporate that into this new tool. Since I’ve started my own business, I’ve noticed a real progressive movement towards more and more and more handmade things and a lot more consciousness about where you items are coming from.

Trying to buy things that are going to last you your lifetime instead of something that’s meant to be thrown away the second you open it. I leave a window of about three to six months. If I were making one knife at a time, that would take me a couple of days, but because I have so many I tend to make them in batches, so as many as I can, I start from the beginning process, maybe 10 knives at the same time. Also other Flatware is available now.

So for a few weeks I’ll be working on those first initial processes on those knives altogether. Then I’ll move on to the next stage. I use the forge for all of my smaller knives and essentially what we’re doing is we’re heating the metal and then using the hammer to hammer out the metal, lengthen the metal, to give us a longer, smoother material. And I don’t do that with the chef’s knives because I want to leave that grater on the side of the knife. So with the larger chef’s knives, I’ve already cut out the pieces in Vermont with an oxy acetylene torch and then once I get them here, I start the stock removal process.

So I start with my bench grinder, grinding away the excess metal on one side to leave the grater on the other. And then I’ll move to my belt sander, and using a series of belts that go from very coarse to very fine, I’ll bring that blade down to a fine edge and make it all shiny and smooth and sharp. Each piece, depending on the way that it looks, it calls for a different piece of wood.

So I’ll shuffle through a lot of wood to find the right wood for the right knife. And we’ll cut out the wood, we will sand the handle a little bit, then we’ll drill the holes, glue it together, clamp it, and then wait for it to cure.

I usually let it cure for about 24 hours. Then we’ll take that off, sand the handle down, all the excess glue off the edges. And then we’ll put a final sharpen on the blade, oil up the handle, and it’s ready to go off and cut some vegetables. ————————————————– Follow BI Video on Twitter: http://bit.ly/1oS68Zs Follow BI on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1W9Lk0n Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/

Chelsea Miller

Fitzke Wood Paddle Boards

Posted on November 27, 2017January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

27 Nov

Born of tradition. Raised by originality. A potent combination of experience & elbow grease. Fitzke Paddleboards seamlessly melds them all with stunning results.

Here is the Fitzke Paddle Board, a luxurious wooden paddle board inspired by the 1920s wooden planes and boats. If the classic paddle boards look like a big foam board, the American designer Kevin Fitzke decided to create this amazing object, entitled The Bootlegger, leading the paddle board into the world of design with a beautiful mix of vintage aesthetics and modern techniques.

The Fitzke Paddle Board is entirely handmade, and hides in front a compartment to store a few things like shoes or a phone. No mention of a prize for this awesome creation, but no doubt that this luxury paddle board will be reserved for the most fortunate.

THE BOOTLEGGER

A TIMELESS LOOK PERFECTED BY MODERN-DAY TECHNIQUE.

paddleboard14

The inspiration for our first board—The Bootlegger—can be found roughly 100 years in the past. Based on the designs of prohibition-era airplanes and wood boats from the 1920’s and 30’s, The Bootlegger is fast, tracks very straight and, most importantly, features a water-resistant storage compartment that’s tucked into the front of the board. This hiding spot is the signature element of The Bootlegger, and is perfect for storing everything from sandals, a jacket, an on-the-water picnic, to your phone (in a plastic bag), wallet, keys or perhaps your favorite bottle of booze.

paddleboard1

DESIGN

Featuring a touring-style design, The Bootlegger made from the best marine-grade mahogany plywood money can buy. It’s sleek and takes advantage of the finest techniques in woodcraft. The Bootlegger is built with less than 10% solid wood, assuring minimal-to-zero wood expansion due to weather and climate change. This guarantees no wood and joinery splitting or cracks due to moisture change. When all the wood is set, we hand-paint the graphics and employ a buffing sequence on the varnish for a museum-quality shine. The result is a stunningly beautiful board that’s perfect for the advanced-beginner to intermediate rider.

paddleboard2

BUILT BY HAND

There’s nothing quite like The Bootlegger on the water today. And not just because the design itself is patent-pending, but each one of our models is built to order—by hand.
The only question that remains is what will you store in your Bootlegger?

paddleboard7

BOOTLEGGER BOARD CONSTRUCTION

paddleboard5

Made using European 1088 Standards and Lloyds Registered Marine Grade Mahogany Plywood.
Features cold-molding building techniques for a water-tight seal.
A two-part epoxy is used for all joinery. This adhesive has 8500 psi tensile strength and 13,200 psi flexural strength.
The board has a fiberglass epoxy bottom and epoxy resin-impregnated sides and top, ensuring a water-tight seal and the ultimate in strength.

Marine grade wood stain, varnish and paint.
Ergonomic 5mm-thick SeaDek standing pad.
Aluminum and PVC base rubber trim keeps paddle dents and transportation scratches to an absolute minimum.
Synthetic molded fin, fin box and carry handle.
OVERALL LENGTH: 12′ 6″

OVERALL WIDTH: 29 3/4″

WIDTH AT WATERLINE: 27″

WEIGHT: 36-39LBS

EACH BOOTLEGGER PADDLE BOARD IS BUILT-TO-ORDER WITH COLOR OPTIONS FOR STAIN, STANDING DECK PAD AND CHECKERED PAINT PATTERN INCLUDED. EACH BOARD TAKES ABOUT 6 WEEKS TO PRODUCE.

– Limited production per year –

– Bespoke branding and graphic designs are available –

– Wood grain will vary –
I dont know much about paddle boards, but- One think I can tell you, if I was up shit creek then this would be my savior.

Toe Tapping Sounds for the weekend.

Posted on November 10, 2017January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

10 Nov

Hey all you lot out there, Heck the weekend is here, so as I am pretty busy this time of year, I thought I would add some tunes I dig, maybe you will like them?

But-if not you can move onto the next.

Music is a huge part of my life, If I like the song I will stop and listen, so- Today, here is some tunes that Turn My dial.

Dig It Up’ TJ Mayes NASHVILLE BOOGIE

Next up is:

‘Hotwire Woman’ The Highjivers

Awesome song here. ‘I Got Some News For You’ The Kabooms (bopflix sessions) BOPFLIX

How about this:

‘My One Desire’ The Red Hot Rockets (bopflix sessions) BOPFLIX
BOPFLIX SESSION with new UK rockabilly trio THE RED HOT ROCKETS covering Ricky Nelson classic ‘My One Desire’. Filmed at The Kings Rock N Roll Club, Kingsmeadow, Kingston-Upon-Thames, London, UK (2017).

Now:
‘Please Just Leave Suzie’ Relax Trio (bopflix sessions) BOPFLIX
BOPFLIX SESSION with rockabilly trio – THE RELAX TRIO (Finland) – playing track ‘Please Just Leave Suzie’. Filmed at the 21st Rockabilly Rave, Camber Sands, UK 2017.

Fantastic sound from Germany- ‘Boppin’ Mary Lou’ Marc & The Wild Ones RHYTHM BOMB RECORDS (Official Music Video) BOPFLIX
Official FULL HD music video for German rockabilly band, Marc & The Wild Ones, featuring track ‘Boppin’ Mary Lou’ from the debut album ‘The Rockin’ Beat Of Marc & The Wild Ones’, available now on RHYTHM BOMB RECORDS.

Big hit all over the place at the moment.
‘The Wolf’ Delta Bombers WILD RECORDS (Official Music Video HD) BOPFLIX
Now available on an all new 45′ (2017) with ‘Good Disguise’ (with new video from Luke Baker online now, link below!):
https://wildrecordsusa.com/delta-bomb…

How about:
‘Futile Blues’ The Doel Brothers (bopflix sessions) BOPFLIX
BOPFLIX SESSION with THE DOEL BROTHERS (UK) performing track ‘Futile Blues’, out on El Toro Records. Filmed in Alton, UK (Feb, 2017).

How about this, Half Swede half Danish, some kicking sounds of. ‘Girls I’ve Never Kissed’ Kokomo Kings (bopflix sessions) BOPFLIX

BOPFLIX SESSION with Rhythm Bomb Records’ – THE KOKOMO KINGS (Sweden/Denmark) – performing ‘Girls I’ve Never Kissed’, filmed at the Rhythm Riot (Nov, 2016).

from Australia: ‘Slave For The Beat’ Pat Capocci PRESS-TONE / WILD RECORDS (Official Music Video) BOPFLIX
Music video for Australian rockabilly artist Pat Capocci’s ‘Slave For The Beat’, from the album ‘Call Of The Wild’ (2013), out now on Press-Tone Records (Australia)! Filmed on location in London, UK (2012) whilst on tour, including footage filmed at Sounds That Swing (No Hit Records) record shop,

Now onto these guys once more:’Artificial Natural’ Kokomo Kings (bopflix sessions) BOPFLIX
BOPFLIX SESSION with Rhythm Bomb Records’ – THE KOKOMO KINGS (Sweden/Denmark) – performing ‘Artificial Natural’, filmed at the Rhythm Riot (Nov, 2016).

Now something cool from. ‘I Know The Rules’ Nico Duportal & His Rhythm Dudes (bopflix sessions) BOPFLIX

BOPFLIX SESSION with Rhythm Bomb Records’ – NICO DUPORTAL & HIS RHYTHM DUDES (FRANCE) – performing ‘I Know The Rules’ from the album ‘Dealing With My Blues’. Filmed at the Rhythm Riot, Camber Sands, UK (Nov, 2016).

More Rockin Tunes. ‘Back Home’ Carolina & Her Rhythm Rockets RHYTHM BOMB RECORDS (Official Music Video) BOPFLIX
Official FULL HD music video for German rockabilly band, Carolina & Her Rhythm Rockets, featuring track ‘Back Home’, from the band’s debut album, ‘Carolina & Her Rhythm Rockets’, out now on RHYTHM BOMB RECORDS!

How about:
‘Zodiac’ The Runawayz (bopflix sessions) BOPFLIX

BOPFLIX SESSION with UK rock n roll trio The Runawayz covering ‘Zodiac’, original by The Rhythm Hawks (Hot Rock Records, 1980). Filmed at the 21st Rockabilly Rave, Camber Sands, UK (June, 2017).

Jumping sounds now:
Boppin’ The Blues ft.GIZZELLE (promo) BOPFLIX
New promo for London’s Boppin The Blues roots Rock n Roll rockabilly club, starring Wild Records Artist GIZZELLE (USA) and featuring track ‘Humdinger’ (cover of Little Marie Allen, Triumph, 1959). Host DJ’s Trev Collins and The Grinster. Filmed London, UK (Dec, 2013).

</ifram How about some French action. Nico Duportal & his Rhythm Dudes - Real Rockin' Papa - Official Video Clip FULL HD <iframe loading="lazy" width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RKHRdkYZh0M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

Always loved this when it first came out. ‘Coming In Hot’ Pat Capocci RUBY RECORDS (bopflix sessions) BOPFLIX
BOPFLIX SESSION with Australia’s finest – PAT CAPOCCI – performing new track ‘Coming In Hot’ out now on 45 rpm on RUBY RECORDS! Filmed at Sounds That Swing / No Hit Records, Camden, London, UK (2016).

Jump to this Rhythm : ‘Hold On Tight’ Bob & The Bearcats (bopflix sessions) BOPFLIX
BOPFLIX SESSION special with re-united rockabilly 4 piece – BOB & THE BEARCATS (UK) – performing own track ‘Hold On Tight’! Filmed at the Mill Hill Music Complex, London, UK (2016)

RPM NATIONALS SANTA MARGARITA RANCH WAS A BLAST

Posted on October 31, 2017January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

31 Oct

Well, what can I say, I had no idea what this place looked like, other than a few internet pics, but Jenn and I loaded up our Van and headed off to Pismo Beach, as that is where we would hook up our Van in the RV park, pull out our Triumphs and ride to Santa Margarita ranch, where they are holding the RPM Nationals.

Now this was going to be a place I had hoped to drive my 1928 Model A Roadster to, but it has so many teething issues, it just would not of made the trip, so this year I wanted to at least attend and support this great Nostalgic Drag race event.

Originally used for the Four Banger Fords, they thought they would extend this out to the flatheads and boy am I glad that they did, as what a joyous sound.

So, after 3 and half hours, we pulled up to Pismo Beach and plugged the Coffee Maker in and had a Brew, unloaded bikes and whilst I was amazed how foggy it was, it did not deter us in the least.

To be honest, it reminded me of home and I wanted Jennifer to experience some colder riding conditions and we got some big time, the Fog was indeed Pea soup, Thicker than Anderson’s Soup thats just down the road from Pismo.

But I had a Fog light and we were all set to go first thing in the morning, sure enough, the Mist rolled in and stayed longer than a relative you dont like.

We jumped onto our steeds and rode to the Madonna Inn and had brekky, great place and so much history, if you get a chance, pop in as they have so many cool things to see, from hand carved doors and ceilings in wood, to Themed rooms from a Stage Coach room to a Rock room, all very cool not cheap but what an experience.

So after having breakfast, blocking their crapper, we hastily headed North to Rancho Santa Margarita Ranch, we rode though the fog and then after a few miles the Sun was out, the roads were smooth and a smile on both our faces as we cruised around 75 MPH with open faced skid lids, what a great day already I muttered to myself.

Before too long we had gotten off the main road and into a few country roads, with Trees changing color as Autumn took an abrupt hold over this way, we cruised into the start of this Great Big Ranch, that was out of some Bonanza Episode, well it looked like it to me.

Cattle grids, Bridges, Old rail Road Lines were all over this place, we slowed right down along the road on the Ranch as there was a herd of Cows just sat by a tree and across the old rail Road lines, fearing we would get stampeded on, we rode past as quiet as could be, hard to do on 2 Triumphs though but we got passed and to our surprise, they just stayed their grazing, as if we were not even there.

We pulled up at the Parking area and I could smell that wonderful internal Combustion engine aroma, then I could hear some Flatheads revving then letting go of the clutch and banging on down the Drag strip that was laid out.

There were vendors along one side of the track and on the other was the swap meet, what cool stuff to see.

Here are a few pictures I took with my Iphone, I did take more with my SLR but will blog that another day.

Some very cool stuff to look at, what an awesome event and was stoked that I attended the RPM Nationals, looks like it will be the start of bigger things to come.

I sure wanted to bring My 28 Roadster- but it was not running right and its a 4 hour drive but next year I hope to make it.

An assortment of cool rides to look at whilst in between rounds, this was up at the end of the strip where the Pits were.

Above, I loved this 3 window just bloody gorgeous in its Drab attire, killer machine for me right there.

Above- How tough is that, what is not to like about it and so many great vehicles here and everybody was brilliant to talk to and had time for you.

Flatty Powered 29 Roadster with Q/C and Zoomies, it was quick too.

Simular to my 28 but a way cooler built version, high Boy with its 4 Banger and this was quick, the Bangers were faster than the flatheads, it was a solid built Hot Rod for sure.

Everything was so cool on the A-Bone, loved the louvered panel, the Q/C and the Tonneau cover too .

Our Mate Jay Dean from Nostalgia Ranch with his Flattie powered Modified, was a fun and period built machine.Hop Up Magazine Special.

Jenn met up with Skateboard Pro, Steve Caballero, he has a passion for Hot Rods, Art as well as Skateboarding, super cool bloke.

Me and the Girl I love to Bits, Jennifer Sun, an amazing Woman

Below are the Videos that I took with my Iphone, what a blast it was to see.

Below Diane Branch in her Roadster having a go and doing well.

Loved it all and so many cool people to chat to as we are all into the same stuff, no attitudes just miles of Smiles.

How can you not like all this and away from the main stream too.

Loved these 2 Roadsters, The Guy tried to sneak his kid in the car too, I think we all wanted to see that, but still A FUN race none the less.

OOH- A tasty 5 window against a Roadster, just like back in the day.

Diane Branch taking on a chopped and channeled Coupe on the strip.

Model A’s a plenty, these were so fun to watch and no change since back in the day, sure wished I had mine here but next year we shall attempt to drive it there.

How about this, 2 Drop Belly Tank Racers, Both running V8-60 flatheads, I had one of these I love them but great to see 2 running and racing.

Loved watching this 34 Coupe and Flatty Powered Fully Fendered A Bone.

How about this, two Roadsters, One 4 Banger and One flathead, man such a great sight and sound, period looking rides too, awesome.

Our Buddy Jay Dean in his hop Up T Modified goes up against a Roadster, jay had a blast, what a Neat rig too.

Chin in his Original Model T Roadster, running against an A Bone, Chin ran well all weekend right up to the semi’s, consistent Ride, loved this Hot Rod.

Wow- How about this 36 Coupe, what a sweet ride and glad to see a couple of these on the strip today.

I shall Blog over the next few days as these take ages to load, but I thought you would get a kick out of this one today and I sure hope to see some of you next year as I loved this so much, all fun, No attitude and all period machines, very cool indeed. BRAAAAAP!

Fats Domino Passes away.

Posted on October 27, 2017January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

27 Oct

A sad day for Rock N Roll.

Pianist who sold 110m records including Blueberry Hill was ‘warm, fun-loving, spiritual, creative and humble – you don’t get more New Orleans than that’

Fats Domino, the amiable rock’n’roll pioneer whose steady, pounding piano and easy baritone helped change popular music while honoring the traditions of the New Orleans, died on Tuesday. He was 89.

Mark Bone, chief investigator with the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, coroner’s office, said Domino died of natural causes at 3.30am on Tuesday.

In appearance, he was no Elvis Presley. He stood 5ft 5in and weighed more than 200lb, with a wide, boyish smile and a haircut as flat as an album cover. But Domino sold more than 110m records, with hits including Blueberry Hill, Ain’t It a Shame and other standards of rock’n’roll.

His dynamic performance style and warm vocals drew crowds for five decades. One of his show-stopping stunts was playing the piano while standing, throwing his body against it with the beat of the music and bumping the grand piano across the stage.

Domino’s 1956 version of Blueberry Hill was selected for the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry of historic sound recordings worthy of preservation. The preservation board noted that Domino insisted on performing the song despite his producer’s doubts, adding that Domino’s “New Orleans roots are evident in the Creole inflected cadences that add richness and depth to the performance”.

Domino became a global star but stayed true to his hometown, where his fate was initially unknown after Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. It turned out that he and his family were rescued by boat from his home, where he lost three pianos and dozens of gold and platinum records, along with other memorabilia.

Many wondered if he would ever return to the stage. Scheduled to perform at the New Orleans jazz and heritage festival in 2006, he simply tipped his hat to thousands of cheering fans.

Birth Name:	Fats Domino
Date of birth:	1928, February 26
Birth Country:	United States
Height:	5 Feet 4 Inch
Birth Sign:	aquarius
Age:	89 Years

He got married to Rosemary and spent almost sixty years with her. He loved his wife so much but his marriage ended after the death of her beloved wife in 2008 due to her poor health. The couple had eight children together named as Antonette, Andrea, Anatole, Andre, Adonica, and Antoine III. After the death of her, he is single now. In August 2005, the couple experienced the mighty Hurricane Katrina together. He could not leave his house because of the poor health of his wife Rosemary. His house was in the worst affected area. Many thought that he was dead but he and his family were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter.Fats Domino full name Antoine “Fats” Domino, Jr. is an American pianist and singer-songwriter. He became one of the first rock-and-roll stars and who helped define the New Orleans sound. He was born on February 26, 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States and he was raised there. His father was well- known violinist. His family was of French Creole background. He was one of his nine siblings. He is American and is of five feet and four inches tall.

One of the most rock and roll artists of 20th, His musical style is based on traditional rhythm and blues ensembles of bass, piano, electric guitar, drums, and saxophone. His current net worth is estimated as 8 million dollars.

In May 2007, he was back, performing at Tipitina’s music club in New Orleans. Fans cheered and some cried as Domino played I’m Walkin’, Ain’t It a Shame, Shake, Rattle and Roll, Blueberry Hill and a host of other hits.

That performance was a highlight during several rough years. After losing their home and almost all their belongings to the floods, his wife of more than 50 years, Rosemary, died in 2008.

“Fats embodies everything good about New Orleans,” his friend David Lind said in a 2008 interview. “He’s warm, fun-loving, spiritual, creative and humble. You don’t get more New Orleans than that.”

The son of a violin player, Antoine Domino Jr was born on 26 February 1928, to a family that grew to include nine children. As a youth, he taught himself popular piano styles ragtime, blues and boogie-woogie after his cousin left an old upright in the house. Fats Waller and Albert Ammons were early influences.

He quit school at age 14, and worked days in a factory while playing and singing in local juke joints at night. In 1949, Domino was playing at the Hideaway Club for $3 a week when he was signed by Imperial record company.

He recorded his first song, The Fat Man, in the back of a tiny French Quarter recording studio.

“They call me the Fat Man, because I weigh 200 pounds,” he sang. “All the girls, they love me, ’cause I know my way around.”

In 1955, he broke into the white pop charts with Ain’t It a Shame but actually sang the lyrics as “ain’t that a shame”. The song was covered blandly by Pat Boone as Ain’t That a Shame and rocked out years later by Cheap Trick. Domino enjoyed a parade of successes through the early 1960s, including Be My Guest and I’m Ready. Another hit, I’m Walkin,’ became the debut single for Ricky Nelson.

Domino appeared in the rock’n’roll film The Girl Can’t Help It and was among the first black performers to be featured in popular music shows, starring with Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers. He also helped bridge rock’n’roll and other styles, even country/western, recording Hank Williams’s Jambalaya and Bobby Charles’s Walkin’ to New Orleans.

Like many of his peers, Domino’s popularity tapered off in the 1960s as British and psychedelic rock held sway.

Domino told Ebony magazine that he stopped recording because companies wanted him to update his style.

“I refused to change,” he said. “I had to stick to my own style that I’ve always used or it just wouldn’t be me.”

Antoine and Rosemary Domino raised eight children in the same ramshackle neighborhood where he grew up, but they did it in style in a white mansion, trimmed in pink, yellow and lavender. The front double doors opened into an atrium with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and ivory dominoes set in a white marble floor.

In 1988, all of New Orleans seemed to be talking about him after he reportedly paid in cash for two Cadillacs and a $130,000 Rolls-Royce. When the salesman asked if he wanted to call his bank about financing, Domino smiled and said, “I am the bank.”

In 1998, he became the first purely rock’n’roll musician to be awarded the National Medal for the Arts. But he cited his age and didn’t make the trip to the White House to get the medal from President Clinton.

That was typical. Aside from rare appearances in New Orleans, he dodged the spotlight in his later years, refusing to appear in public or even to give interviews.
I remember watching this TV Documentary back in England in 1988, Jools Holland who to me is probably the BEST pianist of MY time, went to New orlans to seek out Fats Domino and managed to sit and play the Piano for a short period, and at $4.00 a Second it was worth every Penny.

Vic Edelbrock Jr Passes away.

Posted on June 11, 2017January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

11 Jun

Vic Edelbrock Jr. passed away Friday, June 9, at the age of 80 after complications from a cold.

“It’s with deep sadness that we announce the untimely death of our visionary and leader Vic Edelbrock Jr.,” the company website read. “Vic passed away this evening from complications following a recent cold. His passing was peaceful and in the company of his closest friends and family. The Edelbrock Fun Team sends their deepest condolences to his family and will always hold him in our hearts.”

Vic Edelbrock Jr. took over the aftermarket performance parts company that bears his name after the untimely passing of his father, Vic Edelbrock Sr. Vic Jr. was just 26 when his father died in 1962. With a small but dedicated band of 10 employees, Vic Jr. not only kept the company growing but made it into one of the largest performance parts entities in the world.

It’s a long story that starts in 1933 when Vic Sr. opened an automotive repair shop on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Soon after, Edelbrock cars were racing on the circle tracks and dry lakes of Southern California during the golden age of hot rodding. In 1938, Vic Sr. bought a ’32 Ford and used it to test new speed parts, more or less inventing the marketing tool that would later be known as “the project car.” The first big seller from an Edelbrock project car was the Slingshot manifold, used by Vic Sr. on the dry lakes to clock a prewar time of 121.42 mph in the ’32.

Business wasn’t the only thing growing for the Edelbrock name. Vic Jr. was born in 1936 and started working summers in his dad’s shop at age 12.

“I was making $2 a day and I thought I was really living,” he told us when we spoke to him for a 2002 story.

The towering Vic Jr. went to the University of Southern California on a football scholarship, graduated with a degree in business in 1959 and went to work full time for his dad’s business. Just three years later, Vic Sr. was diagnosed with inoperable cancer.

“He had no chance,” said Vic Jr. “Four months later he left us.”

Not only did Vic Jr. have to deal with the death of his father and mentor, but he suddenly found himself at the helm of a fully funded company with 10 employees and $200,000 in the bank.

Many an heir would have blown it all in a couple of years, and some expected Vic Jr. to do just that. But one thing the father had taught the son was the value of good people. Among the 10 Edelbrock employees were Don Towle, Bobby Meeks and Bob Bradford.

“They stuck with me,” said Vic Jr.

In 1965 Bob Joehnck, who had been a close friend of Vic Sr., called Vic Jr. with a suggestion.

“He said, ‘Make a manifold for the small-block Chevy,’” remembers Jr. “I said, ‘They already make one.’ He said, ‘Trust me, make one.’ So we made one.”

Did they ever. The Edelbrock manifold for the small-block Chevy became the foundation from which the company springboarded into legend. That manifold led to a relationship with Holley to mate Holley carbs to it, which eventually led to more parts for more cars.

We drove an excellent example of the Total Performance Package back then in 2002 in the streets around Edelbrock’s Torrance, California headquarters — Vic Edelbrock’s own 1967 SS 396 Chevelle. With an Edelbrock intake, cams, heads, carbs and water and fuel pumps, the 468- cubic-inch big-block Chevrolet made 540 hp and 539 lb-ft of torque (those are gross figures, not today’s legal SAE net measurements). In keeping with the Total Performance Package philosophy, the car also came with Edelbrock springs, shocks, trailing arms and wheels. All we needed was a cigarette behind one ear.

The big-block started with a screech, reminding us how much internal friction these big, meaty engines have. The gauges jumped to life as the car body torqued in the direction opposite crank rotation. Steering through the big, skinny wheel was heavy, the way things were in 1967, and we cruised the streets waiting for the engine temps to warm up. In a few minutes we had enough heat to open it up a little and suddenly it all made sense. Why would a working guy spend a month’s salary on parts? Because of the way this magnificent old beast opened up when you floored the throttle. Suddenly the big-block roared in one long, uninterrupted wail, the exhaust note went to a higher-pitched whaaaaaaaa as the engine neared its 6000-rpm power peak and the ’67 SS leapt forward, scaring the hell out of a number of sensible midsized sedans nearby. Telephone poles, indeed, looked like a picket fence.

Goodbye, Vic Jr. Say hello to Senior for us.

The Name will Live on in the Automotive World and always there will be a part of the Edelbrock family on an engine if you are a performance fan.

Alloy Swing Arms for Thruxtons

Posted on March 20, 2015January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

I have been contemplating getting these manufactured for some time now, a couple of years ago I was speaking to a company that with my input, we should be able to manufacture these to the correct specifics and standards to allow the safe use of Aluminum material and of course as these are mechanical parts I want to make sure these are stress relived and comply to all the safety codes and standards that are required.

Also, these will be made from Billet, no sections and you wil be amazed at the strength as they have a unique system that will give you the rigidity you require.

They will be made from 7075 and an Aerospace company is going to help me with the R&D to make sure that all will be safe and of course have a Perfect fit with easy maintenance etc. The R&D will be done by a friend of mine that has made swing arms for over 50 years for TT bikes, Super bikes and Motocross, so a plethora of experience, these will be top quality, the best anywhere.

There are a few companies that make these but I want them to be affordable and also to be made right here in Anaheim California, so now the work begins, but- by the response that I have received, I believe that this will be a fun adventure and I am sure that you will like the finished piece and I will of course show case it on my machine and fit to a track bike to fully test the stress and load of the swing arm to make certain we have everything dialed in.

So stay tuned to this and of course My new website www.carpyscaferacers.com as we hope to offer many more cool parts for your British ride as well as the good old CB750 as I made them in steel before and were great.

Making affordable parts is the name of the game, I just don’t sell parts, I live this stuff, I have a passion for it, come and see me and I am more than happy to chat.

There are a few of these out there and room for my Brand too and as I have new Motorcycles and of course, now the President of the 59 Club in the O.C. – I want to make more and more parts for the Thruxton, as i ride mine a lot and have many more parts to make for it.

I have a Thruxton and have Triumphs at the shop with Royal Enfields too as well as my CB750 Honda’s, this is a fun time in the Motorcycle fraternity and I hope to continue to offer great parts at great prices. I have been doing this here in California for 15 years and continue to push the envelope for you lot.

Any input is gratefully received, help me and I help you, an easy philosophy!

I shall also be visiting Italy and some of Europe this year so some great opportunities are now becoming reality and want to share that with you, so stay tuned……………

Call me on 714-996-4597 or email me at carpy@carpyscaferacers.com and I will do my utmost to help you out.

Bell Helmet SIZE GUIDE

Posted on December 7, 2012January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

07 Dec

Having trouble picking the right Bell Helmet? The toughest part can be just picking the style or design, but we will make picking the right size easier for you all. We have had a lot of questions about sizes & wanted to post a Bell Helmet Size Guide/Chart. We have a lot of styles & sizes in our shop in Orange, CA – if we don’t have it on the shelf we can special order any helmet you see on our site.

UGG BOOT SHOOT, CAFE RACERS

Posted on August 17, 2012January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

17 Aug

Hey Gang

I was lucky to be involved with UGG BOOT in Australia, got a call to turn up with some bikes and gear and spend the day in Pasadena at a cool old Villa.

A great day out and had a blast with the rest of the lads.

This should be on the UGG website and I think on a big bill board somewhere around the globe.

It is so cool to see motorcycles in adverts at any time and we really did all have a brilliant time hanging out.

A nice day for the shoot and plenty of cool bikes to look at too.

We had a blast and spent about 6 hours there and enjoyed the whole time with everyone.

Black and whites always look cool and from the period.

The Girl was flown in from Germany and the Guy was flown in from Spain.

Spent the whole day in Pasadena and enjoyed every minute.

Hope to be used by this company again later in the year.

Born of tradition. Raised by originality. A potent combination of experience & elbow grease. Fitzke Paddleboards seamlessly melds them all with stunning results.

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OVERALL LENGTH: 12′ 6″

OVERALL WIDTH: 29 3/4″

WIDTH AT WATERLINE: 27″

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EACH BOOTLEGGER PADDLE BOARD IS BUILT-TO-ORDER WITH COLOR OPTIONS FOR STAIN, STANDING DECK PAD AND CHECKERED PAINT PATTERN INCLUDED. EACH BOARD TAKES ABOUT 6 WEEKS TO PRODUCE.

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