Saturday, November 24, 2012

Collaborating

Photo From Here
I started building one of these once upon a time, a Norton Commando kneeler, that is. If I remember right I bailed out due to a job change. Or maybe the garage just got too full. It's been probably twenty years ago now, at least.

Photo From Here
Which brings us to one I did build - The Knox Industrial Gases Special. This is a 350 HD Sprint motor in a 250 frame with homebuilt sheet metal. Surly and I have been kicking around some ideas on motorcycles and this frame might end up as part of something we collaborate on. This bike crashed at Daytona the next year after this photo was taken so the back end got tweaked a bit. I built another bike and stuck the engine in it. To check out what Surly's got in mind, check his blog. This wouldn't be a drop everything and start on this one right now project, but I've wanted to build something with him for a while now. What he's got in mind is real do-able. We've got most everything in house except for about ten feet of 4130 tubing.

Photo From Here
This isn't the look Surly has in mind but it's one cool Aermacchi/Sprint. And the photo is taken at Borrani rims. If your looking for some wire wheels for your Maserati, these are the guys. Apparently they are back in  production of motorcycle rims after about a 20 year hiatus. If you check the link, there's a few more pics and a little more info. This photo would make a great poster for hanging in the shop. Especially for a guy with a half dozen of the Italian lightweights from HD.

While I await the outcome of the Sprint project feasibility study, I'll keep hammering away on the VW, 900 and sandblaster projects. The friggin weather turned cold so I don't know how much will get accomplished the next few days, but the goal is, every day a little something.


2 comments:

Surly said...

I was looking through some pics last night I ran across a pic of the orange bike. I forgot that the 350 motor is in that bike. I guess the 250 motor is the candidate. That white bike is pretty snazzy. Not exactly what I had in mind but I do like it.

Shop Teacher Bob said...

That white 250 looks cool and the way it's placed in the light inside the factory makes it even better.

The 350 doesn't have a starter of any type. Push start only, plus high compression. I do have a 250 with the head style you're looking for. One way or the other, probably have what you're looking for.