Better Beaters - Building Cars and Daily Drivers

 AMCA Western Nationals and swap meet; Dixon California June 20th. Part Four

This table featured major engine parts like heads, barrels and crankcases.

Lot's of parts, combined with an equal amount of wishes and dreams!

I guess that you have to start somewhere.

It takes a lot to rescue and rebuild an antique bike from a partial machine or a pile of parts.

It takes a lot of hard work, commitment, it takes knowledge and perseverance, and now unfortunately,  a lot of money! At one time it was mostly personal factors, like the desire to rescue and preserve the machine.

This Harley JD engine was going for 2,200
bucks.

I must admit that I was quite tempted by this JD engine, it looked complete. However I'd need a ton of stuff, that I have no familiarity with, to re-construct the bike. A transmission, primary drive, not to mention the frame, forks wheels, sheet metal, and other numerous parts before I could say that I was actually a JD owner. On the other hand, I could join the ranks of other bike restorers combing the swap meets looking for parts and claim that I was now an antique Harley owner. That 2,200 hundred bucks was just the entry fee; I imagine that it would take many  multiples of that amount to end up with a complete bike. Not to mention the years of effort in sourcing the necessary parts.

It's apparent to me that the best course of action would be to buy a complete bike, preferably in running condition. Buying it piece by piece will turn out to be much more expensive.

Many times the buyer will see this as a long term, pay as you go project as a kind of financing plan for the eventually finished bike. I used to think that too, but now in my old age, I would arrange some type of loan to augment whatever savings that I had available and just buy a complete running bike in acceptable condition. 

Nice looking Flathead.

I saw several engines for sale, that Flathead looked really good, I assume that it has been rebuilt. Due to the great interchangeability of Harley parts, there are many older models that have been updated with newer motors. In the past, many Flathead and Knucklehead powered bikes ended up with their original engine replaced with a newer Panhead or Shovelhead motor. Back then, those classic motors weren't as highly valued. What was valued was having a running motorcycle!

Now, antique restorers are intent on returning these hybrid bikes back to their original configuration.

In the last issue of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America magazine, I saw that S&S Cycle is now building brand new, upgraded reproduction Knucklehead motors! These engines are much bigger than original, displacing 93 cubic inches. (1,524 cc) the price? Approximately 18,000.00. 

The seller was asking 11,000 bucks for this partial machine. Keep this example in mind,
I'll be referring to it again later.

Many times these partial bikes are not the bargains that they
first appear to be.

I don't know what bike this frame is, but it probably dates back to the 1920's.

This De Dion Bouton engine dates back to the early 1900's.

                            This French made engine was usually used in three wheelers.

Of course there are always little goodies available so 
buyers won't have to go home empty handed.

           

I was tempted by this Mickey Mouse race car.

This is an early Teens Henderson Twin.
The owner has been steadily completing it, while he still offers it for sale.

The new leather belt is the latest addition.

Besides old bikes there are often interesting old cars.

I spotted this car parked in a stall and had to take a closer look. It certainly looked like an old Mopar, and I've definitely got an interest in those.

It's a '38 Dodge Doctor's coupe. As opposed to a business coupe, it doesn't have the short cabin with an extended deck. Instead of a backseat, it has a built in cabinet with drawers. As I was walking around checking it out, the owner came over and started telling me about the car.

He told me that he found the car behind a barn years ago. The bottom edges of the rear quarters and doors were badly rusted. He cut all that out and welded in some new metal, them smoothed it and blended it to fit. The project sat for a time while he rebuilt the engine and the running gear.

The interior still need quite a bit of work, but he had temporarily covered the seats and made it comfortable enough to drive. I asked if the Knucklehead was his, and he told me that it belonged to a buddy of his.

A very neat Knuckle. The elderly gent to the right is not the owner.

While not a Concours restoration, it was a complete, up and running machine.The owner was an older fellow, it was hard to tell his age, but I guessed that he might only be a few years younger than me. He told me that he had bought a partial bike years ago and had slowly been accumulating all the parts that he needed to finish it. About ten years ago he decided that he better get serious about the project, as he wasn't getting any younger. He started going to swap meets everywhere, even as far as the Midwest, where he found a set of heads and barrels. Other parts were collected and the engine and transmission was rebuilt He even welded up his own set of exhaust pipes. He made some of the small hardware and even sourced an old sprinkler control box in place of the original tool box. It really resembles the stock component.

After getting the bike finished he hit the road. He said that had ridden it to Sturgis for the rally, camping out along the way. He told me that he refused to stay in a motel when it was free to sleep under the stars. I told him that I certainly admired his determination to complete his motorcycle. He said it isn't all correct, but it's a good runner and his intention was to ride it as much as he could.

I asked him what was the average cruising speed on the trip, and he replied that he generally kept it at a steady 55 mph. His Knuckle was a bit older than my Plymouth, and it can also easily cruise at 55 mph. I don't mind taking the old car out for a short freeway drive but I don't think that I would enjoy driving it hundreds of miles in a day. Modern traffic is much faster than it used to be.

The traditional sprung solo seat looks like a comfy place to 
pass the time cruising down the highway.

I have to give a lot of credit to these dedicated enthusiasts, Not to mention a lot of respect for their perseverance. At one time antique bikes didn't command high prices, and it was done as a labor of love. Now these guys will find their completed machines to be a valuable investment. 

While I am developing an interest in antique machines, I don't know if that interest will produce the  commitment needed to pay the high prices the machines now command!

This little moped is probably the only Indian that I can afford.

I am an enthusiast,and while I can appreciate an antique machine, I'd like it to also be something that I can actually ride. The old saying that a new Harley is really just a modern antique has got me to thinking...