Noot

Packed

I often see my Pink Hat friend(above) at many biker related events. He knows how to ride long distances. There's really nothing in life better than packing your motorcycle with necessities - and hitting the road. The first miles (as opposed to what one might think) are usually the most uncomfortable. Getting situated. The realization of how far you have to go. Leaving in the rain is the worst. After 200 miles - getting into it. After 500 miles - your mind is clearing. After 1200 miles - you just want to keep going, your ears have this dull ringing. You're not as effected by outside elements anymore. After 5000 miles - I don't know. It's unknown to me. I'll get there someday hopefully. To know what's it's like after 5000+ miles on the road - on a packed motorcycle. You might see this land quite differently. You might change your life's direction?

Local Tat Shop

I stopped by the new tattoo parlor that opened in town. The bright sign really lights up the 4 lane. It seems all "tattoo people" really dig choppers, bobbers, pinstriping, old motorcycles . . . the same stuff I like. They said "stop by anytime" and bring some different bikes - you got neat rides dude. It makes you feel good when you talk with other like-minded people who dig what you built - the art you did. Gives you a feeling of accomplishment that what you've created is noticed - and the time was not wasted. I'm hip about time.

Dave's Progress

Steve's Progress

Bendix

. . . and a bungee hook

The Girl . . . . Lisbeth

The Swedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with English subtitles(and series - as it was written and should be viewed - not just for Hollywood dollars) is the more powerful of this book-based film. Foreign films use actors that more closely resemble normal people like the rest of us. Hollywood film actors are always beautiful, glamorous (and unrealistic). Chosen for their looks usually. American films are more and more about money. It's really getting gross. A Hollywood actor has an agent that signs a 3 or 4 movie deal - and then puts out 1 decent film and 3 shit films. If you wish to see good cinema - go to a university and sit through a foreign film at an art center. (U of Iowa Bijou, UNI Art Center) It's usually low cost(or no cost) You'll leave with a lasting impression, and you will see the world a bit differently - through the eyes of people who too . . . Live in this world.

Jack Wall - Hillclimb Bravery on his Knuckle

Could you imagine? You're the next up ! Staring up at this very steep hill, on your bike with chains on the rear - ready to open this sucker wide open - open it up and try to hang on - hit the hill just right, get some big-time speed and go up over the top? The Harley pulls up on the power band, building speed as it gets real steep - Then, it all went wrong. You hit a big one. It bangs your spine and throws you off - The bike takes off - you lost the bars - the motor revs wide wide open. You see fire from the rear pipe. Those chains miss your face by an inch. Tall, dry grass pokes you in the face. You're out of breath, your heart races . . . the bike pops, stalls and slides. You smell oil smoke and gasoline. Your foot is kinda twisted . . .
you have to work on Monday.

Steve's Pan . . . lower end

Steve needed a new case half . . . so we took it to Wiley who matched & machined it up, line bored, decked the base and motor mounts, and did a lot of other little stuff to make this thing right. We checked over the flywheels, Noot line lapped the the race - and with a bit of de-burring and triple checking - these rods now spin free and easy . . . just like Steve is gonna feel like, when he's motoring up the Great River Road on his custom built pan chop. But, I ain't done yet . . . gotta get back to work !

Ray Goff

A racer and mentor to former pro Garth Brow
The track looks rough?
Check that slick front tire, kidney belt and high bars.
Steel shoe . . . and maybe it's a WLD since he's got
the magneto in the gear cover ?
Ray Goff - A true racer !

How to bead blast engine parts . . .

From personal experience:

Many don't know the proper way to bead blast engine parts.

Here's How You Do It . . .

1. Wash Parts in Solvent (whatever works)

2. Blow Dry

3. Wash Parts in Very Hot Soapy Water

(use Dawn or Ivory Liquid)

4. Rinse Parts in Hot Clear Water

5. Blow Dry

Now if you really want to do it Correctly, Cap critical, hard to reach oil passages, threaded holes, etc. BEFORE YOU BEAD BLAST - Then you lower the risk of bead particles remaining in your new engine.

6. Bead Blast Parts

7. Blow Off Parts (in the blaster) with Clear Air

8. Remove Parts(& cap plugs)

and blow off (outside blaster) with Clear Air

9. Wash Parts in Solvent (again)

10. Blow off parts with Clear Air

11. Wash Parts in Hot Soapy Water (again)

12. Rinse Parts in Hot Clear Water

13. Blow Dry with Clear Air

14. WD-40 (on a towel) and wipe bearing surfaces

Note: If you blast your parts before washing all the engine oil off - you get that bead stuck up in there - and it don't come out - It recently took me actually about 3 hours to clean under gear cover bushings to get all the bead blast out that was stuck in the oil that someone blasted without washing it first - what a mess . . .

Harley 4 Speed Leak Fix

This fella I know sent me this print on how to machine an o-ring groove in the ID of the spacer (the spacer that's driven by the small "L" key the main seal rides on)
The part number of the Viton O-Ring is available from McMaster-Carr Supply. You can get the actual dimensions of the o-ring in the catalog. The spacer is probably pretty hard, so you need a good, solid, rigid lathe - and a qualified machinist.

Couple things to get your heart rate up . . .

1960 XLCH

. . . building a Sportster motor for Polgreen. It's a challenge, since half the parts are great - and the other half are kinda screwed up in one way or another. That's the way all ironheads are . . . tough motors, but they get abused throughout the years. McFarland will attempt to repair broken fins (cut from an old cylinder head) . . . the heads & cylinders are back from being freshly blasted. New guides, valve job, bore job . . . and high heat gloss black engine paint coming soon . . . I need 30 hours in a day.

JUNCTION: Lincoln Hwy(30) & Jefferson Hwy(65)

The only place in the USA where these 2 historic routes cross paths . . .

The Lincoln Highway (New York to San Francisco)

The Jefferson Highway (Winnipeg to New Orleans)

They cross in Colo, Iowa !

America's Heartland

The history of this ground,

The people who passed through here over the years . . .

The famous and the not-so-famous.

Outlaws, politicians, musicians, actors,

preachers, doctors . . .

Your grandparents . . .
As I walked around, now it's just quiet. A slight wind in this clearing. I sat on the bench under the awning of the station - what a great place to work I bet this was . . . helping people with flat tires, fuel, checking oil. Checking out the guy's trophy wife . . . "Like man . . . he is a lucky guy - new car with the big V8 - a hot wife, he's got the week off, goin' to New Orleans - Man, someday I'm goin' down south, go hear me some blues, see the ocean . . . someday soon - get out of this turkey town - New York, California?
Where should I go . . .? "
It all starts here . . .

FTW Co. Baseball Cap Review

From: FTWCO.

I've only had this hat for 48 hours . . .

but I've already had many comments on it.

A few . . .

"Neat hat, I like the color." (lady at HyVee)

"I like your hat." (wife)

"What's FTW?" (cashier)

"Does(FTW) have a retail store?"

(desk clerk)
"Where's mine? (a friend)

The fit & finish: I rate as very good - to excellent.

This is the Maroon color . . .

Quality Construction. Heavy Stash Flap

Heavy-Duty Bill (visor) Nice-n-stiff
_____________________________________________________
Like all FTWCO products, I know they do some testing
before they go on the site. I really like the shirts 'cause (necks aren't all
stretched out, colors last, not much shrinkage) so you can
be confident you're receiving a good product.

Des Moines weekend . . .

I-35 South to Des Moines, you see all types of travelers - race people, ebay buyers, military on the move . . . slow & fast people, on their phones, etc. Cheryl went to rock with the Eagles(and Joe Walsh) - I checked in to Hotel Fort Des Moines, El Bait, Spaghetti Works, GT Lounge, Church of Choppers & FTW Co., met some new friends, and saw some old ones. We shut down Kung Fu Tap . . . and by 3am I was back at the hotel, wandering the floors, taking in all kinds of history of this place. The good and the not so good have stayed here . . . Nixon, Lindbergh, Woodrow Wilson and Krushchev all walked these floors as I do . . . I like this place. Quiet rooms, solid floors, tile, granite and woodwork. History.
Shower had "mega" pressure !

Thanks Jeff ! Thanks Cheryl too !

Harley WL transmission jumping out of gear . . .

My 45 is jumpin' outta 2nd . . . The first time it was a broken(cracked & bent) shift fork probably due to the dogs being worn. I shimmed the shift fork to sink-it-in a little more - and help keep it in gear. It lasted over 6 months - and it started jumping a few times again, slightly bending my NOS H-D Fork . . . and once it jumps a few times, then the dogs are really rounded off - and it "ain't gonna stay in gear no mow."
In my travels, I picked up an almost new set of gears, and shifter clutches - so it's time.

1. Remove transmission

2. Remove top cover - Remove shift drum

3. Remove sprocket and side cover

4. Loose Rollers !

(Don't worry, the main shaft and

counter shaft rollers are different lengths)

5. Remove mainshaft, gears, thrust washers, etc.

6. Replace bad stuff

7. Assemble in Reverse Order ???

Corvette Show

I sat in 6 different 'Vettes that day . . . I didn't fit in any of them.

However, I do fit in a '65, '66 Corvette (weird)

Waubeek, Iowa on the Wapsipinicon River

It's a humid Iowa day, and you're burnin' down a blacktop through fields of corn dotted with small woods and rock quarries. You come up over a rise and descend into this spot in the road - called Waubeek. There's a big, two story limestone building with a bar, and a stage out back forming a natural theater for bands and acts of all types. We parked in the rock lot across the way and walked up wooden steps to a screen door - and were welcomed by cool air fans, and scraggly locals suckin' down cheap brews. The ice cold Miller High Life can really hit the spot. We sat out back on the wood deck and listened to the waters trickle down - as old, rusty pick-up trucks idled by with hay, junk or kids in the back . . . What a perfect place for the moment.