Was looking for a new sled, was on my way to work when I saw this stock 1951 Harley Panhead sitting at the curb with a for-sale sign. White tanks and fenders, black frame, no chrome anywhere. Tank shift and foot clutch, stock bars and seat with post.
Got to work and started to think, made my decision and left work early. The Pan was in my garage that night and I started to tare her down.
I was going to build her my way and I was going to do it myself. I built the motor (except for the bottom end), went 2" under on the fork tubes, switched from a 6 volt to a 12 volt electric system, changed the tranny lid and went to a foot shift/hand clutch setup, 21" front tire with stainless spokes, bobbed rear fender, kept the 3 1/2 gal. tanks, apehangers with stock risers, S&S carb, S&S oil pump, Sifton cam and short turnouts for exaust, also went with a primary belt drive. I wanted to try and paint it myself (something I had never done) so I bought myself a Binks #7 and a can on "House of Color" candy Brandywine and went to work.
It took a year, I would push the bike around on my creeper.
3 month after these pictures, the garage caught fire. Chrome was gone, my sliders turned but I kept'em....Start Over !
After that, I painted her Burgandy, different sissy bar..Small changes
From this point I went to a long rear fender, 2" over on the forks and 5 gal. tanks, 19" front wheel
Centerpunched a car at 65 MPH. Front end was gone, trees, tubes, bars,generator, exaust,, tanks, and my frame was bent. Laid me up for a year....Start over (took another year)
Same bike different colors, add this and remove that. Got as much enjoyment in working on her as ridin her.
Black with Blue Pearl
Finally... Black and Chrome (wanted the deepest, darkest black I could paint. Sooo black I wanted it to look almost blue. I think I got that !)
Linear Mode
