Just think about an Old Farts Bonneville picture op! Yes, it would be framed and hung inside the house, not JUST the garage.
I just went to Bonneville for the first time in August for the 60th and every old picture i see and story i hear just makes we never to want to miss a year of speed week ever thanks for the story and the pics unreal wish i could have been there to see in real life!
wayyyy to cool,,, bonneville is definately where its at,,, you need to bring the bike out there,,,even if you don't run it,,, i;m sure you can find someone who will,,,,, xoxox miss hootch
Once again, the HAMB amazes me. Never saw that pic before. Love to know who took it. That is actually the first version of the bike. Basically stock motor, cut down Yamaha 80 forks, and about 10 inches longer. Looks like it might have been a magazine picture.
If your mini bike runs like this one, I'm sure they'll find a class for it. It ran over 130 in the low 10's at OCIR in 1971!!
The restoration is underway. All the aluminum pieces have been stripped and polished. They will go out for blue anodize, as they were in '69, tomorrow. The fork has been stripped, and bright nickle plated. A cracked frame tube has been replaced, and the frame is out for powder coat. A replacement Yamaha 80 rear hub was located in Pensylvania, and is on it's way. My brother has a line on some 16" Akront rims in Bakersfield. Only thing still needed is the spool fron hub. This is getting exciting!
Attention God, our goal is to have it together, and fire it on the 40th anniversary of it setting it's AMA records in August. Would be cool if it was on the salt, but probably will be in the driveway. My brother says he's gonna' ride it, but I doubt he can get into his leathers!
Dean, somehow firing it up in the driveway is anticlimactic. Please bring it to Bonneville, at least for the pictures.
Yeah, but we can either bring it to Bonneville, or buy wheels, hubs and spokes for it. I can't believe what that stuff costs now.
How bout both? Aint much but I'm in fer $10 for the cause, I'm sure (if ok with ya'll) we could gen somethin up and help out in the parts department to get the pair of racing brothers to B-villewith their restored ride....I'm not a member on the jockey journal but I'd be willing to bet those cats would be in as well.... Please advise....
Very nice thought, and we thank you for the kindness. But, we did it on our own nickel in '69, and if the bike goes back to the salt again, we will fund the trip. That's what made the whole experience so special to us. Two dumb ass kids with not a lot of funds built a bike, went to the hallowed salt flats, and set two records without any outside help. We'll get it there again, someday.
Thanks for the inspiration... I can tell you were getting more and more excited as this thread went along... Keep up the good work... Hope to see you there! racinman rick
Got the frame back from powder coat last week, and the anodized aluminum pieces today. Jack brought the motor down over the weekend. Gonna' pull it apart and clean the old Castrol R out of the crankcase before we fire it. Think we may have found 16" flanged rims in england. Fond an NOS Yamaha 80 rear hub in Pennsylvania. Still looking for the front spool, but we're gettin' closer!
I for one can't wait to see this together and back at the salt under your own steam. Big respect for you Dean! Cant wait to see some pics.
FWIW... I bought this thing on craigslist for $600... cleaned the carbs, checked the oil, put fresh gas in it and took it to Sac' where by buddy Bob ran 14's at 89mph! (he weighs 125 pounds!) Maybe you could get Bob to ride it for you! Sam
ALL Last year was my first pilgramage to Bonnevillle ... WOW! Last year I planned my trip too late and spent days trying to find a hotel room ... so this year I made some reservations in early February. As it turns out, I have a week long reservation at a hotel in Wendover for Speed Week that I could turnover to a fellow gearhead. However, you need to contact me via email very soon as I must pay-up in advance or give-up the reservation on the 1st of July. "granddaddy-O"
Quick update on the restoration. The cracked frame tube has been replaced, the frame blasted, and powder coated. The fork stripped, and re nickled. All aluminum pieces have been stripped, re polished, and anodized. The engine has been apart, and the old Castrol R cleaned out. A rear hub was found. A call is going out to a company in England Monday morning that we think can supply the needed 16" flanged rims. Still looking for the spool front hub. Having it ready to fire up by August 20th has become a mission for the Lowe Brothers. We're making progress.
WOW, that thing is getting to be a show piece. Was that bike that shiny in 69, or was I looking through smudged goggles? The last time I saw it run was at Lions. If I remember right Jack found every neutral that trans had that night on a run against a Full Dress Harley. Great times were had, sorry that I wasn't a shutter bug then. What does one have to do to get on the "A" list for the ceremonial firing?????
The Jalopy Journal
