Mooneyes BBQ 08

More photos from the recent Mooneyes BBQ show.

Mooneyes BBQ

Shamrock Fabrication

Bike built by "Irish Rich" from Shamrock Fabrication in Denver, Colorado.  You can see more of his stuff at www.shamrockfabrication.com

John Edwards Panhead

I will be editing and writing the first part of the story for John's Panhead tonight.  Look the feature to begin this week.  In the meantime, here's a pic from Saturday of John riding.

53 Olds

Another car that was painted by Donnie Baird of Imperial Customs.  The guy that owns this car is also having Donnie paint another right now.  I've been taking photos of that whole process  as Donnie works on it.  That will be in Donnie's Joyride Showcase in  a few months.

One Gear Bike With John Edwards

Went to go shoot with John Edwards on Saturday at his house.  My goal was to get some shots and a interview on his amazing 52 Panhead.  Which I  did and will be posting pictures and the interview throughout the week for your enjoyment.  While I was there John was telling me about his collection of 1 gear bikes.  He has 9 of them.  Anyways, he broke one of them out after we did the shoot of his Panhead.  He was explaining to me how the thing works but it's a whole different thing when you jump on it and ride it.  Just trying to get going was a experience.  Well that and the fact I'm not that tall and that bike was a little too big for me.  Anyways, I got to riding it and it was fucking with my head the whole time.  You think traditional riding bike style and it doesn't work that way.  As long as the wheels are moving so are the pedals.  You can't stop pedalling even  going through turns.  So if you are jamming down the street on this bike and you need to stop right away,  GOOD LUCK!!!  I was done and John jumped on it and was doing wheelies up and down the street for our entertainment.

Manzanar Relocation Center Cemetary

Story that appeared in the Manzanar Free Press on August 18, 1943.

Construction of the Manzanar Cemetary Monument was completed earlier than expected and dedicated Saturday afternoon.  Directed by R.F. Kado, landscaper supervisor, approximately 60 members of the Buddhist Young People's organization together with Block 9 residents.

Photo I took on my recent trip to Manzanar.  The inscription reads, "Memorial to the Dead."

Origami Cranes that are left behind at the cemetary.  Origami cranes are believed to bring good luck and health.

The Hogslayer-T.C. Christensen

During the 1950's in Kenosha, Wisconsin, T.C. Christensen was riding and racing a different type of bike than the norm. Drawn to the sportiness of British motorcycles, Christensen rode a BSA, which he thought was the fastest bike in town. By wrenching at a BSA garage and racing in his spare time, most of Christensen's pursuits were dedicated to speed.

In the early fall of 1962, he laid eyes on what he would later call the "Blue Behemoth, a Norton 650 that would change his life. A one-armed man who owned the bike was paying someone to race his bike. The "Blue Behemoth" turned out to be shockingly fast, during a street race, it blew past Christensen's buddy's BSA. Christensen was smitten with the bike's speed - he had to have one.

Just a few weeks after that race, that very Norton 650 would enter Christensen's life through a strange twist of fate. When leaving a party the owner of the bike accelerated to about 90 mph and was cut off by a car. Killed on impact, Christensen ended up buying the wreckage, hoping to build a dedicated race bike. Incorporating a Triumph rigid frame, he implanted the Norton engine, adding a full fairing and a large rear wheel.

He took the bike to Union Road drag strip and the Great Lakes Dragaway, where he competed in his first legitimate races and won in the top gas category-with what was essentially a street bike. He moved into nitro fuel in 1963 and fully dedicated himself to racing in 1969. At Bowling Green, Kentucky he would annihilate the competition and set several records.

He and his team built their first double engine "Hogslayer" in 1970 after being deeply impressed by Borris Murray's double-engine Triumph. "Hogslayer 1" became one of the first drag bikes to incorporate fuel injection because carburetors could not deliver enough fuel to the engines to make them competitive. In 1970, the "Hogslayer 1" became the first bike to exceed 180 miles per hour in the quarter-mile. Always staying a step ahead of the competition, Christensen and his crew would always counter with innovations that were simple and inventive. Over the years they built a "Hogslayer 2" and by 1970 the "Hogslayer 3" would pull the quarter-mile in the mid-7 seconds.

During a warm-up run in Columbus, Ohio, the steering stops snapped off and forced him to bail off the motorcycle, sliding across the tarmac and registering a speed of 150 mph. He escaped with relatively minor injuries.

In 1977, after nearly a decade of dominating the drag strip without factory support, the "Hogslayer" retired from competition. That was also the same year Norton went out of business. T.C. Christensen was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2005 and the final iteration of the "Hogslayer" is on display at the British National Motorcycle Museum.

T.C. Christensen on the Hogslayer III

Christensen on the Hogslayer at Edgewater Dragway in Cleves, Ohio

Story from Legendary Motorcycles

Link to more info on T.C. Christensen and the Hogslayer

Primer Nationals

Was out at the Primer Nationals on Sunday down in Ventura. It was a overcast day so it made for some good mood lighting when shooting. Sunday was kinda empty and dead, but I was talking to a few of the vendors there and they said Saturday was really crowded.

Primer Nationals

Painted by Donnie Baird at Imperial Customs

Pac Man Striping

The last of the photos from the striping session at Smiley's a few months back.

Congratulations Sarah and Marco

Sarah Miesse, PR for Body Glove International, got married today to Marco Lalau down on the beach in Manhattan Beach.  I took photos of the ceremony and all the standard family and wedding photos afterwards.  Congratulations to the newly married couple.

James Dean First and Last Bike

At the age of 15 James Dean was given a 1947 CZ 125cc motorcycle by his uncle and guardian, Marcus Wislow. He would race that bike on an improvised track behind Marvin Carter's motorcycle shop. James' uncle bought the CZ from Marvin. Dean later on traded in his CZ for a Royal Enfield 500cc vertical twin that he ended up burning a valve on the way to back to New York. While that bike was being worked on he ended up trading it in and paying a extra $400 for a maroon and gold striped 1952 Indian Warrior TT. He would store that bike in New York at the Greenwich Village garage where Steve McQueen worked as a part-time motorcycle mechanic. The two would bond over their love for motorcycles.

James Dean would use part of his advance from the movie "East of Eden" to buy a used red MG TD and a shell blue 1955 Triumph T110. He ended up trading his T110 for a 1955 Triumph TR5 Trophy, VIN TR559196. This was also shell blue and Dean went on to make a few modifications to it. He installed upright handlebars by Flanders, removed the muffler and installed a older, 6T-style rider seat. He flipped the passenger seat backwards just like Marlon Brando did on his 1950 Triumph 6T in "The Wild One."

During the late 1980's, Marcus Winslow Jr, went on a quest to locate Dean's last bike, his 1955 Triumph T5 Trophy. He found the bike in Minnesota and bought it back. The bike was restored back to how James had it. The 1947 CZ is in an unrestored state and at the Fairmount Historical Museum.

James Dean on his 1947 CZ

James Dean's Triumph in front of the house he grew up in.

From the book "Legendary Motorcycles"

442nd Regimental Combat Team

This is also posted at the entrance to Manzanar.

The motto of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was “go for broke.” It’s a gambling term that means risking everything on one great effort to win big. The soldiers of the 442nd needed to win big. They were Nisei - American-born sons of Japanese immigrants. They fought two wars: the Germans in Europe and the prejudice in America.

The regiment consisted of two groups of Japanese, the "Buddhaheads" from Hawaii and the "Katonks" from the mainland.  In the beginning the two groups didn't get along because the "Buddhaheads" never realized how the "Katonks" families were imprisoned in the camps.  Military high command were almost considering disbandoning the 442nd because they didn't think they could fight overseas as a unit.  So the Army decided to send a group of Buddhaheads to visit the camps in Arkansas.  After seeing the camps, Camp Jerome and Camp Rowher, with all the barber wire, guard towers and machine guns, the Buddhaheads understood.  As word got around about the camps the Buddhaheads gained a whole new respect for the Katonks.  From that time on they became united-like a clenched fist.

The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was the most decorated unit for it's size and length of service, in the entire history of the U.S. Military.  They earned 9,486 purple hearts, 21 Medals of Honor and an unprecedented eight Presidential Unit Citations.

For more detail on the 442nd click on this link.

Manzanar Relocation Center Plaque

This plaque is posted at the entrance of Manzanar.

Dennis McPhail Art

Was at Doug Dorr's house today getting some extra shots of his car.  This piece of art is hanging in his house. Created by Dennis McPhail for the Mooneyes show.  It was in a art auction and Doug had the highest bid.  Which is a steal for what he got it for.  I wish I had a piece from Dennis like that.

THE HORSE MAGAZINE

Check out the new issue of The Horse Back Street Choppers Magazine.  Article written on Denver Dan by Nelson Kanno and my photos are featured in the September 2008 issue.  On newstands now.

Submitted by Greg Browning

2nd Annual F.T.B. show trophy

When I was over at Denver Dan he pulled out this trophy and said this is his favorite trophy he ever got.  Here's the story behind the trophy as told by Denver Dan:

The quick story behind that trophy is this..... it was about 1994 or 95...The Blessing of the Cars had become a little to mainstream.....sanitized. There were also some issues with the promoters of the event and my old friends in The Shifters car club...(doing burnouts, donuts, etc...but its a hot rod show!!) so they decided to host their own event in Orange County, to be held on the same day...and to call it "Fuck The Blessing"
I believe it was the 2nd annual "F.T.B." and it was a really big turnout....the best part is that it was almost all friends/ friends of friends....all people who were really into the whole deal....good vibe great weather....anyway, when the awards went out I got the "Best Bike" award..which ruled on alot of levels....first it was oldstyle, a true "trophy" homemade, out of spare parts..(headlight mount bracket, spring, old m/c trophy top, etc)...one of the Shifters had put it together specifically for the best bike...secondly...of all the other bikes and people there (it being a close knit crew) I received the award.  Just a good day, fond memories with old friends...

Manzanar Relocation Center

On the way to Mammoth Mountain just before the City of Independence there is a place called Manzanar.  My father was born there and my Grandpa, Grandma, Uncles and Aunts spent 3 years of their lives there.  This was because in the Spring of 1942 during WWII the American Government forced all Japanese living on the west coast and other areas to relocate to these "prison" camps.  It was done so fast that most families had to sell everything they had and for very cheap upon entering these camps.  So most families had nothing  when they were released. My dad's family were one of the "lucky" ones in that their neighbors watched and took care of their home while they were detained.  I took a few photos of Manzanar while we were up there last week.  We used to stop there all the time with my dad and  he would tell us about the place.  Back then they had it all closed off and you couldn't go on the grounds and see things.  They have since opened it up and have restored and marked the place with signs giving you a sense of where things were.  There is a museum next door but we were to late to visit it so we just drove around inside and looked around.  I will post more photos later in the week on Manzanar.

Original photo shot by Ansel Adams during the time the camp was occupied. Circa 1943

My photo of the sign they have restored to it's original state.

The original Military Sentry Police Post.  You originally were only able to go a little past this post before.  It was also in it's original state and could walk inside the post. They have refurbished the post and now have locked doors on it.

Picture of the entry way.  When they first open the whole place to the public years ago now, my aunts and uncles went back to visit the place and went to the area where they lived.  When they got to the spot they found marbles still in the dirt where one of my uncles used to play.