In North Carolina a while

[Platefire]

Visiting my Daughter & Grandkids in Raeford. Amazed that the lay of the land and trees are almost identical to where I live in Louisiana but as you venture out in other parts of the State it changes drastically. Mostly been chilling and enjoying my grandchildren.Yesterday we got out and went to the N.C. Zoological Park, Motorcycle Musium at Asheboro plus the Flea markets there. The Motorcycle Musium was cool in they had a lot of bikes packed in the small space. It's a Dinner, Motorcycle parts and Musium all in one------all Harley's, no other bikes but that's OK. Some completely restored and some barn fresh. Found a bunch of tubes at the Flea market but looked like all the good amp tubes had already been harvested. No complaints, had a great time. Late at night when the Grands are in bed, I pull out my Trio+ and ax and jam with that with headphones. Platefire

[shooter]

the State it changes drastically

Hike up to Mt Mitchell, from Black Mtn campground, 3.5 miles....straight up!
Then go do Driskill Mtn In LA.  I did like the area at Driskill, was sorta like MI woods.  this might be like "it tastes like chicken"

[Jack_Hester]

Ed Rich is the owner of that MC Museum.  I have done business with him in the past, when I was active in antique restorations. 

The Asheboro Airport is having their annual air show on 11Jun16.  I haven't been there in awhile, but it's usually a good day of vintage planes of all kinds.  Ed will have some of his antique bikes there.  There may be vintage cars, as well, though I don't know the sponsor. 

Jack

[Platefire]

Yeah, I'll be long gone by June's Ashboro show. Ed had 53 Harley dirt bike un-restored I thought was so cool. It was small and I was thinking it would make a great rat bike. They also had a smaller Harley that looked like a two cycle engine. He didn't have a lot of the bikes labled, so I waswasn't able to tell what they were. Would have liked to have spent more time there and maybe talk to Ed but with the Grandchildren there with me, impossible.

As far as mountain hiking, with two year old Michael riding on my shoulders, my endurance don't go very far. Will probably go home the long way through Ashville to Memphis down through Arkansas. Platefire

BTW---Here is a pix of the 2 Stroke Harley at the Musium. The significants of that was when I was wanting my first bike, my Dad took me to a shop and they had that bike, fell in love with it but because it was too expensive ended up getting an Allstate Moped for $50 with my grass mowing savings.

[kagliostro]

I've never seen that particoular Harley model

Very Nice

Franco

[Ritchie200]

 Back in the early 70s Harley had the Baja which is a two stroke dirtbike I think they sold about 10 of them .

Jim

[Platefire]

Yeah, Harley just couldn't compete with Honda/Yamaha in the 70's in the dirt bike market. Use to have a friend that had a Harley Sprint in the 70,s, pretty fun bike!

Anybody remember NSU Motorcycles? We had a dealership in the next town that latter turned into a Honda dealer when NSU went out of business.

[Platefire]

Went to Southern Pines NC today to Farmers Market and shops on front Street. Had s nice music/guitar store there.

[Jack_Hester]

Went to Southern Pines NC today to Farmers Market and shops on front Street. Had s nice music/guitar store there.

Back when the Land Speed Racing events were being held at Maxton, NC, I used to pass through Southern Pines.  Seems there was a Harley dealership on Hwy 501, but I never stopped.  Stuff was a bit too new for me, though I appreciate the engineering behind such. 

Started collecting components to build a hot little 45 cu-in V-twin to see if I could best the record there for the class.  I think that it was 79 mph, or so.  80 mph was my goal, in the mile. 

They closed the track, as the military wanted that runway back.  They were using the other runways, and this one was abandoned.  The East Coast Timing Association moved to somewhere in Ohio.  Maxton was only about 2-1/2 hours for me. 

Jack

[Platefire]

I assume by your tone you never completed the 45? If you did, some pics would be nice.

We went to Raleigh today to the Musium and ate at Big Ed's in historical downtown area. Nice clean town! It's been great weather. Bikers are out everywhere now. Platefire

[Jack_Hester]

Never completed.  And, no pictures as everything is still in pieces.  The frame would have been a new construction, in order to run a Big Twin 4-speed transmission.  I learned a lot from the many years of going to the motorcycle drag races, mostly at the Farmington Drag Strip (spectator, only).  My frame would have had the oil tank in an oversized downtube and a special construction fuel tank.  Had that mocked up in cardboard.  Nothing fancy, but very practical. 

Frame jig still mounted and level, on the construction bench: 



I enjoy this picture, from time to time.  The shop is so cluttered, I wonder if it will ever be this clean again.  That's a set of 45 cases on the stand (not mine) and a single flywheel being balanced.  A bit further down is a Big Twin tranny case (not mine, either) ready for building.  No long outages for the rest of the year, at work.  So, maybe, just maybe, I'll get the shop back to something resembling this.  The tools on the wall are mostly original, vintage Harley (and a couple Indian).  I like using original tools, unless I can have my buddy Pat machine some that are better.  Or, don't exist. 

Jack

[kagliostro]

Nice shop Jack

Franco

[Platefire]

Was you planning on building the frame yourself? So you must be doing shop builds/repairs for other folks.
Well you probably got good reasons for not proceeding on the 45. One reason I don't pursue a bike is it would district me from all the other stuff I need to be doing that I'm already having trouble accomplishing. So I've made my amping, guitars and musical ministry my main distraction but I just love vintage bikes. If I had the bike skills, knowledge, tools, shop you do, I may not be able to contain myself

[Platefire]

We were going through Fayetteville NC yesterday in my Daughter's Honda Vann
 And got rear ended at an intersection. Fortunity a low speed Fender bender and the van is not disabled. Platefire

[Jack_Hester]

Nice shop Jack

Thanks, Franco -

Hopefully, it will be usable again, by Summer. 

Jack

[Jack_Hester]

Was you planning on building the frame yourself? So you must be doing shop builds/repairs for other folks.
Well you probably got good reasons for not proceeding on the 45.

Yes, it would have been a scratch-built frame.  But, it would be easier now, that a company named Paughco has a frame that I could modify: 

http://www.paughco.com/2008-catalog/indivpages/Harley-Davidson%20Special%20Order%20Frames%20For%2045%20Engines%20From%20Paughco.html

Cut the top rail out and install one of a larger diameter to act as an oil tank.  The neck would be low,  and the forks would be short and raked out a bit.  The rest of the frame is set up for a Big Twin 4-speed tranny. 

But, no land speed tracks in reasonable driving distance.  So, no need to proceed with that build. 

Jack

[Platefire]

Jack

Looks like they got some cool vintage type frames on that site. Sure enjoyed my stay in NC, lovely country. I'll be leaving out headed home tomorrow. Will stop off in Cleveland Tn to see some old friends. Will be passing through Doug's area tomorrow. Nothing like a good vacation once and a while. Now Lord just deliver me safe back home. Amen!

[Platefire]

Well I am back in good ol Louisiana now. Had a great time but it's always good to get back home! Platefire

[pompeiisneaks]

When I was a kid in the 70's my parents drove us from UT to NC to visit my Mom's parents (They lived in Carolina Beach area).  Loved NC as a kid, but when I was in the Army I was stationed in GA and went up to NC once and both GA and NC are just WAY too humid for me.  I like the desert heat much more, (Except after a stint in Iraq, I've become much less prone to heat of any kind, thus why I love the PNW now).  I do recall how pretty GA and NC are with all the greenery everywhere.  I do miss that for sure.

~Phil

[Platefire]

I tell you what, the biggest adjustment for me is Interstate traffic! I live a little off the grid where things move at a lot slower pace. It's quite a re-calabration hitting the road for me. In Fayetteville (Fort Bragg) where I was staying the traffic is horrendous. You have to hit the ground running. Thankfully my daughter drove us around while we were there, my car stayed parked. So with me in a Senior way, enjoying being back off the grid:>) Platefire