Topic: And now I "out" myself

[NobleHops]

Ahoy lads,

Who remembers a haul of SOHC stuff that went on the block a month or so ago, from a member "kghost" in Texas?

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,153666.0.html

I bought it.    Or I should say, "them". It was a nice haul, 4 good solid bikes, two projects (ok, one project and one basketcase), some tools including stuff my brother can use, and a butt-ton of used parts. I don't even have a handle on everything I have, to be candid. It was a good adventure: Tim and I struck a deal pretty quickly, and 36 hours later I was on a plane to McAllen Texas at the butt-crack of dawn. I rented the biggest Penske truck they have, we picked up a bunch of wood and tie-downs to make chocks, and then humped like stevedores for 7 or so hours to get it all loaded, while Tim's dad and another cool older family friend mostly pointed and laughed, but also helped when we needed it. The next day I was on my way back to Arizona with a fully loaded 26-foot truck, and 36 hours after that I was unloading into my newly rented storage. It was an excellent adventure, although tiring and expensive :-)









So I have a ton of stuff, and a couple of bikes I am working on flipping just as soon as I can get them ready, and then some stock for restoration projects. All good.

For sure though, just as soon as I can clear out these two bikes and the space they are taking up in the shop, and return some capital, I will be digging into the parts haul and I promise to make it available to folks here, as many did for me on my 400 project. So please stand by on that for now - you might like to ask, "Hey have you got..." and I would have to answer, "I don't really know yet", and that stuff is nearby in storage and not at all sorted or organized. So hang in there on that please. I"ll get to that soon.


More...

[Restoration Fan]

Wow!  Nice haul!!!!!
Congrats, man!  Those 4 bikes in the photo look good!

[seanbarney41]

treasure hunting is fun...very jealous...eager to see what parts you will sell

[NobleHops]

BUT FIRST!!

Tim pointed out something that would have gone right by me. One of the bikes, a hot-rodded K2 750, has a wrinkle tank on it. And according to Tim and to my cohort James (aka Harisuluv), some of you guys are 'queer' for those, as Hunter S Thompson might have said. I understand they belong on sandcast and K0 bikes, and it's valuable and frankly wasted on this modded K2.

Here it is, and some notes on it's condition.

















It is, as you can see one of the later wrinkle tanks, with 4 dimples to clear the carb tops. It is overall in very good condition, solid, and I can't detect any major repair or bodywork having been done to it. Tim repainted it and applied the silver leaf. It was lined somewhere along the way, if I had to guess I'd say it was the clear Caswell epoxy liner. It is flaking around the filler neck, I chipped off 2-3 dime-to quarter-sized pieces that were loose from that area, didn't see any other areas loose or chipping. The liner looks otherwise pretty solid. I cleaned it out with the POR15 cleaner/degreaser and very hot water, then rinsed it, then dried it and soaked it for 2 days with MetalRescue to derust anything that was unlined, including the gas cap as shown. Finally I gave it a rinse with acetone and dried it, and here it sits. 

The quality of the paint is "OK" (sorry Tim), but I'm assuming anyone that was in need of this would be repainting anyway. There was a bowl-type petcock on it, not sure that's specific to it, if it is I'll include it, if not I'll keep it for what I replace this with.

The badges and trim on it are appropriate for a 72, so I might remove those too, as I don't imagine that a person putting this on a K0 would use them anyway.

So here are the questions:

What's it worth in its present condition? Is it worth selling this and putting something more appropriate on it? I have several solid tanks in my stash to choose from to paint and use on the bike, and I intended to return the bike to original colors anyway.

And secondarily, do you guys think it would be a fair trade for a very good condition set of tank-and sidecovers appropriate for a 72?

Sorry if these are stupid questions, your experience and wisdom is appreciated as always.

N.

[Stev-o]

You come to Texas and don't call me?!   I call dibs on that ________

[mrbreeze]

I had forgotten about Tim's stuff. I remember he was trying to sell some or all of it a few years back and it was in Texas. I believe he relocated in Australia?

[NobleHops]

You come to Texas and don't call me?!   I call dibs on that ________

I knew this was coming. I felt and feel guilty, I would have loved to hang out with you, but this was a death march, intensity-wise. Forgive me Steve-O san.

[NobleHops]

I had forgotten about Tim's stuff. I remember he was trying to sell some or all of it a few years back and it was in Texas. I believe he relocated in Australia?

He did, with all intentions of moving back, but Life happened, and 8 years passed, and now Oz is home. We had a narrow window to pull this off in, hence the crazy speed with which we did the deal.

[Stev-o]

That wrinkle tank belongs on a sandcast.  List it for sale in the for sale section and maybe one of the Sandie guys can link to the SOOC forum. 

I'd value it at $400...

[NobleHops]

Gracias Steve

[Retro Rocket]

Good score Nils, All I can say  after reading the topic to this thread is, I'm glad it's the tank that's queer....

[754]

I should point out , the cap if I remember  can be pressed steel ordiecast..I think..not sure which but early ones are different .

Was there a brown 71 tank , i think i spotted that I must have one day...moreso if I can get my buddy to sell me what is left of his 71 .. Iriginally and when I met him..candy garnet brown..

[NobleHops]

Good score Nils, All I can say  after reading the topic to this thread is, I'm glad it's the tank that's queer....

HAHAHA!

For your enjoyment, here's an excerpt from the classic motorcycle treatise, "The Song of the Sausage Creature", one of my all-time favorites:

...

When the Ducati turned up in my driveway, nobody knew what to do with it. I was in New York, covering a polo tournament, and people had threatened my life. My lawyer said I should give myself up and enroll in the Federal Witness Protection Program. Other people said it had something to do with the polo crowd.

The motorcycle business was the last straw. It had to be the work of my enemies, or people who wanted to hurt me. It was the vilest kind of bait, and they knew I would go for it.

Of course. You want to cripple the bastard? Send him a 130-mph cafe-racer. And include some license plates, he'll think it's a streetbike. He's queer for anything fast.

Which is true. I have been a connoisseur of fast motorcycles all my life. I bought a brand-new 650 BSA Lightning when it was billed as "the fastest motorcycle ever tested by Hot Rod magazine." I have ridden a 500-pound Vincent through traffic on the Ventura Freeway with burning oil on my legs and run the Kawa 750 Triple through Beverly Hills at night with a head full of acid... I have ridden with Sonny Barger and smoked weed in biker bars with Jack Nicholson, Grace Slick, Ron Zigler and my infamous old friend, Ken Kesey, a legendary Cafe Racer.

Some people will tell you that slow is good - and it may be, on some days - but I am here to tell you that fast is better. I've always believed this, in spite of the trouble it's caused me. Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba....

...

RIP Hunter S Thompson

[Kenzo]

yup...

[RevDoc]

yup...

Reminds me of a quote attributed to Teddy Roosevelt, that I read when I was a teenager and have pretty much adopted as my life philosophy, " Life should be led like a cavalry charge!" 

[NobleHops]

yup...

Reminds me of a quote attributed to Teddy Roosevelt, that I read when I was a teenager and have pretty much adopted as my life philosophy, " Life should be led like a cavalry charge!" 

I like it!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Hunter had it right! (See my signature for a link to the article - one of my favorites).

Nils, Nice score! Those complete bikes look pretty solid.

[Tews19]

Thanks for sharing the pics! I bet it was an adventure and look forward to seeing what comes out with everything!

[Stev-o]

.... look forward to seeing what comes out with everything!

+1....what other goodies ya get?!

[thirsty 1]

Got it. I'll keep looking for the Varnish Blue formula....

[NobleHops]

+1, will let you know what I learn from my paint guy.

[nvr2old]

Any auto body paint store worth their salt can replicate the Varnish Blue.  They can scan a part..if..you have one in the correct color.

That's how it was done for mine, and the color is right on the money.

[BobbyR]

Some people will tell you that slow is good - and it may be, on some days - but I am here to tell you that fast is better. I've always believed this, in spite of the trouble it's caused me. Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles, Bubba....[/size]

...

RIP Hunter S Thompson

Johnny Depp knew Thompson.  When Thompson died, Depp had a cannon built and did indeed shoot his ashes out of a Cannon.
 

[NobleHops]

Any auto body paint store worth their salt can replicate the Varnish Blue.  They can scan a part..if..you have one in the correct color.

That's how it was done for mine, and the color is right on the money.

That's the rub: I don't have a sample, and don't trust my eye to pick it out of a swatch book. If you would be so kind as to take a photo of the recipe on the can and post it, assuming you have it, that might do me and maybe others a big favor.

[kghost]

Glad you "outed" yourself and that all the stuff when to a good home.

I think you'll get more that $400 for that wrinkle tank.....Ebay it and see what happens.

PM o Email me that you received all the paperwork would you?