ANTIQUE BIKES
THIS MOTORCYCLE (A 1928 74" TWIN-CAM) WAS ORIGINALLY PUT TOGETHER BY BUD EKINS OUT OF PIECES. THE FRAME AND FRONT-END WERE ACTUALLY BRUSHED PAINTED IN THE OLIVE DRAB; HOWEVER, ALL OF THE SHEET METAL WAS ORIGINAL FACTORY PAINT. THIS BIKE CAME FROM A COLLECTION IN SANTA PAULA; IT WAS PURCHASED FOR $12,000 IN 1985 BY ELI GROSSMAN ALONG WITH A 1936 VLH HARLEY.
VON DUTCH LIVED FOR SEVERAL YEARS ON THE PROPERTY WHERE BOTH THE BIKES CAME FROM. HE WAS LIVING THERE IN AN OLD SCHOOL BUS HE WORKED OUT AS WELL AS A SMALL BUILDING BESIDE IT. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SPEND A COUPLE DAYS WITH HIM WHEN THESE BIKES WERE PURCHASED; AMAZED AT HIS TALENT, WHICH WENT WELL BEYOND WORKING ON MOTORCYCLES/CARS/PAINTING AND STRIPING WORK. WE WATCHED HIM HAND ENGRAVING METAL WITH HIS OWN HOME-MADE CHISELS. HE ALSO MADE CUSTOM KNIVES AND WEAPONS. ELI ACTUALLY PURCHASED TWO OF THE CUSTOM KNIVES WHICH WERE IN THEIR OWN SPECIAL HAND-MADE CASES. HE ONLY PAID $400 A PIECE FOR THEM....IMAGINE WHAT THOSE ARE WORTH NOW
BELOW ARE THE IMAGES OF THE BIKE RESTORED. IT WAS SOLD SHORTLY AFTER MY RESTORATION TO A GUY IN WASHINGTON STATE AND JUST RESOLD IN FALL OF 2014 FOR $125,000!
THIS MOTORCYCLE SHOWN HERE WAS PURCHASED FROM BUD EKINS AROUND 1987 BY A JOHN LAPPIN. HE THEN BROUGHT IT TO ME FOR RESTORATION. DURING THE TIME I WAS WORKING ON THE BIKE I WENT TO BUD'S SHOP TO ASK HIM SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIKE AND HE TELLS ME "YOU KNOW THAT BIKE IS ON PAGE 169 OF THE HARLEY DAVIDSON BOOK (THE MILWAUKEE MARVEL BY HARRY SUCHER)
WHAT A WONDERFUL AND KNOWLEDGEABLE GUY AND FRIEND BUD WAS. HE HELPED ME WITH LOTS OF STUFF OVER THE YEARS....SAD HE IS GONE.
BELOW IS THE SAME BIKE RESTORED SHORTLY AFTER ITS PURCHASE FROM BUD.
1940 61" EL HARLEY DAVIDSON, FIRST YEAR OF LARGE CROSS-SECTION TIRES AND HALF-ROUND FOOT BOARDS
THIS BIKE IS A 1931 INDIAN 101 SCOUT. THEY WERE MADE FROM 1928-1931. IT'S AMAZING THAT THESE BIKES WERE MADE DURING THE DEPRESSION. WORLD-WIDE SALES AND STATESIDE MUNICIPALITIES HAD TO HAVE KEPT THESE GUYS ALIVE AS WELL AS HARLEY DAVIDSON. THIS EXAMPLE, OWNED AT THE TIME BY ELI GROSSMAN, IS ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER INDIANS MADE TO THIS DAY. THIS IS A VERY COOL MOTORCYCLE TO RIDE.
THIS BIKE, A 1938 SS80 BROUGH SUPERIOR WAS COMPLETED IN 1984. AT THAT TIME IT WAS OWNED BY RANDY WIGGINS.
THIS BIKE, A 1909 INDIAN 30.5 CUBIC INCH TWIN, WAS FOUND IN TRACY CALIFORNIA IN A DIRT FLOOR BARN. IT WAS PURCHASED BY ELI GROSSMAN FOR $6000 IN 1986 WITH JUST THE ADDITION OF 'SPEEDWAY' FRONT 23" TIRES (AT THIS TIME NO TIRES WERE AVAILABLE FOR THIS BIKE. MOST PEOPLE RE-LACED TO BICYCLE RIMS ) A PART WAS MADE FOR THE CARBURETOR, IN-TAKE LIFTER PINS AND THE MAG WAS REPAIRED. THIS BIKE WAS MADE TO RUN AND BE RIDEABLE IN ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION. THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN AT THE EL CAMINO JUNIOR COLLEGE SHOW AND TOOK 'BEST ORIGINAL CONDITION BIKE.' PEOPLE WERE BLOWN AWAY AT THE FACT THAT I WAS RIDING IT AROUND AT THE MEET.
AFTER FLYING UP TO STOCKTON CALIFORNIA WE RENTED A LINCOLN TOWN CAR AND TOOK THIS BIKE APART AND PUT IT IN THE TRUNK OF THE LINCOLN AND CAME BACK TO LOS ANGELES.
THIS BIKE NOW RESIDES IN BEVERLY HILLS, OWNED BY AN EMERSON GLAZER. IT'S MOUNTED ABOVE HIS FIREPLACE IN THE DEN!