Toy Run Photos from 2007

       
To assist the Marines and Salvation Army, local riders staged a toy run so area kids could have a better Christmas. To participate in the run riders had to bring a new un-wrapped toy OR a cash donation. The rally point was filled with great looking bikes and naturally I had to break out my camera and do some snapping..  Enjoy!

              We filled up a trailer full of toys and turned over donations of over five thousand dollars... Good job bikers...  Some local kids had a better Christmas thanks to you !

Harley-Davidson Nightrain

             Bet you didn't know there are now more motorcycles on the road than anytime in history. Some of the great brands of the past may be gone but others have come along to pick up the slack. Harley-Davidson at one time made a model called 'Nightrain.'
They selected the name due to everything on the bike being blacked out. Little did they know there would be riders like me who would come along and chrome just about everything on the bike.

          This is my 1999 HD Nightrain... and it is a show winner with lots of blue ribbons and trophies to back up that claim. I had a LePera seat on it for a while, but for comfort I had a Softail Custom seat reupholstered with buttons and orange piping around it for a unique look.

            Yeah,..it is the old 80 cubic inch Evolution engine, but I have changed the camshaft, done some valve work, and installed the hyper-charger. It runs extremely well and I have NO problem keeping up with the current models of the twin-cam engines. Note the chromed oil tank, transmission cover, cam cover, and chromed push-rod covers.

            The wheels are the main attraction to this bike. They were purchased from a company in Minnesota and the model is called Triad because of the triple spokes. When I ride on a sunny day you can't help but look at it because of the flashing light they give off from the sun. The brake rotors and the main drive pulley all match the pattern of the wheels. From this angle you can also see the chromed forks, voltage regulator cover, Kuryakyn pegs and grips, and the chrome piping around the front fender.

          Here is a better look at the brake rotor so you can compare it to the wheel behind it. The chrome axle covers clean up that corner of the bike, and you can see at the top a saddle-bag spacers. I rarely put the saddle-bags on because they cover up the beautiful wheels. I went through a couple of exhaust systems before ending up with the HD Screaming Eagle pipes. I have retained the baffles in the pipes, but it still sounds terrific when I crank it.

       Opposite side of the rear wheel to show you what the rear pulley looks like. The drive belt cover has also been chromed to go along with its shiny other parts.

          The Nightrain comes with the bobbed rear fender of a Softail...but after a couple of years I got tired of it throwing up rain water on me and fellow riders, so I switched it out for a Heritage Softail rear fender. The single small tail light of the Nightrain has been replaced with one I bought from J & P Cycles in Iowa.. This particular light assembly is called Aurora. I defy anyone to say they didn't see my turn signals...they are almost blinding. Chrome tip at bottom of fender came from HD.

           I have contemplated flames, pin stripes, or even a change in colors over the years.... but when I clean it up there is no better looking paint job than this glossy black. Note the chrome buttons on the controls, and the sun shade over the speedometer. Only one of the gas caps is real but I changed both of them to the skull series offered by HD. I found the gold Eagle medallion at a garage sale and cleaned it up and mounted it below the dash for contrast with all the chrome.

                My windshield is a Memphis Shades and it takes all of fifteen seconds to remove and install it. I usually have it on for longer rides or at night to keep the bugs out of my teeth. I detested the stock Nightrain handlebars from day one and that was the very first thing I replaced on this bike. The current ones are eleven inch pullbacks and they are very comfortable for me. I do have a mustache bar mounted so I can stretch out, but I only do one leg at a time. When I first mounted it I came home from work (thirty minute ride) and when I tried to take my feet off the mustache bar I couldn't... they had gone to sleep. Scary moment !

            Left side shows my strategic use of chrome on the primary cover, horn cover, coil cover, frame inserts, passenger pegs, and even the oil filter.

  

Car Show Photos

             I don't know about you, but I have always been infatuated with cars.... Not the modern day junk traveling the highways and byways, but the full fendered classics of the 1930's, 40's, and 50's. Every time I get the chance to attend a car show I jump at the opportunity... and lucky for you,... I always have my camera handy.

           ..    This is a 1932 Ford Roadster (no top) with a late model Chevrolet V8 engine.

                           

                

         1932 Fords have been a favorite of car enthusiast for many years... My brother was always a roadster man, but I was a sucker for coupes. Can you believe I was lucky enough to find a coupe right beside the above roadster?

            This is a 3-window couple powered by a 5-liter Ford Mustang engine. It is owned by a woman and she had just returned from a trip to Kentucky in this car. Check the air conditioning ports on the dash.

                 
                           
                        Most of the movies involving young people in the 1950's always had a 1950 Mercury in it.. This one has had the top chopped and it is lowered all the way around. The flammed paint job is also one to be admired.. I believe those teeth in the grille are from a mid-50's DeSoto.    . 
                 

                  
             Pinstripes are also featured on this particular car and the interior has been updated to make a super modern daily rider out of it...

               
                 This is a 1950 Ford and it was also a favorite model for hot rodders. The grille is from another car (Chevy I think) and that bumper is from a DeSoto.

                  
                  The long lines on the back of this 50 added to the attraction of the model. The chrome has been removed from the nose of the hood and trunk....and louvers were a big thing in the 1950's..

              The top has also been chopped on this 1950 Ford and originally it had a two piece windshield, but now features a one piece.

             
                 This is a 1947 Mercury with a '48 Cadillac grille. The color is a dark forest green and looks black until you can get some sunshine on it..  The green really looks great with a light tan color interior..

                 I like the idea that the owner left the dash completely stock with all the original gauges...and the pedals that go down through the floor instead of modern swing pedals.

              

This is a 1940 Oldsmobile Coupe... I loved the paint job on this car. There are three different shades of burgandy/maroon presented here and all are separated by an orange pin stripe.

All of the General Motors brands used this basic design in 1940 (Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Buick, Pontiac, and Chevrolet), but each had its own intricacies.  I do like the fact the owner retained the running boards on the side of the car.

And to make sure this fine little coupe gets on down the highway, the owner has installed 350 cubic inches of Chevrolet power. Check the super detail under the hood...the firewall and inner fender work is outstanding. A final detail such as the manufacturer's plate on the firewall is a sure winner for any judges's eye.

Dia de los Muertos

            This posting is simply to show off some photographs I have made... All photos were taken by me and the subjects in the photos all gave me their permission to take the photo... 
        These photos were taken November 7th, 2015 in the city of Denison, Texas in the annual Dia de los Muertos.. or translated to English, it means 'Day of the Dead.'