ATV Florida Forum

This week at the Orange County (FL) Choppers shop, we are going to make a replica 1953 H-D FL Hydra glide.  That is, if my grumpy old man will leave us all alone so we can work.  Let’s get started!

(In Paul Sr. voice)  Boy, these parts are here now, I don’t want to see any <beep> slackers in my shop.  This is my shop and I am the MAN here.  I’m going out for a couple hours and when I get back, I expect to see something worth having you lowlifes around!

First, we started on the front wheel and the engine.  That is just like my old pop to stir up trouble at the shop and then leave us to do all the work.  The rim is proving to be trouble, and we have to have the wheel re-balanced.  The engine is in pristine shape though after having it rebuilt at the H-D plant in Milwaukee, courtesy of one of our 4-wheeling buddies Honda328i.

This frame went out for some welding and powdercoat at another shop in the area.  Mike Walker always does great with these.  My old man wants us to do everything in the OCC shop, but he does not understand we don’t always have time to do it ourselves.  He will be mad, but will get over it.

We have most of the parts collected together, so I feel like we had a great day.  Dang, here comes old grumpy, you think he will be impressed?  (Paul Sr. voice)  What is all this crap all over the floor?  I leave and I come back and this is what you people do here?  Whaddya mean you had to send out the frame?  We are fabricators here, that’s what we do!  We make the bikes here, you understand????  That’s what we DO!  If I only get one piece of you Blah Blah Blah………….

By the next day, we had the wheel balanced and I put it on.  Fits like a glove.  The frame only needed some minor adjusting, and the blue paint came out great.  I’m impressed.

(Paul Sr. voice) What is this, a bike with one wheel?  How do you people expect to ride this?  We were supposed to have this one finished today!!  I’m not seeing progress here, some heads are gonna get knocked…….   I think we did great today, getting the engine and tranny together.  My old man does not appreciate the art of what we do.

Here’s me making fun of my dad, he always gets so bent out of shape over nothing.  If only HE were as easy to straighten out like the frame was, it would make our jobs easier here at the shop.

Today, I got on the exhaust, the chrome work we had done was excellent.  Fits on the first try.  Dad has to be impressed today.

Last thing, the front fork and the wheel goes on, but we got a hydraulic leak in the front caliper.  It seems the kid mechanic here forgot to put in some O rings.  He’s doing a lot better, but dad says he needs to go to mechanic school.

I finally got to take this beauty out for its virgin run today.  Blue, my favorite color, on such a handsome bike.  Rides like a champ.

This baby is going to make someone really happy, I might just keep it for myself, if my old man would let me.

Dad showed up after all the work was done, as usual, I just roll my eyes.  He’s crazy, but he’s still my pop.  I think he really likes our latest creation though.  William Harley would be impressed too.  Thanks for joining us this week at the OCC shop.  Next week, we are going to put a Hemi into a Banshee frame, in a very rare 4-wheel machine.  We prefer to stick to choppers, but dad had another crazy idea, and he won’t take no for an answer.

I like it, you should get father of the week award for that sir.
How many dads have the patience to endure such a project. Good job OCC of Florida..... 8)

nice work. can ya customize my warrior. maybe convert it to a z400?

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Dude That is awsome!

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anyone ever tell you that you look like mel gibson(or whoever that guy is in leathal weapons with danny glover)

You are the second person in a week to say that.  I guess there is some resemblance.

I thought they meant Danny Glover  ;D

Id@

awesome!!!!

Worst part of that is, how much of that was your son actually thinking?  Great job, both on the post and the model.