Update and The Race of Gentlemen

Wow! Its been awhile since I updated this blog. Lost track of time and got sidetracked, but I’ve been steady working on the 38UL. In one of my earlier posts you’ll remember that the cases needed serious attention and they got it. A great friend of mine, Ray, took to them with a TIG torch and made it so they will live to fight another day. While digging through magazines both new and old looking for inspiration, I started to favor an older look for the flathead, a 40’s-50’s style, a real bobber if we need to throw labels around. Also some months ago via email I got a hold of Mel who is a member of the Oilers car club and one of the main dudes responsible for The Race of Gentlemen (TROG) out on the Jersey shore this October. They were taking submissions for bikes to race on the beach. Pre 1948 and need to look the part are the guidelines. I started doing some more research online and in books and was really digging the TT style some big twins were clothed in, along with the hill climb and Jack Pine style motorcycles. So thoughts were thunked and an idea was formed and I was stoked on it. We’re building the 38UL to be like a bike that would’ve been built back in the 40’s and raced around hayfields for fun, maybe climbed a couple hills or two and traversed cross country in a Jack Pine race. The idea is to build the bike like old hot rodders would’ve done it, what we don’t have, we’ll make! Handmade parts, with respect to the time period and the innovation of the era. Some poor farm boys from Michigan wouldn’t have sprung for the factory hill climb right side gas tank that holds oil and neither will we! We’ll cut up the old horseshoe for the fittings and make our own, more money for beer! Now, that also allows us to not have to buy the factory TT oil tank that is shorter so you can raise the transmission for better cornering. Being that the oil tank is now out of the picture we can make stands that will raise our transmission up an 1” or so. What about the battery? Magneto is the answer son. We’ll also need a rear mudguard, pressed into service for the job will be a spare tire cover from a Model A that would’ve been lying around the old farmstead. You get the picture I’m sure, I’m going to post some examples of what I’m talking about style wise. 

Of course we had to rebuild the old motor and were almost done with that now. I picked up a Victory Library book on building flatheads and were doing some of the tricks mentioned in the book. Ray took to relieving the cylinders and cleaning up the ports for better flow. I’d like to have the cams re-ground but I don’t think time will allow for that now. Speaking of time, I need to email Mel again and make sure everything is still a go for getting the bike in the race. I’ll be posting more here about the progress and the race and do a better job of keeping this blog updated. I’ll also post some links to the race and other blogs of dudes that are in the race or supporting it so you can check out what’s happening. It’s been so cool working on this old beast and I hope the Michigan Mutt gets to see the Jersey shore.

For you instagrammers that read this make sure you follow @theraceofgentlemen and also @oilerscarclub