Wendover Will

Where do you start?

As much a outright speed is amazing, like 354.832 mph, is this still considered a motorcycle?? It has two wheels, so it must be. right????

"LETS GET TO THE SALT"!!!

Background music is a must- If you havent already heard it, download Fear's '77 version of "I love livin' in the city".

????????

This is a little off subject, but where are all the drag bikes? Where are all the old drag racers who tuned their triumphs to run 10's? Where are all the people who ran fuel back in the heyday? Where are all the seventies painters who painted fairings like this?

Tank you very much

Heres a side shot with the tanks somewhat mounted, I need to make some bolts cause I cant even find long enough ones at Luky's. Next is rear wheel chain alignment and trans mounts.

BIG D

Im always snooping around the Big D cycle center website and checking out Keith and the guys projects. They completely restored the famous "Texas Cigar" and are active in road racing and land speed racing. You couldnt find a cooler group of cowboys anywhere. I met them last year, and they let me use their suitcase tig to fix a broken mount on Wes' bike. They have a passion for vintage and modern british powered bikes, and their lakes bike #728 is probably one of the coolest race bikes on the salt. Here is a pic of a norton powered streamliner they re-did. Dont mess with Texas!!!!

Its a Family Affair

Heres a pic of a great father and son duo that we met on the salt last year. They were campaining this flattrack style 750 triumph. If my memory serves me correct it had a champion or trackmaster frame, a carls sport shop primary cover, and a big bore kit of unknown manufacture. They went 117 or so, and said they might resurrect a cub they had in storage for this year. Dig the Zappa shirt!!!

Here is a couple of cool shots I found on the LIFE site

Esstainless

Heres a pic of my tanks in mock-up. Im making them out of stainless, in case I want to switch to fuel at a later time. Cylindrical tanks look cool, and give you a great place for stickers or a bitchin mural of a wizard

we're goin' to Texas. . .

Bonneville is just a cool place

This is my shop neighbor Dewayne. He is a fabulous welder. This is his car, it has been racing long wnough to be retired and brought back OUT of retirement.

MLK on the Salt

One of his lesser known speeches, Dr. King addressed the racers of Bonneville on one bright august morning. He stated "Its not the color of your race bike, its the content of your race bikes character"... Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!!

Sometimes it is all about breaking shit. . .

This was what was left of my weld on spigots in 2007. I JB welded them back, then tried to safety wire them back on. It did not work.

245.667 mph

Dampening and Clipping

Tacked up the steering dampner mount and slid on some tabs to act as gussets, I'll finish weld it after the fairing comes off for the 64th time. Tacked up the bars to the clamps and sat on it to determine the comfortable angle, then swung it back and forth with the clutch lever on it to make sure nothing hits and there was enough clearance for my hands. There is alot of rules in the rule book in regards to handlebars, how far outside of the fork tubes the bars can go has a minimum and a maximum, your thumbs must be 10" apart with your hands on the bars, the maximum angle the wheel can travel side to side from the wheel centerline is 15 degrees per side, your hands must not hit the tank before you hit fork stops. All this must be factored in as well as the travel of the steering dampner, because the dampner cannot act as a fork stop. Triumph fork stops are integrated into the lower tree on the trees I'm using so I small made piece of plate that mimics the contour of the stock tree that I'll weld on. Basically, It makes the lower tree 9/16 prouder in the right spots to stop fork travel where it needs to--with all that other rule stuff factored in. It was a head scratcher but Im doing it for the love!!

Speaking of Dedication: Burnt and Dirty

What would I have done with the best crew last year. Thanks Chris and Chris. Here is a picture of Chris 2, burnt and dirty in back of a trailer that says it all. This was after we spent half the night in the parking lot fixing my bike.

El Bigote

Here is a pic of Chuck ready to make a pass at El Mirage, its not quite Bonneville- but it satifies until August. Check out his bitchin leathers!! Over his shoulder is Tony Marsella aka Tony "Pizza" aka "Pizza" Tony, he was an early sidehack racer- before the days of ohc japanese monster motors--- Consult "on any sunday" for reference.

Dedication

Due to Sidewinders club duty which involved putting up balloons at 4am, its sleepy time time in the dirt at El Mirage. This is enthusiasm. +1 Mr. White

Sandwiches

Waiting in line for tech is a cool experience. The line is fairly slow, so you have time to cruise and check out other cool bikes- and meet interesting people. The best part is the salami sandwiches- a close second is the blackberry strudel.

Its all about looking cool

We bench raced this last year over dinner... We each get eachother crappy cheap shirts to wear around Wendover. Shirt close-outs at Wal mart, stuff like that. Im getting Wes something like this:
Im looking for Chucks and Chris' at Goodwill... BE PREPARED!

Traditions.

Wacky facial hair is a Bonneville tradition we try to adhere to every year. Here is Ha-Milton's (Chris #2's) look for last year. It is sort of the Slim Pickins, 1800s shopkeeper look. This year Chris says he is not gonna shave or get a haircut until he gets a record. I am sure it will be a cross between Ronald McDonald and Grizzley Adams.

Stretch Armstrong!

Weekend thrash and the frame is now stretched 6 inches. I can actually fit on the bike now... Made some clip-on clamps and got my ride height figured out. I was worried about finding tires, but Wes suggested the Avon that he runs on his bike for the rear- and Chuck had some extra cub stuff lying around- so Im running a 19 in the rear and an 18 in the front. No i am not running two wheel drive its just a cub 18" rear wheel for ride height mock up. More pictures soon of the primary and the finished up clip-ons.

Sun comin up

You can almost smell the race gas and hear the engines if you get up and listen early enough in the morning. I can't wait. Seems far off now but blink or don't pay attention for a minute and it will be time for your first run so be ready boys!

Murphy Lives in Wendover

Here is a pic taken from the Team Triumph Texas website... Lots of great slogans on this board- My favorites are-
Think before you ask questions, ask questions before you guess.
The only people you should try and get even with are those who have helped you.
Goal- a dream with a deadline
Murphy lives in Wendover

Danny Macias

Here is a picture of Danny Macias' pre-unit dragster. GP Carbs, cub forks, and a stretched frame. Other than the forks it could be a great lakes bike, I like the low stance of this bike. The stretch is what makes this a lowrider. My bike needs a 4" stretch, should have pictures of the start later today...

MOODY RACING!!!

For the last couple years, Steve Moody has helped up out for no other reason than he is a true enthusiast. THANKS STEVE!!!

Well, I stand up next to a mountain

And I chop it down with the edge of my hand
Return Road '08

Freedom

I should have surgery

I need to section the lower half of my body. Chop out about 6" of femur and re-weld it back together. Thats what it will take to ride a rigid preunit when you are 6'1". Plus MONGO has long legs and this guy in the pic is stretching when hes all of 5'... So I am moving to Romania to learn the lost art of contortionism. It takes dedication when youre a member of Saul T Nutz..
Mongo

Chris in a good mood !!

This was one of those bitchin moments you hear about. Chris and I stayed up half the night pulling the head off of my bike last year, listening to Mountain and greeting weird Wendoverians. This is a fine picture.

Breakneck Speed.

After attending the 60th annual Bonneville Speed Trials with Wes, Chuck, and Chris- I realized what I was going to do with the rest of my life... Race Bonneville and try to set land speed records. Now that I have officially started building my bike January 1, my philosophy behind the build and the bike will be BREAKNECK SPEED. I will be posting pics of the progress as well as random Salt related stuff. Here is a pic of a loose mock-up in late December. Check back soon!!!

Right On!! The Count-Down Begins

Alright, the countdown has begun. In 2006, Chuck and I were both building our bikes on January ONE. Since then, we have traditionally begun the countdown on Jan. 1. It keeps you sharp and keeps you thinking about getting it all done before Speed Week in Mid-August.

Stay tuned as Chris H. builds his bike, Chuck tweaks his machine and I refine my beast for 2009.