Just'a Few

From yesterday's Long Beach Swap Meet.

Billy Panhead. This bike gets around.


A Servi-Car would be nice to ride to the swap. Great for carrying parts, but I'd have to leave even earlier to get there a decent time.


15k with a $5 seat.


These same funky tanks have been showing up for a few month's now. Must be asking too much $.

In retrospect, I could'a should'a taken more photos. It was a nice day with temps around the mid to high 70's (sorry to our comrades in cold places). Saw a few friends and bought a few parts.

Just'a Few

From yesterday's Long Beach Swap Meet.

Billy Panhead. This bike gets around.


A Servi-Car would be nice to ride to the swap. Great for carrying parts, but I'd have to leave even earlier to get there a decent time.


15k with a $5 seat.


These same funky tanks have been showing up for a few month's now. Must be asking too much $.

In retrospect, I could'a should'a taken more photos. It was a nice day with temps around the mid to high 70's (sorry to our comrades in cold places). Saw a few friends and bought a few parts.

A One, and a Two, and a Three

I've been going to the Long Beach Swap Meet since it began (1989?), and would often see bikes that I really liked but, never took a camera. One rare occasion, in the summer of 1996, I did take a camera and shot the following photos as I was preparing to leave.

A One. I really dig this old road warrior. How about that passenger seat?


I call them Blend Bikes (made up from a unique blend of different year's parts), or Swap Meet Bikes, since their owners have built them up or keep them going by using whatever they find at the swap meet.


A Two. What's this... another cool flathead parked along side?


A bit more of an original survivor. There is nothing cooler than old bikes that are taken out and ridden.


And a Three. This one's blend of parts isn't really working for me but, you don't often see three UL's being ridden together. I assumed they were all buddies since they were just about the only bikes left in the lot. This one could very well be the same bike a friend of mine bought a few years later (at Long Beach), and restored to stock.

I never saw them again. I can't help wonder, where are they today?

A One, and a Two, and a Three

I've been going to the Long Beach Swap Meet since it began (1989?), and would often see bikes that I really liked but, never took a camera. One rare occasion, in the summer of 1996, I did take a camera and shot the following photos as I was preparing to leave.

A One. I really dig this old road warrior. How about that passenger seat?


I call them Blend Bikes (made up from a unique blend of different year's parts), or Swap Meet Bikes, since their owners have built them up or keep them going by using whatever they find at the swap meet.


A Two. What's this... another cool flathead parked along side?


A bit more of an original survivor. There is nothing cooler than old bikes that are taken out and ridden.


And a Three. This one's blend of parts isn't really working for me but, you don't often see three UL's being ridden together. I assumed they were all buddies since they were just about the only bikes left in the lot. This one could very well be the same bike a friend of mine bought a few years later (at Long Beach), and restored to stock.

I never saw them again. I can't help wonder, where are they today?

Highlights From 2 Long Beaches

Shots from April and May's Swap Meets

1968 Aeromacchi/H-D Rapido 125


Big Scott ready to roll


Brown Sugar. Might taste a tad sweeter with a smaller tank.


This old UL has shown up many times. I liked it better when it was in brown primer. I never noticed that it has one aluminum and one iron head.


'69 XLCH in a XR frame for the street.


I've seen this Panhead somewhere before?


Sort of Harley's first Soft-Tail. The small 2-stroke H-D's got nick named Hummers. This one's a 175cc Pacer. I'm saying it's a '63-65 even though the owner said '62. That style of tank badge came out in '63 and the same goes for the Tele-Glide suspension.


They call it Patina. I remember when only those in the "arts" used that term. The '63 to 65's usually have a two-tone tank which helps identify the year.


It's Hummer Time!


This neat old (Tracy's), Fiberglass Works body will even make a Honda look good.


One of the larger sellers. This guy has been bring stuff out for quite some time now. I'm surprised those crates still have a lot left in them. His parts stretch all the way to the dark green truck. Lots of small NOS stuff at the other end.


This Mini Cooper Woody was in the lot. License plate frame reads, 6,000 rpm 105 mph on a 1o" rim.

Highlights From 2 Long Beaches

Shots from April and May's Swap Meets

1968 Aeromacchi/H-D Rapido 125


Big Scott ready to roll


Brown Sugar. Might taste a tad sweeter with a smaller tank.


This old UL has shown up many times. I liked it better when it was in brown primer. I never noticed that it has one aluminum and one iron head.


'69 XLCH in a XR frame for the street.


I've seen this Panhead somewhere before?


Sort of Harley's first Soft-Tail. The small 2-stroke H-D's got nick named Hummers. This one's a 175cc Pacer. I'm saying it's a '63-65 even though the owner said '62. That style of tank badge came out in '63 and the same goes for the Tele-Glide suspension.


They call it Patina. I remember when only those in the "arts" used that term. The '63 to 65's usually have a two-tone tank which helps identify the year.


It's Hummer Time!


This neat old (Tracy's), Fiberglass Works body will even make a Honda look good.


One of the larger sellers. This guy has been bring stuff out for quite some time now. I'm surprised those crates still have a lot left in them. His parts stretch all the way to the dark green truck. Lots of small NOS stuff at the other end.


This Mini Cooper Woody was in the lot. License plate frame reads, 6,000 rpm 105 mph on a 1o" rim.

L.B.S.M.

Highlights from last weekend's Swap Meet.

Highly accessorized "Barn Fresh" (you sick of that term yet?), 1950 WL with original paint. Very cool, but 20K for a 45 seems like a pretty steep hill to climb.


Everyone needed a photo or a better look. From what I overheard, several guys had no idea of what they were looking at.


Classic. You'll never go wrong if you keep them clean and simple.


This Mustang looks like it would be fun, but for 5.5k, I'd opt for a real motorcycle. I don't really care for the modern wheels. These gas tanks were a source for many early choppers.


Every now and then, the talented Jimmy C. hocks his wares. Artist, sculpture, painter, striper, the guy is proficient at so many things.


Except for the lame tacked on fat bars, this Servi-Car will take you back. Looks like a relic from the Big Bike era.


Funny how the sun was lined up just about perfect when I shot it. I didn't ask the price, later in the day heard it sold for only $2,500.


Potentially a nice pan. What kind of mushrooms was he on? That color job won't help sell it.


As always, Slim was there with his wild van. It's his daily driver and those pipes just blow out the sun roof. Go check out his blog (in my list), to see his skills. If he keeps practicing, one of these days, he'll get his lettering down.


Flathead Fern displayed another one of his rebuilds. Very cool cam cover, I must say.

Overall it was a great day. It was the busiest and biggest meet there has been for a while. I had a good time wheeling and dealing, and talking shop with several friends.

Speaking of swap meets, I'm thinking of starting a new (linked), blog dedicated to the task of selling parts. What do you think, anybody interested?