Scruffy Wants A Bobber!

This is the koolest bike I've seen on eBay tonight.

Well, not a lot going on in Ol' Scruffy's life this weekend. However I'm just 7 days away from the Indy Road Rocket's Motorama 1963 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, and our 1st "official" car club outing.

I like the look of red powdercoated wheels on a black bike.

With cold weather outside, and nothing to do this evening, Ol' Scruffy surfed eBay for kool bikes. Back about 10 years ago, I set a goal for myself. I wanted to have a hot rod and a harley before the age of 40. Well, @ 40, our family size nearly doubled with the additions of a foster child, an adopted child, and a biological child. I've had to back those goals up a bit as these new additions added to the 3 teenagers (2 w/ braces!) we already had in the house.

This custom Triumph Cafe' Street Racer is VERY kool.

Well, regular readers of Suede and Chrome know that last April I was able to purchase my 1st hot rod, and I'm now dreaming of a bike before the age of 45 or 50. I really like the looks of old skool bobbers. Real simple with few frills. Heck...even Harley Davidson has gotten into the act by producing production bikes like the "Nightster". This bike is actually priced below 10 grand, which seems to be "reasonable" compared to custom bobbers.

Have A GREAT week!

Scruffy

p.s....Scruffy's "pappy" called this week and told me "he didn't like the new white background". So, in order to appease my #1 fan, I thought I try a dark charcoal. What do you think?

Still Chasin' Rats...

Another view of a very wicked rod.

Crazy days this week have not afforded me time to log any new posts. I've had parent/teacher conferences on Tuesday night, then my bowling league...(Scruffy's no bowling "stud"...but I did bowl a 224, a 179, and a 156 after a few "rough" parent meetings!) Tonight it was a Building design team meeting, then church with the family. Tomorrow it's a Professional Development workshop then a Board of Education meeting. Friday I've got to chaperone a junior high dance. A principal's work is seldom finished when the bell rings and the kids go home for the day.

I enjoy seeing someone's ride that has made it uniquely one of a kind. I get tired of going to shows and seeing the same old 55 and 57 chevys, etc. (Not that I don't like these cars, just see too many! Give me something original!)

Just helped my 16 year-old with a creative writing assignment, and now FINALLY have some time on the computer before we need to start telling the older kids to get to bed, and putting the younger ones in bed. Thought I'd try to get a few new photographs posted this evening. Looks like several have stopped by the old blog, as my counter is up over 2100! (too cool!)

This little roadster definitely had an "attitude".

Still posting photographs taken in the basement of the Cobo Center at the 2008 Detroit Autorama. I really enjoyed the traditional rods and rat rods! I've already been talking about going to this event again next year!

O.k....I'm not opposed to a "shiny" paint job! This sic little Chevy is "done right". Nice white rolled and pleated interior, wide whites, shaved chrome, frenched headlights....very cool!

On a side note, got my tax return back from ole Uncle Sam last week. I've finally convinced the wife that it is "very important to my mental health" to look for a new project. I'm currently torn between the idea of finding a 30's or 40's truck cab (to build a slick traditional low-slung pickup), a Model A sedan to rod out, or just something big, long and lean (i.e. Edsel, Cadillac, Buick) that I could paint a nice suede, slap some Radir wheels and wide whites on and go. At any rate, I DON'T want to build anything that I would be afraid of getting some bug juice on, or a few rock chips in. DRIVE 'EM MAN...DRIVE 'EM!!!

Some emailed and said, "Scruffy can you post more bobbers?" Certainly...How's this tricked two-wheeler?

My biggest problem at this point in my life (as my first paragraph of this post indictates) I typically have almost ZERO hours in a day to devote to a project. Add in the fact that I spend 2 hours a day on the road round trip from school, and it leaves little time for the wife and kids, let alone something in the garage.

Love this "shop truck".

Hey...that's all I've got for you tonight! Time to spend some quality time with my 23-month old "future rodder". Have a GREAT night!

Scruffy

p.s....Anyone want to make Scruffy a great deal on a new project? :)

Mama...There's Rats in the Basement!!!

Well, we finally made it to the basement of the Cobo Center! It was everything I had envisioned and more. Traditional hot rods side-by-side with Rat rods and ol skool bobbers. Lots of VERY cool stuff.

Here are a couple pictures of some cool 60's style wild customs. The orange roadster is from Indianapolis. I've seen it before at some cruise-ins last summer. The metallic red bubble top was affectionately named "Atomic Punk".

I'm a sucker for anything painted flat black. This Cushman had some slick pinstripe work. The Ford Pickup was also very simple and clean.

When you walked into the basement, the very atmosphere changed. Upstairs every Joe Blow and his wife and kids were wandering around, but the basement had a different feel. Guys with pompadors and Betty Page wannabees wandered the aisles, mixing with other kustom kulture folks. On a side note... The Detroit Chapter of the "Road Devils" were all sporting some VERY cool club jackets! There was also a couple walking around in Bonneville 200 mph club "life-time member" jackets...VERY sic!

Have a GREAT week! Stop back, I've got many more photographs from the 2008 Detroit Autorama that I will be posting soon!

Alot of Cool Bobbers

Driving home from a middle school football game this afternoon, I went through a small Ohio town known for it's Pizza joint/bar. I was amazed to see a group of what I would guess to be close to 150 - 200 bikes lining all four corners at the intersection of the US highway and the road that intersect at the place. As I passed through the town, most of the bikers were mounting their rides and strapping on their helmets. It wasn't too long after that, I looked in my rearview mirror and saw a string of motorcycle headlamps for as far as I could see.

This experience got me thinking about bikes again. When I got home, I got online and registered to win the Sunoco/Orange County Chopper/NASCAR bike that will be given away in December 2007. I also went to email and did a search for "bobber". Here are some photographs of the bikes that I saw that are in the "style" that I would prefer. Hope you enjoy them!