Green Machine in surgery

I have been driving the Green Machine for almost two years now and the low suspension was bothering me more and more. Banging and rattling of the suspension, the smell of burned rubber as the thread of the rear tires was being scrubbed away by the wheelarch...

I decided enough is enough and after a few tries 'the easy way' by putting rubber blocks in the coil springs and pumping up the hijackers in the rear, I decided to raise the damn thing.

Now I know, low=cool but I want to enjoy driving the thing. In fact, I spend way more time driving it than looking at it so I took the plunge.

I got some used leaf springs and coils and some new bump stops (the old ones were pounded to dust by the suspension arms) and got to work.

Dismantling the rear suspension was easy, the underside is still really clean and rustfree and I had no trouble loosening the nuts and bolts and getting the old leaf springs out. Check out the difference between the old one and new one:

At this stage, I was getting a little worried about the amount of extra height I was gonna get by fitting this new pair. Even though the new pair has one leaf less, it looks like it's going to sit a lot higher. I also noticed the non-original shackles, probably fitted by someone who wanted to get some extra height the easy way. Doesn't look that safe to me, compared to the originals...

I fitted the springs, lowered the van and my fear was reality...

Next week I'll fit the front coils and try to get the right stance, stay tuned....

Custom Vanner Magazine

Got this in the mail last week:

It's a new magazine about Custom Vans, the first one in years! This is the first issue, sold out now but the second comes out in july. Check out www.matchstickcustoms.com for updates and cool van stuff.

Chrome & Flames....

...was the first european custom car mag I read. I had a subscription from 1986 well into the 1990s. Now my van "The Green Machine" is featured in that mag, which still exists and is well read in western Europe. I sure hope this brings out more custom vans over here!

Thanks to Floris Velthuis for the pics and Frank Mundus for getting the story in the mag!

Design Session...

...at Short Cut Choppers. Left to right: ZZChop, VWMK2.com, Short-Cut Tjeerd, Kustombart, Chopadilic.

Looking at the newest creation of Tjeerd's, commenting on his chioce of tank, fender, seat, wheels etc.

In good company

of a Lamborghini. Something you don't see too many around these parts.

Minutes later I passed him. When he was on the phone. I would switch the damn thing off if I was driving a Lambo, heck!

Playmobil

My apprentice Martijn AKA Mr. Martin:

Tjeerd from Short-Cut Choppers:

Chris from Puchshop.de:

Nito from Schapekoppen

Richard The Chop:

Chebbe from ZZ-Chop:

Beer from the Rogues MC:

Floris Velthuis and Niels

Niels and Floris:

Maurice from Kieft & Klok vintage VW's:

Jeroen from Burundi:

 

Mr Metalshaper:

And Sven El Cheapo:

It's been a hard day's night and I've been working like a dog.

It's been awhile since I have sat down at the keyboard and bored the world with my rambling. That's because it's been a hell of a week.

First my cat got hit by a car sunday a week ago. He was pretty messed up, blood coming from his eyes, nose and mouth. We took him to the emergency vet and it turned out he had a broken jaw and a concussion. With a brace in his jaw and some painkillers, we took him home again. He will probably be fine in time and I hope he learned to stay away from cars.

Here he is in his better days:

Next day, I blew the head gasket out of my Honda while the Green Machine was in my shop for maintenance and repairing and respraying of the fender flares and spoiler. So I had to keep driving that for a few days while it sucked up coolant like there is no tomorrow. I have been having lots of trouble with that car lately and it's time to say bye-bye.

The flares and spoiler of the Green Machine were cracked in several places and I have been wanting to repair them for some time. I decided it had to be done and sanded them, repaired with glass fibre and sprayed them in the same green they were. It was a bitch matching the kolor but it turned out pretty good.

 Then I had to finish prepairing for the Rogues MC Chopper Shwo, which was a blast!
Here's the stand, with my van, some 70s furniture, Niels' Triumph Chopper, Tjeerd's XS650 Chopper "The Reaper" and ZZ-Chops Barn-find Dresser.

The show gets better every year, the best of the Netherlands is always there. Too much to mention but here's some personal favorites of mine:

The Rogues MC is probably the MC who is building the most bikes at the moment. And the most interesting bikes as well.

This could end up one fine bike. I'd like to paint that!

Schapekoppen were present with a nice lineup. These guys are here to stay!

This unicycle was built to race. I'd like to see that some day! Are you brave or stupid to ride that? Like the song says: if you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough!

The weather was a perfect sunny 25 degrees so there was a huge amount of bikes outside, as well.

My favourite from last year was there again. Check out that beauty!

I had a blast and want to thank the Rogues MC for the hospitality. On to the next show in 2012!

XS650 DPP Coffin

This needs to be finished for the Rogues Show next weekend. Godspeed Tjeerd!

Seventies Crappy Paintjob...

that was the brief I got from Tjeerd to paint this coffin tank. It will go onto an XS650 sissybarred, springer-front-ended, invader-wheeled chopper, of which I will post pics later. Here's the tank:

Chain gang

I have some time after catching up with customers work. So I have been busy with the Green Machine. Mounting chain licence plate frames. Lookie:

And the chain steering wheel! Sweet!