dWRENCHED

     Somebody dreamed it and after a long time somebody else actually built it !

     
    I've had a crush on this cartoony chopper for a few years so I decided to bring it to life for Born Free (...)

-Post by Johnny Branch on his Instagram on February last year. JB is a very talented bike builder from Wildomar, California. He is specialized in sheet metal and metal fabrication. For bikes, racing cars and boats and he also builds custom performance exhaust systems. Been checking his chopper related work for a while and I can say that what he puts out is mind blowing and very quality made.

   "Full Scale" is a Panhead chopper based off the ''Custom Harley Chopper'' model kit that was launched in 1982 by Revell.  The bike had its debut at Born Free 9 last year and it was a crowd magnet. And I did wanted to post it since then but I could never find very cool photos of it. And it's a shame to post sucha cool chop without proper/cool photos, not just to make it justice but to enjoy the details as well. Good thing I waited too, the master Michael Lichter did his amazing work around the photo camera in the meantime !
   Gotta tell ya, I do find this model kit on eBay from time to time (it's fu#$%ing expensive!) and I always asked myself why nobody builds a real life size functional replica. Looks like Johnny thought the same...

   Below you can see how the 28" over narrow front end looks like. It uses Lions Speed triple trees and forks by Frank Tubes. Once you can look away from the front end the sexy eagle on the mini weasel strikes you with that late 70's-80's eagle paint job. And after that, of course, the super long seat, ending at the tip with the pointy metal ornament.
 The frame itself has lots of custom work do to it, copying the exact model kit. The engine used is an 1949 HD Panhead.

    Took me almost a year to feature this crazy ride but the wait was all worth it. And as a mega bonus you can even take a walk-around while watching the video Lynchmen Noman / Sheriff Media Group Sweden.

 Born Free photos :

The original Revell info sheet in the model kit box had this intro printed on:

In 1903, Bill Harley and Arthur Davidson united to form the Harley Davidson Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. During World Woar I the H-D Company profited by supplying the military with rugged motorcycles with sidecars. Their real success came with their 1200cc Model 74 developed in the early 1920's. This particular model was used etensively by many police departments all over the globe. The Harley Davidson Company was the only U.S. manufacturer to not oly survive but flourish against more cost-efficient foreign producers. In 1969 AMF purchased the family-run business.
   Most choppers were conversions of the Harley 74 as is this one. This Revell replica comes complete with a ''Big Twin'' panhead engine, trwin rectangular headlights, dual chrome drag pipes, real rubber tires, control cables, spark plug leads, fuel and oil lines. These features combine to form one dynamite lookin' bike ! 
   Well, heall yeah, so does Johnny's !  


Check Branch Engineering at Facebook / Instagram

Photo credit : Born Free / BE / Michael Lichter / video by Sheriff Media Group Sweden / eBay ad (for the model kit box photo)