By Charlie Lecach – photos Laurent Scavone
We would love to be able to tell you that this superb “barn-find” Knuckle belonged to a famous member of the 13 Rebels. Or that it was present at one or other of the Californian “riots” that marked the birth of the biker movement. Unfortunately, we can’t confirm anything, just as we can’t deny anything about it…
Met in Pismo Beach at the “TROG West”, Steve Brindmore is a guy who plays his cards close to his chest. Beneath his tattooed hipster appearance, he is actually a business owner who has been working for thirty years with the greatest museums and art collectors. Based in San Francisco, his company “Case Fine Art Crating”
is responsible for manufacturing very specific crates for the national and international shipping of often unique and priceless works of art. During our last contacts with him just before going to press with this issue, he informed us that he had just finished a custom-made crate for transporting the original Panhead used by Fonda in “Easy Rider”. So it’s clear that Steve is a connoisseur of beautiful things, whether they are displayed in galleries or cruising the roads. He rides a most authentic Norton café racer, when he’s not on his ’47 FL Knucklehead. A machine he bought on Craigslist / Venice Beach during a trip to Los Angeles, without having any more details about its pedigree.
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Knuckle ’47 harley davidson[/caption]
He only knows that it was brought back to life in 2013 at Kiyo’s Garage, for a famous Hollywood producer who is notably responsible for the series “Sons of Anarchy”. “I think he was tired of mopping up oil puddles on the studio floor,” he jokes, clearly not really caring about his bike’s past, but rather its present. And the good news is that it looks radiant. Because despite the apparent state of decrepitude of this Harley, its 1200 cc engine starts on the first try.
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Knuckle ’47 harley davidson[/caption]
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Knuckle ’47 harley davidson[/caption]
It's also noticeable that the electrical harness has been neatly redone with new braided wire, with soldered terminals and heat-shrink tubing insulation. Similarly, there's a modern dynamo with integrated regulator, a new fuel petcock and filter, a contemporary coil imitating the original look, and Coker reproductions of 1940s Beck tires. However, copies of old parts are very much in the minority compared to authentic vintage accessories, as evidenced by the risers, 1949 H-D accessories allowing the handlebars to be changed at will on its Springer fork. Or the rare "B&H Foot Shift" foot selector system on the left, above one of the two rectangular 1916-1939 type footboards. The tank's gear gate is thus devoid of its manual lever, but it remains in place for decoration. Just like the "Speed Ball" emblems designed by industrial designer Brooks Stevens, whose copies are far from as beautiful as these originals. This is a generality that can also be asserted about bobbers as a whole. As much as a chopper can deserve to shine brightly under a cascade of chrome and glitter, such a "bob job" is enhanced when it displays a venerable patina, which encourages us to imagine its folkloric past. Preferably in a small Californian village and in the hands of a fifties bad boy!
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Knuckle ’47 harley davidson[/caption]
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Steve Brindmore’s Knuckle ’47 harley davidson[/caption]
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Knuckle ’47 harley davidson[/caption]
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Knuckle ’47 harley davidson[/caption]
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Knuckle ’47 harley davidson[/caption]
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Knuckle ’47 harley davidson[/caption]
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Knuckle ’47 harley davidson[/caption]
