Sometimes you have to head west when the crowd is heading east to find something truly unique. This was the case during Biketoberfest. Rather than joining the bustling throng in Daytona Beach yet again, I headed west to Santa Fe, New Mexico to hook up with Carlos Calles and his Irish Rich/Shamrock Fabrications built Santa Fe-Fanta Se sweet custom built.
Carlos can trace his roots in New Mexico back 8 generations to the Spanish Land Grants. He's a true traditionalist, so when he wanted a chopper built, he wanted it done “Old Skool” and done right. Carlos had met Irish Rich Ryan of Denver Colorado's Shamrock Fabrication on the Horse Magazine Back Talk board and after talking to him for a few months he new that Shamrock Fabrications was the way he wanted to go.
Carlos and his close buddy Sergio took the 450-mile ride up to Rich’s in Denver and discussed the project in great detail. They decided that they wanted the best of the best for the Santa Fe-Fanta Se bike and Rich was all to happy to jump right into the project.
Carlos wanted to use the 80-inch motor from his '93 FXR. He had it since it was a pup and it was in great running shape. Next, he needed a frame. The decision was made to go with an ATLAS BIG GUN RIGID R/H drive raked 42 degrees and stretched 6″ up and 4″ out. Irish Rich then modified the frame by adding custom engine and transmission mounts. He also ran all the electrics directly through the frame. They chose to go with a Baker R/H drive 5-speed tranny.
Rich got busy cutting a WCC Diablo 7.5″ rear fender-widened 5″, peaked, beaded filled and added a center rib to the fender. Next, Rich modified a WCC Villain gas tank by adding a center rib, the petcock was moved to R/H lower side by Shamrock and Rich used a Pingel “Guzzler” petcock. Then Rich custom hand crafted a custom 5/8″ “devil tail sissy bar to off set the look of the custom 2Wheelers solo seat using Harley Police Springs.
Rich also custom fabbed up a custom top engine mount for the ignition coil.
A Wimmer Machine- Aluminum round oil tank w/battery box was chosen and rubber mounts by Shamrock Fabrication were added. Rich’s World famous Shamrock 3/8″ hard lines were installed to connect to the external “shorty” oil filter/license plate mount by Kill City Choppers w/ braided lines.
Pat Kennedy adjustable triple trees top off the softy sliders on the 1″ pre-load wide glide front end that Irish Rich put together for the bike and they finished off the look with gray fork boots. They contacted Fab Kevin of Fabricator Kevin's Steel Chopper Parts to come up with a custom bracket for the front PM brakes. An Old Man Ness headlight was set up on a custom bracket and Irish Rich again did his thing by modifying an old Kitty-Kat taillight for use with an L.E.D. set up. Again Rich made up some custom floorboard mounts so the bike could run a set of re-popped square Knucklehead style floorboards. Hey, who said style couldn't be comfortable?
Irish Rich then got in touch with his good friend, Dennis Goodson of Goodson Air Cleaners in Denver and scored an “original” GOODSON AIR CLEANER for a clean look to compliment the chromed Delkron cases.
Carlos and his buddy Sergio spent month's running back and forth from Santa Fe to Denver to work on the bike with Irish Rich and all got to be good friends during the build time. Shamrock Fabrications are famous for their custom bent pipes so Rich thought it would be a nice touch to make up a sweet one of a kind set of pipes to go with the bike. He designed the “Barrio Shotgun” set up just for this bike and had them specially Hot Jet coated.
When Shamrock was done with all the molding on the frame, rear fender and gas tank, the fabrication was finally complete, the paint and chroming were next. The Chrome was taken back to New Mexico and Duke City Plating in Albuquerque was given the job. The paint was given to Uni-Tec Custom Paint Center, Englewood, CO. and a few coats of glossy black were laid on. Carlos and Sergio then hand carried the painted tins out to the Viva Las Vegas custom car show and convinced “The Harpoon” to lay down some fine red lines on the tank and rear fender right outside the show in the parking lot. They were than taken back to Uni-Tech to have 3 coats of clear shot over top.
The result of all the time and money spent running back and forth from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Denver, Colorado was well worth it. The Santa Fe-Fanta Se bike is one sweet street machine. Using a talented builder like Irish Rich at Shamrock Fabrication and getting parts custom made up by guys like, Fab Kevin, Dennis Goodson and Pete at Front Range Choppers/Deep Cut Rotors certainly makes all the difference.
As I said in the beginning of this article, sometimes you have to break away from the pack to find the truly different things in life. I asked Carlos as I was leaving him and heading out to ride the mountains up around Taos where he was planning to show the bike first. He replied” Screw that garbage, this bike was built to ride, not show” As I was pulling away, he shouted to me ” hey TBear, if you ever see this bike on a trailer, call the cops 'cause it's been stolen.”
I'd like to personally thank actor and real cowboy Tom Wingate and the Eaves Movie Ranch for allowing us to use their location for some of the shots in this feature. The town was built for the film Cheyenne Social Club staring Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda back in 1969 under the direction of dancer, actor and producer Gene Kelly. It has been used in many westerns and the Church you see was the set for Guns and Roses “November Rain” video.
TBear Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Tech Sheet
GENERAL Fabrication: Irish Rich – Shamrock Fabrication- Denver, Co.
Owner: Carlos Calles- Santa Fe, New Mexico
Year and Make: 2002 Shamrock Custom
Model: Big Gun
Assembly by: Irish Rich & Carlos “you chipped the paint” Calles
Time: 10 months
Chroming: Duke City Plating (Albuquerque, NM)ENGINE
Year: 1993
Model: EVO
Rebuilder: not needed
Ignition: Dyna
Displacement: 80 inch
Lower end: I like chicks with nice ones
Balancing: silicone breasts balance nicely
Pistons: H-D
Cases: Delkron
Heads: H-D
Cams: H-D
Lifters: H-D
Carb: S&S E Type
Air cleaner: Original Dennis Goodson Rib
Pipes: Irish Rich “Barrio Shotguns” Jet Hot CoatedTRANSMISSION
Modifications: Baker R/H Drive 5 Speed
Year: 2004
Shifting: Foot, shifter linkage by Deep Cut Rotors
Engine Sprocket: 3/4″ off set Primo Brute 4
Trans Sprocket: 24 tooth chain
Wheel sprocket: 51 tooth chainPAINTING
Molding: Irish Rich of Shamrock Fabrication
Painter: Uni-Tec Custom Paint Center, Englewood, CO.
Color: Black w/ red pinstriping by “The Harpoon” So.Cal
Type: PPG 2 Stage urethane, catalyzed One-Shot for pin stripes
FRAME
Year: '02
Builder: ATLAS
Type: Big Gun Rigid
Rake: 42 degrees
Stretch: 6 up, 4 out
Other: black powder coated, right hand drive,bracketing & mounts by Shamrock Fabrication, custom 5/8″ “devil tail sissy bar by Shamrock Fabrication
ACCESSORIES Bars: Flanders #2, PM controls, Renthal grips
Risers: 8″ Choppers Inc. Six Shooters
Fenders: Rear Only-WCC Diablo 7.5″-widened 5″, peaked, beaded filled and center rib adder- by Shamrock Fabrication.
Headlight: Old Man Ness
Taillight: kitty-kat modified by Shamrock Fabrication to L.E.D.
Speedo: Wet Thumb
Front Pegs: Knuckle square floorboard repops on '00 FLT supports
Rear Pegs: none
Electrics: Thru da frame system by Shamrock Fab. -fully circuit breaker protected, aluminum peaked battery cover by Goodson air cleaners
Gas Tank: WCC Villain, center rib added, petcock moved to R/H.lower side by Shamrock, Pingel “Guzzler” petcock
Oil Tank: Wimmer Machine- Alumunium round w/battery box. Rubber mounts by Shamrock Fabrication
Oil System: Shamrock 3/8″ hard lines, external “shorty” oilfilter/lisence plate mount by Kill City Choppers w/ braided lines (hi Steg)
Seat: 2Wheelers solo, Harley Police Springs
FORKS
Type: Custom Wide Glide
Extension: 12″ over, Custom Cycle Engineering tubes
Builder: Irish Rich @ Shamrock Fabrication
Special Features: Pat Kennedy adjustable trees, Softy sliders, grey fork boots, 1″ pre-load
WHEELS
Front HallcraftSize: 21″Rear Hallcraft
Size: 18″x8.5″
Tires: Metzler
Brakes: PM-featuring Fabricator Kevin custom mounts
OTHER: Combo top engine mount/coil mount by Shamrock Fabrication.
Special Thanks: Fab Kevin- Fabricator Kevin's Steel Chopper Parts
Pete-Front Range Choppers/Deep Cot Rotors
Dennis Goodson-Goodson Air Cleaners
Uni-Tec Paint Center for the fast service
“The Harpoon” who pinstriped the tank and fender OUTSIDE the Shifters Car Show at Viva Las Vegas-'04.
Also a Special thanks To Sergio Tapia for all his help with the bike and for being A solid Friend who helped share the cost of going to Denver once a month, to work on my bike.and Last but not least Peggy @ Atlas for the great deal on the frame and Drivetrain.
