This story will curl your toes. It’s basically about a couple of hardworking bikers who own a shop in a small industrial strip in Orange County, California. They aren’t television stars, but they are hardworking tough sonsabitches with tons of talent and dreams. There’s one other steel driving aspect to this story. They both faced life in prison at one time; both were innocent and had to fight for their lives.
To many folks in the straight world the word arrest means guilty. In the justice system often the word Biker means drugs, gangs, murder, mayhem and no good sonsabitches. As you know, nowadays, it ain’t so, and here are too completely separate stories. I’ll make it quick, because this is basically a report on their shop and their efforts in our industry, but this needs to be told. It’s an eye-opener.
Rusty Coones, an 11- year member of the Hells Angels was recently released from prison after a five year case and he was sentenced to 8 years of his life spent in cells in Oregon and Texas. Rusty was scooped up in a drug ring raid and accused of everything from trafficking to organized crime. He didn’t run in those circles, just knew a few folks who did, but because of his club affiliation the boom was dropped severely on his massive frame. The guy’s a monster. Add to that the factor that he wouldn’t roll on anyone, club affiliated or not the indictments grew.
At one point the DA became aware that Rusty had no Meth connection, so he offered him a 8-year deal and Rusty went away for nothin’ except being a member of the Hells Angels. That’s the short story.
His partner is Rod Reguejo, an Argentinean. “They call me the Gaucho,” Rod said. At one time Rod was a Hells Angel prospect, in his truck on his way home when he became a victim of road rage. “It was two days before Christmas,” Rod said. “There was heavy traffic everywhere.” His truck was in a bumper-to-bumper jam-up on an off ramp, at a dead stop, when two brothers yanked open his doors and pulled him out of the cab. On the pavement they began to kick his ass, while his running truck rolled away.
He had no choice but to defend himself and pulled a knife. One of the brothers died and the other ran off injured. Because Rod was a club prospect he was arrested for murder and spent 30 days in jail, during which time the living brother told the authorities several stories about this gang member attacking them. Finally three witnesses came forward. “Must have been 50 people who saw what happened,” Rod told me. “Finally three stepped up to the plate.”
All the charges were ultimately dropped. Rod is no longer a prospect but a member of the notorious Sinners, a group of Old School bike builders in Southern California. It’s not a club and they don’t have rules or patches.
Completely wild one-off custom, but it works.
When Rusty was released from prison, by law he had to get his shit together quick or face a parole violations. Ultimately these two got together after Rusty bought the Illusion Motorcycle Name and they moved into this shop on Edinger in Santa Ana, California.
Here’s where we leave the dark side to another breed and move into the light glowing above the creative and hard working. Before Rusty went away he was a hard working entrepreneurial Hells Angel who developed a motorcycle manufacturing facility called the Big Red Machine. Before Big Dog and many other manufactures were cemented in this industry, Rusty and his crew cranked out production choppers and they’re still on the road today.
Rusty is the businessman. He knows how to take care of day-to-day operations. Rod, on the other hand, came from three generations of metal smiths. His grandfather won four formula 1 championships in Argentina. “He had six brothers and they all worked on the team,” Rod said. “Each one had an assignment. One was the welder, one the engine builder, one the body man and one the butcher.”
They were middleclass working stiffs and needed to raise their own racing funds. “Every Wednesday they threw Penas,” Rod said. “My great uncle cooked and people paid to come hang at the race car shop and eat.”
Rod’s dad came to the States and went to work for Metal Crafters, who built Chrysler concept cars. He also worked for Boyd Cottington building custom cars. Rod learned the trade, the tools and fell in love with the craft. He has an entire tool cabinet full of his father’s and grandfather’s body working hammers. Even has one of his grandfather’s handmade hammers tattooed on the back of his hand.
So what’s Illusions all about? They build bikes, manufacture two Illusion models, a chopper and a pro street, and designed a motor configuration that is EPA certified and can be bumped from 97 cubic inches to 139 overnight.
Shortly we’ll bring you more about the Illusion models. “We developed an engine that begins with a massive skin and 1-inch taller cylinders,” Rod said. “We’re not trying to squeeze excessive power out of a smaller engine configuration. We began with the biggest then toned it down for more reliability. They run dual sparkplug STD heads, with STD barrels and cases. With JIMS internals and Spyke electrics there boxed motors are delivered with EPA certification at 97 inches. “For just about $500 we can bump them to 139 inches (5-inch pistons and 4.25 stroke), and 200 hp,” Rod told me.
But building bikes is flowing through Rod’s veins 24/7. He was making a shapely gas tank while I roamed the shop. Not just any tank, but an art piece that flowed like a Ferrari’s fender. He builds frames or modifies them. He’s developing Illusion oil tanks and components.
That’s the story and we’re stickin’ with it. It’s not the end, though. We’ll bring you a feature on an Illusion model as soon as we can straddle one. We’ll bring you a feature of the bike Jesse James built in Rusty’s honor, with Rusty’s wife KO, just before he got out of the joint. And we’ll bring you the full story of Rusty’s life before and during his club years. Hang on.
