The Bones Panhead Legacy

This sweet Panhead had quite a life. It tooled around the San Francisco Bay area in the 1960s and was chopped in true “Frisco” style by its original owner back in the day. When it's owner passed away, the bike was left to Bones, the owner’s riding buddy. The bike was torn down in 1988 and sat as a pile of parts in Bones' garage until 1999.

For the next three years, Bones and his long time friend Paul had talked about how the re-build would go. At the time, Paul was hard at work building his '65 Triumph Chopper project and helping out Bones with his re-building the Pan in his off time.

Bones took a 1930 VL frame and made 17 modifications, including raising and bending the frame’s back bone to be able to shoehorn the 1950 FL Panhead motor in place. He had to also hand fab the axle and tranny adjusters to fit the '50 ratchet top tranny in place. There’s one man in this country who modifies VL frames for a living, Irish Rich, in Denver.

Bones also totally rebuilt the motor. For the lower end, Truett & Osborne Flywheels were used and balanced by Walkers. 74 cu in. Wiseco Swain Tec Coated pistons were installed in the H-D 1964 Outside Oilers heads and Sifton Pushrods & Manley S.S. valves used. The cams are Andrews Special Grind and new C.C.E. finned Pan covers top the jugs. For the carburetor, an SU – H6 from a Triumph TR-3 sportscar was installed and a Ram Flow Air cleaner was added.

For the chromed tranny, a modified 1950 hand-shifting unit modeled after a Lee’s '50 was dug out and re-geared with a 24 tooth engine sprocket, a 22 tooth tranny sprocket, to a 51 tooth wheel sprocket to make her fly like an eagle. New tranny and shifter mounts were also fab'ed up by Bones.

Bones also got to work making up some one off parts. The oil tank, handlebars, shifter, clutch unit, sissybar, the through the primary running board mounts were from Bones own hands. Many of the original 1930 VL parts are still in evidence like the '30 VL Running boards and the VL Brake pedal and fork lock.

The front forks are 1930 H-D VL I-beam with stock extension using a Jones England 21-inch front wheel from a BSA with an original K-D headlight. The rigid rear end uses a 16-inch drop center rear wheel featuring an original 1940 H-D Mechanical drum brake setup under the bike’s Bates English rear fender with a 1930 Ford taillight. An original '50s Bates’ seat makes for a nice touch

Bones also did the bikes electric's starting off with an M-5 Morris Magneto and H-D 6v, 3 Brush Gen. Bones one-offed the bikes Z-bars and managed to make fit the gas tank off a 1957 H-D Hummer. Bones also did all the bike’s molding and paint. The bike’s wild yellow, orange, Chinese orange, redPPG Lacquer Pure Toners- Custom Mix paint was shot on the bike in Bones’ garage one weekend and the only thing now missing was the exhaust system.

Well, Bones wanted some pipes that would stand out. He got to thinking and remembered seeing some wild tall boys tooling around Frisco back in the day. He got to work piecing some pipes together and soon had a set that turned heads. Then he took an old brass lantern and installed some L.E.D.'s for the rear taillight to give the bike a balanced look from the rear.

The bike was finished in 2002. During the time of the build, Bones' buddy Paul was building his '65 Triumph Chopper at the same time. The Horse issue #22 April 2002) They both thought the same way in building ‘60s era choppers. They revealed both bikes at a local bike show, then at the Laughlin River run in 2002. Everybody thought the same builder built both bikes, so similar were the styles and paint scheme. Bones and Paul had a short time riding together when Bones passed away in 2005.

Paul could not see anybody else have this bike after Bones passing and neither could Bone’s wife, so Paul purchased it from her. The bikes are like brothers, just like Bones and Paul. The bike went from best friend to best friend. Paul keeps it in good shape as a tribute to his late Bro's memory.Such good care in fact, that this bike took first place in the “OLD SKOOL” class at the Big Twin West event by Advanstar in Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Hotel last week. Congratulations Paul, Bones would be proud.

–TB

Paul's Panhead Tech Sheet

GENERAL

Fabrication: Bones
Year and Make: 1930 H-D
Model: VL
Assembly by: Bones
Time: 3 years
Chroming: Automotive Plating Las Vegas

ENGINE

Year: 1950
Model: FL
Rebuilder: Bones
Ignition: Morris Magneto M-5
Displacement: 74 cu. in.
Lower end: Truett & Osborne Flywheels
Balancing: Walkers
Pistons: Wiseco Swain Tec Coated
Cases: H- D Polished
Heads: H-D 1964 Outside Oilers
Cams: Andrews Special grind
Lifters: Sifton Pushrods & Manley S.S. valves
Carb: SU – H6 from a Triumph Car TR-3
Air cleaner: Ram Flow
Pipes: Bones

TRANSMISSION

Modifications: Chromed
Year: 1950
Shifting: Hand, modeled from the Lee units '50's
Engine Sprocket: 24
Trans sprocket: 22
Wheel sprocket: 51

PAINTING

Molding: Bones
Painter: Bones
Color: yellow, orange, Chinese orange, red
Type: PPG Lacquer Pure Toners- Custom Mix

FRAME

Year: 1930
Builder: H-D, Bones
Type: VL Flathead
Rake: Stock
Stretch: None
Other: 17 frame mods, to fit motor, tranny, etc.

ACCESSORIES

Bars: “Z” Hand made Bones
Risers: Bates, H-D, Bones
Fenders: Bates England
Headlight: Original K-D
Taillight: 1930 Ford
Speedo: VDO
Front Pegs: Original VL Floorboards
Rear Pegs: Anderson
Electrics: Bones, H-D 6v, 3 Brush Gen.
Gas Tank: H-D Hummer 1957
Oil Tank: Hand Made Bones
Oil System: H-D
Seat: Bates