Rick Wolz MSS 500

I love it when my customers send me photos of their bikes - Was digging through one of my shoe boxes of slides and prints when I ran across a letter from Rick Wolz from Nevada, that had a couple photos of his bike when his uncle had owned and raced it.

Bob Strode's Dirt Track Velocette

Scanned Polaroid photos of Bob Strode's dirt track Velocette, I took when I was it's custodian, taken outside the shed here in Lakebay. The only time I started it was when my friend Dale Martinson was over and asked if it ran - ! When Bob moved to Yakima Washington. Bob had sold it to me at a very friendly price ( $1000 ), then Bill Stebbins heard that I now had the bike and sent me the bikes title, as he had supplied Bob with the original bikes engine and gearbox. A couple years later Bill asked about the bike, and asked if he could have it, as he had helped Bob with the designing and had actually owned it - ( he had posted me it's title earlier on ) Bill was a good friend, and I was happy to oblige , and let Bill add it to his collection. Selling it to Bill for what I had paid Bob. The little track bike was always with Bob - until I had it, so Bill never really had a chance to have it with him, to be able to just sit and admire - I am thrilled that it is back now with the Strode family and in the care of Bob's son Gary Strode.

Velocette Motorcycles is the Facebook group I have been on the longest, contributing regularly -

Amazing ! We are now approaching 10,000 members in this Facebook group- Velocette Motorcycles !! Many years back when Pete Young had started the group, membership had stalled at about 165 or so. Pete contacted me at that time, and asked if I would contribute photos and stories, that I have collected and saved over the years, I said of course, though was not that clever with the computer - but would give it my best shot. With 'Windows for Dummies' at my side next to my keyboard, I learned how to scan images out of my many scrap books , and from many shoe boxes of slides and prints, and posted several every day for the next three or four years - over three thousand was my count at one time. I get bad depression occasionally - and would delete loads of images - Then when back to being myself, wold kick myself for doing that, and make a load of new postings - Hope everyone has been enjoying my postings - I have well over 10,000 images on hand I have been sorting through, plus the ones I have been adding daily from work I do in the shed on customers bikes. Again - Thank You Pete Young for forcing me to learn the computer ., and allowing me to continue my postings to your Facebook group ! - image of Pete Young taken a few years back, on his rigid MSS 500 with side car -

Over a quarter million miles -

-I stopped tallying up my mileage every year when I finally got over a total of a quarter million miles ridden solely on my 1963 Velocette , purchased in England by Bill Snelling's dad Ted Snelling for me in 1979, originally a Viper - that was converted to a Venom spec 500. Original registration ARF25A - - I get asked by customers, how did I get to know Velocette motorcycles so well, and how much do I ride ? - I don't ride as often as I use to. I do miss not riding. - From my 20s through my 50s, I rode all the time. - so much that, if I never get a chance to ride again, I have put on more miles riding on Velos, then most people have, on any motorcycle. - I use to do a quick calculation at the end of every year, and working from home most of the time, I still rode my Velo to visit friends, grocery shopping - etc. Most of the mileage was not on long trips, but just local stuff. Visiting friend in Seattle, 70 miles each way - , Up to visit Bob Strode in Woodinville, about 70 miles each way etc. - I lost track of how many 'annual winter rebuilds' the Velo received but there were many. I had two sets of clothes for my bike, a cafe' set up, with low bars, & rear sets, and the set that I used most, was the standard street touring set with the standard forward footrests, and wider chrome mudguards - photo taken of me in the Red Light District in Amsterdam Holland, by my Dutch cousin Wim Giebels in 1979 - - and a couple photos of me and my riding buddie Geoff Blanthorn, taken by my Mom, - one when leaving our home in Lakebay on our two month trip around the USA, and second one of our arrival back -

Thankful for Friends !

My friend John Dolber in Mass. contacted me, that he had read my blog posting, and had a spare Thruxton cast alloy intake manifold that came with his own recently aquired Thruxton. We made a deal and the manifold arrived in todays post !! Am thrilled I now have the very difficult to locate correct items I had been searching for, for Mark Sheppards Thruxton project !

Chasing down a correct carb for one of Mark Sheppard's Thruxtons

The Blue/Silver Thruxton with fairing, of Mark Sheppard here at the shop for service, had an Amal Mk2 carb, but originally came with a Amal GP. Mark asked if I could chase him up a correct carb set for the bike. I was able to locate and purchase a correct Amal 1 3/8" T5GP2 carb from my long time customer friend Rick Price back on the East Coast, then located a correct NOS Amal 510 remote float unit from BritCycle in Australia. Next is to find a correct cast alloy finned inlet manifold . Also locate a correct carb bottom fuel inlet fitting with a single fuel hose spigot, and fabricate up a float mounting set.

My bit of Lakebay fiberglass work on a historic Lotus

I still can hardly believe I did this body for Robin Marshall, back when I was in my 20s. Gluing his crashed Lotus 17 fiberglass body bits back into shape enough to create a pattern and laminate him a fresh body for his very rare race car. I delivered it in black, as black is best for checking for any ripples or misalignment. Robin had the car re-sprayed to it's original color, after he raced it a few years. I need to get in touch with him and see if he still is it's caretaker, or has moved it on -

Pulled engine stud socket repair

Did this engine case repair on Will Perry's Viper cases a few years back. Will took a couple photos , and posted them on his Facebook page at the time. Will's notes : " Action shots from yesterday in Lakebay. Difficult repair on the Velo's Rt main case - second time this area's stripped out. Geoff & Ed discussed the repair for an hour to decide on the best approach. A milling machine was used as a jig for the critical drilling and tapping part. Ed spent over an hour machining necessary small bits, securely clamping the case in, adjusting and aligning, and aligning and adjusting. Once the drilling started, the bit was periodically ground down so the hole would be square at the bottom. The tap was also ground off as needed, so the tool would would tap all the way to the hole's bottom. To make the actual insert for the repair, a large bolt was slowly center drilled and tapped using a lathe. This morning, Ed machined down that part to the same external dimensions as the original Velocette part. Ed called at lunch to say that he had screwed in the insert, it seems tight and strong, and the alignment was just right. He's started reassembling the engine. Six or seven hours to fix a stripped out hole! It's astonishing to me that folks like Ed have the skill and patience to keep these 60 year old machines running. Rock on, Ed! "

Camera's

I have been capturing images with my phone for so long, I have been looking at getting back to basics and trying my hand at using film. Most of my early photography was with an Olympus OM1 35 mm film camera. I have been digging out the cameras that my grandfather had, and the ones that Dad had. My grandfather Bill Schwab, who had the Buckley Nursury Company, had a large format early film camera that he used to photograph not only family, but also plants etc. around the nursury. Dad used a 35 mm Kodak film camera as his main camera when he was in the service, around the house, and trips to Alaska. But the camera that caught my eye was Dad's first camera. Dad's first camera, from when he was in high school ( 1943 - 1947 ) A ' Vigilant Junior Six-20 Kodak film camera. This is the camera I want to use to get back into shooting with film , as it is a very basic all manual camera, but medium format with large negative so you can get good detail. We even still have some of the gear for at-home film processing, and film is still available for it.

Tidying up the Workshop

Been busy with tidying up the shed - here at the Lakebay Velo Works - Not only for taking progress photos of customers bikes, but a proper background for starting on my quest of doing my own Youtube channel for Velocette service , rebuilding and restoration -

Looking Back at The Vincent in the Shed

Looking back at the red 1950 Vincent Touring Rapide that Geoff & I rebuilt for Ken and Sharon Engel at Ken's Powder Coating in Spanaway Washington. Ken has passed away now, and last I heard Sharon still has the bike - though starting to deteriorate from storage. Ken's was the only Vincent I have ever done, even rebuilt the front and rear original shock units which were completely rebuildable. Geoff and I made new mudguard stays all around as the ones that came with it did not fit properly. Rebuilt the engine, gearbox, and clutch to all stock. Geoff and I brought back to original , from remaking the special complicated rear axle adjusters,- to rebuilding the original Amal carbs. Rebuild was done over a period of eleven years - with the bike being put on show occasionally during that time. Originally all red was in paint, but Ken had me take it all apart - and he had special powder mixed, to match, and powder coated it all, except the fuel tank - which was painted.

Seattle photographer Paul Hernandez's photo story of my shop -

Seattle photographer Paul Hernandez, stopped in last Fall, and asked if he could take a few photos, and do a little write up of my shop for his facebook page. and has allowed me to present it here on my blog - - Paul Hernandez Nov. 1 , 2021 · I am beginning work on a series of stories with written and visual content. These stories are about unique individuals with special gifts and talents. I am not sure how often or constant they will be posted. It will depend on when the stories arrive and show themselves to me. We are living in a time of uncertainty and many of our values are disappearing everyday. I hope to preserve some of our culture and history in this manner. This first story is about Ed and his amazing shop. I was introduced to Ed through a dear friend during a shoot for her. She wanted me to see Ed’s shop, so we stopped by after our shoot. I grew up around old-style shops that have become a lost art in so many ways. Technology has changed the landscape and old shops cannot survive as they once did. My stepfather (whom I consider my real Dad) was an auto mechanic. He worked at University Ford on 45th Street in Seattle. The dealership has been gone for years. My father also ran a shop in our garage. He would work on family and neighbor's cars on weekends, and during layoffs which were often during the 60’s and 70’s. Helping my dad in the shop/garage; one of my jobs as a youngster, was to hand the tools to him while learning them. I did not get to go play, I had to work and learn the mechanics of life so-to speak. However, I am eternally grateful to my dad for instilling a hard-work ethic in me. Without this gift, I would not have had what it would take to survive as an artist. I also had an older stepbrother (he’s been gone for 25 years). He was a Harley man through and through. He had a huge effect on me. I would follow his path and ride Harleys for years. I was so deep into Harley culture I would become a Patch Member. (I wore colors and was a member of a club), which is a story for another time. My dad and I also built my 65 HP Mustang in that garage. How I wish I still had my Mustang and my 62 Harley! So, my love for old shops is very connected to my heart strings. The smell, the look and feel of them is like nothing else and is a place in me that is a part of my fiber. Ed and his shop brought me home within. I have not been connected to that part myself for some time. When I met Ed, the ideas for this project had been floating around in the back of my head for years; and here it was right in front of me! Ed and I had never met, nor did we have a planned appointment to shoot his shop and hear his amazing story. After meeting Ed and a quick tour of his amazing old shop out in the country nestled away. I ran out to the car like a mad- man and grabbed the camera. I found myself shooting pictures before permission was granted. Of course, out of utter respect, I asked Ed if I could take a few images. I felt myself as a kid in a playground. I have not been in this type of environment for years; it was intoxicating, which surprised me. I let go of this way of life years ago. So, for it to have that kind of effect on me was paramount. When I got home and viewed the images, I decided Ed would be my first story. Ed is the last of his kind. He is the last true builder and craftsmen of Velocette Motorcycles. They were founded in England in 1904. The company went out of business in the early 70’s. However, there were a few folks who brought some of it to America (California) to try to keep Velocette alive. This is a huge story that I will not go into detail here. My focus is on Ed and his shop. What I will express briefly is the Velocette enthusiasts from all over the world, celebrities included, come to Ed to get their bikes rebuilt or fixed. Velocette's are temperamental as most English bikes are. Hence why I was a Harley guy. However, Harleys could be a real pain the in ass as well. But that Harley V-Twin feel and sound... that American power is like nothing else. However, Velocette was responsible for the modern look and design of bikes today, such as the swingarm frame and the foot shift. Ed is getting to a point in his grand life that it is becoming difficult for him to continue his amazing craft. Here is where the story for me has the most meaning. Like my father and older brother (both gone), there is no one to carry the torch. Ed is the last of his kind, his shop makes the parts no-longer available. He has a tool & die shop within his shop to do so. There are endless parts in part-boxes on shelves from Velocette. If he does not have the part, he makes it. He is the only one with most of the old parts and knowledge to make them, there is no one else. We are losing parts of our culture and communities more than any other time. We cannot replace this when it is gone... it is gone forever. So much of America is disappearing as well as our traditions and those who made them .