Speechless. Elated. Exhausted. First three words that come to my mind after @cheapthrillsseaside After the show I had to take a few days to collect my thoughts and put this post together. It was one Hell of a weekend and one for the record books. To think I almost bailed too because of a situation that arose with the front wheel. (Those who know, you know.) Thinking back I realize how stupid bailing would have been. We've all been there especially when we're overtired, pushed to our limits and also perfectionists. I struggled with unveiling the bike if it wasn't 100% right. However, we pulled through and got the bike done. The response was absolutely overwhelming. It couldn't have debuted at a better show being a Jersey built bike. This bike has been stuck in my head since I was a kid looking at my dad's old photos. I started collecting parts about 12 years ago and took approximately 9 months to build. Watching my dad win Best in Show at the Sportsters at The Shore made all the hard work and mountains of stress worth it. I'm happy my dad took that credit because he was the one who built it the first time around. I did my best to replicate his ideas from 1972 and source the parts he had. To top it off the Hondaster also won "Weirdest" Sportster. These two bikes I believe really show what RetroFit is capable of. From the meticulously accurate to the unexpectedly fun. I have to thank Walter, Dusty and Truth for also winning the free weekend and putting on an amazing show. Huge thank you to Ed for replicating the paint job. I knew this was a tall order and you nailed it my friend. Thank you for the numerous sprayouts and patience with me haha. Ben for absolutely everything you did from lifting, lugging, wrenching, welding, polishing. I couldn't have made it without your help. Greg for fixing up the seat in record time. I also have to thank all these people below that helped with the build by sourcing/donating parts their time and just overall moral support. I can't list everything you all did but you know what you did to make this bike come together and I am forever grateful. Thank you! I'm now going to catch up on the last two months of sleep I lost...

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And now for something completely different! This week marks one year ago that @miss_mundy said yes to me! An absolutely unforgettable occasion at camping at my families farm with our best friends. A few months back we commissioned @deanchoochlandry to do an engagement photo shoot with us right in our own back yard. The experience was incredible. Dean is one of the most down to earth people I’ve ever met. He spent more than half the day with us talking and learning about his process and cameras. He could not have been more generous with his time. To mark our one year “engage-iversary” Kate and decided to post a few of our photos now. I can’t wait to make things official with you next year babe!

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We’ve got paint for the @joepanhead1313 Sportster clone! Huge thanks to @eddispeachy for replicating this paint job. I knew it was a tall order and he did a fantastic job. Swipe to the next photo and these photos are 49 years apart from each other. The old photos may seem darker but that’s because they were taken in a basement with just a 60 watt bulb where my dad originally built the first bike. Lots of assembly work ahead of us to have it ready for @cheapthrillsnj next weekend.

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Tonight is officially the last night this bike will be together until it comes back for paint and chrome. It was just over a year ago we picked up this bike for it’s big transformation and took about 8 months to get to this point. I’m blown away by the generosity of those who have helped out with time, parts and information. I knew this bike would be a tall order. Very challenging at some points driving myself crazy with the little details. Probably driving my dad crazy too, but this is an opportunity of a lifetime to do this with him so why not go 100%. Last two photos are my great grandfather Karl (who originally co-signed the original bike for my dad in 1969) and my dad @joepanhead1313 Tomorrow it’s heading out for paint to @eddispeachy Next will be prep work for chrome and seeing what we can do freshen up the motor.

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More progress on the @joepanhead1313 Sportster clone. Been working towards closing in the neck area for moulding. Bent up by hand some 3/16” round bar for the two outside edges and the center peak. Then bent up by hand some sheet metal to fill the gaps to only have a small amount of bondo take up the rest. Next is side plates but I’ll do that once the bike is stripped. Also finished up the lunch box oil tank mount. The original mount was cut. However, thanks to @24ouncepbr and some photos of his fathers original ‘69 XLCH I was able to copy the mount and cut it out of a piece of square tubing and weld it in. Up next is finishing the rear fender, seat, sissybar mount. Getting closer to paint and chrome!

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Making more progress on the @joepanhead1313 Sportster clone. Gas tank mounts are finalized, so we’re good to go on that. Next item to tackle was the rabbit ear handlebars. The ones I found were close but not right. (Calvinising here remember). After lots of careful measuring and referencing in photoshop I had a pretty good idea where to go with these. Took about 2” off the bottom, welded in new bungs, and then added another 2” to the pull back. Then added another 1.5” to the grips. The bridge was in the wrong spot so I made a new one and brought it higher like in the old photos. Getting closer!

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For Sale: 35 mm Showa single disc front end. Chrome is nice. Tubes are new. Timken bearings with neck cups. $300 plus the ride. #chopperswapper @roadsidemarty_swapshop

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@joepanhead Sportster Clone Update: Replicating motorcycles are a pain in the ass! That’s the update thanks for tuning in. Seriously though, we’re making headway. If you know me, you know how anal retentive I am and it’s affectionately known as “Calvinising”. (Thanks Ben...) I’ve been wracking my brains out the past week making these taillight brackets. Blowing up all the blurry pictures I can and studying them with a fine tooth comb and I’ve still overlooked some things. It’s almost caused me start over just like the struts... After finishing the brackets and looking at the old photos close up to verify what I have is right, it dawned on me I was using the wrong taillight, or was I?? (Yep, I lost sleep last night on that one.) Turns out both are actually right. I originally started with the larger light because it was easily identifiable in one of my dad’s photos. However, the version I’m going for is from the parking lot photos and what’s on the back of our shirts. After letting my brain settle it’s clear as day between photos the taillights are different. Fortunately I happen to have the correct smaller one on the shelf but now the holes are off! I was thinking great I have to make new brackets now, but a little squeeze of the hand on the bar the holes lineup and the light fits perfect. Thanks to @bengottheinsta59fl and Frank for press braking the brackets for me. Last item for the bar is inspect sticker plate. (The insanity continues with that story...) Stay tuned! #RetroFitCycleWorks #JoeSportsterClone #Calvinising #chopcult #69XLCH

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Hey gang! It has been quite some time since I have posted anything! Just been incredibly busy working nonstop and I’ve reached a point to make a post for the @joepanhead1313 Sportster clone! Well here it is! This bike has come a long way over the past few months and it couldn’t have happened without the help of some amazing generous people. It’s been an incredible challenge trying to locate the original odd ball parts my dad used back in 1972. The biggest needle in the hay stack was the spool hub he ran. That was generously donated from @jway_83 I cannot thank you enough for the hub man. I missed out on buying it. Long story short he ended up contacting me some weeks later and offered it up for the build. Jason I can’t thank you enough! It’s what this chopper community is all about! On the fabrication side my dad and I have been slaving away trying to reproduce his struts and sissybar he had. I actually made 2 sets of struts because the first pair I made were too short. So I made a new set at 12.5” and all of sudden everything fell into place. My dad also remade his original highway pegs. Last photo is of my dad’s grandfather, Karl, who originally co-signed for the bike in 1969 so my dad could get the bike in the first place. This photo is also what helped me confirm the seat that @marinosjunkpile had for sale and I knew it was the one. For the rest of the parts and help on the build I’ve gotta thank these characters: @24ouncepbr @magneto_sportster @jodyzero7 @cyclestopnj @hotdoggin @antisocial83 @marinosjunkpile @jway_83 @dnseats6779 @bengottheinsta59fl @chopcult We’re getting there and we’ll have the big reveal @cheapthrillsnj in the sportster show in Sept! Life long dream coming true building this with my dad. More updates to come!

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First time out this year!

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RetroFit

Hanging at the @appmotojam hill climb! Come by say hi and check the @strangedaysevent give away chopper Sweet Cheeks! #retrofitcyclesworks #retofit #sweetcheeks #strangedaysgiveaway #hillclimbvia Instagram

RetroFit

This Sunday!! The secrets out! Antiques, customs, all makes and models and even works in progress welcome! 11am to 6pm. #SecretBikeShow #MilfordPAvia Instagram