I’ve owned this bike since 1998; in stock form, it was my main ride until I bought a new Harley in 2003 and I knew it would make a great custom one day. After tearing it down in 2014, I had most of it built up by 2016 when my wife and I had our son. The project then took a back seat for a few years but was ultimately on the road in 2021. I tore it down again for paint and chrome in early 2023, and it was back together in the version you see here in summer 2024.

It’s an ’83 Heritage Special, hardtailed with a 2″ stretch/2″ drop David Bird section from Lowbrow Customs. Stock 16″ rear wheel, with 6″ over fork tubes from Frank’s up front over a 21″ wheel, Avon tires on both ends. The front hub is from a Kawasaki Bighorn I found at a swap meet. I had it machined out from 15mm to 17mm to fit the stock front axle. The chrome rim came off of a DT175 and I laced it to the hub with stainless spokes from Buchannan’s. I’d wanted a small drum in place of the stock disc to show off the wheel but still have some stopping power. This setup works OK, mostly because the bike is so light.

Right after I’d gotten it on the road in “raw” form, it started blowing oil past the head gasket, so I ended up rebuilding the top end. Ben and the crew at EastSide Speed & Custom in Ellenville, NY put in new valve seals and intake valves, did a +.010″ overbore, honed the cylinders and set my ring end gap – great work at a fair price! Before reassembly, I painted the case and heads silver and the cylinders black as a nod to the Triumphs this build was partly inspired by.

Carbs are the stock BS34s, the stock black paint removed and re-jetted with an adjustable needle kit from Mike’s XS and capped with aluminum velocity stacks from the swap meet. I built the exhaust head pipes from a Lowbrow kit, added Emgo mufflers and bolted them up with a set of finned Motone collars. I may play with the jetting more over time, but it runs pretty good as is.

I built the sissybar out of 9/16″ cold-rolled stock, with 1″ ball bearings as part of the top ornamentation. I built the rear fender mounts, footpeg mounts, battery tray and top, headlight mount, detachable rear brake pedal mount (out of the stock bushing), upper motor mounts, license plate mount and detachable “vented” sidecovers (which hides all the wiring and electrical components).

The headlights are NOS Dixies I found online at Grune-Go’s Scoot Shop in TX. I’ve got a 45-watt H3 in the bottom (main running) light. The top light has a 35-watt H3 and acts as the high beam, activated by a switch incorporated into the left footpeg mount (inspired by the old footswitch dimmers in ’70s GM cars). Tailight is a box-style from Lowbrow.

The 7/8″ bars, grips and throttle assembly are from Biltwell, on a set of those square accessory risers that you see on all kinds of stuff. The hand controls are a re-pop chrome Triumph-style set from Lowbrow; I modified the brake and clutch cables to accept Triumph ferrules so they’d fit.

The seat is an old Mustang I got at a swap meet and sits on a Lowbrow 6″ Manta Ray fender. Gas tank is a mid-tunnel Wassel style from TC Bros.

I molded the entire frame, starting by cleaning up the neck area with steel plate over the forward gusseting. I removed the main gussets around the neck and added the filler plate in the space between the backbone and the country bar. The cutout matches the lower curve of the tank, which was a fun detail to include. Bondo followed over all that (so… much… sanding…).

The tank got a little around the mounting tabs and petcock bungs too.

Chris Brown at Brainbucket Paint Shop in Clintondale, NY knocked it out of the park with the ’70’s-style paint job. Candy Root Beer over Gold, with amazing accents, graphics and striping throughout! Chroming was done by Bruce at Bar Plating in Meriden, CT and came out beautifully!

So many people to thank for their help. The old crew at Woodstock Harley-Davidson in Kingston, NY – Bob Vanvalkenburgh, Glen Helsley, Greg Mitchell, Abe Craig, Justin Reynolds and Dennis McLaughlin. So much help, advice, support and inspiration from all you guys! John and Jack Gallo for the use of their welder, help with the final assembly and chasing down some “teething” issues – absolutely could not have done this without you!

Alex Urban, for the machining on the front hub and properly opening up the sissybar mount holes on the hardtail and Tony Xmas, Sean Brix and Andrew Pleva, for helping pull/install the engine many, many times.

All you guys are the absolute best!

And of course, my wife Jen and our son Sam, for putting up with my long hours in the garage and for their support and encouragement throughout the whole process – I love you both. I know there’s more I’m overlooking right now… I’ll have to write part 2.

Hope you guys all enjoy, and thanks so much!

-Greg P.

@choppa_greg on IG