Article By: Cody Williams
Photos By: Chris Callen
Originally Published In The May 2012 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine
I had been working at Redline Motorcycles in Pensacola, FL. for about 2 years. Over that time, George Breckenridge, a co-owner, and I had talked about building a cool bike, kick only with no battery. George had the idea to put a belt drive on a 4-speed tranny. We would try and use as many H-D takeoff parts from the shop as we could. George had an old rigid frame that had been hit in the rear. With a little love, we were able to straighten it out and add more stretch in the back end. Now that we had our frame, the next step was a motor. One day a customer came in the shop with a complete ’48 EL. He wanted a fresh build using only the motor and wanted to sell the rest; it was sold by the end of the day. I really wanted it but knew that there was nothing I could do about it. Then the guy said that he would like to go with a 124” S&S and wanted to know if we thought he could sell this one. It was going to be mine! I offered $3,400, the deal was made, and we could start our build. When we started, we took some take-off wheels, had them powdercoated red and put them on white walls. A few days later, another customer comes in and says, “Hey, cool wheels. Look like the ones on Roadside Marty’s Pan.” I said, ‘Who the f**k is Roadside Marty?’ I was told that he could occasionally be found at his dad Shelton’s Hog Shop. I went there one night to meet him, and sure enough, there he was wrist deep in the “Chick Magnet.” After I saw that bike I knew I would need to step it up or be lost in the parking lot. George had another set of wheels that were done in green. Everyone hated them so of course I went with it. Pretty soon we had enough parts for a roller and started to put together a Wide Glide frontend. I made a set of handlebars with the risers welded to them so we could push it around. As time went on, we would build a part here and there.
Martin came up with an air cleaner and it just stuck. His friend, Will Fitzgerald at Performance Machine in Pensacola, hooked me up with the tag and brake light bracket. In the mean time, George toiled on the inside of the transmission while I worked on the outside in order to fit a pulley instead of a sprocket. We decided to go with some stock take-off H-D brakes. The oil tank came out of the same bike as the motor which was another lucky part. The pulley and brake rotors were some that George had nickel plated some time ago. He never used them so he gave them to me. After beating out a rear fender and mounting the tank, Martin and I made a fuel line. The beast was almost ready to ride! I pounded out a seat pan and the mock-up was now complete. The colors look like everyone just got to pick one and that’s exactly what happened. Daniel Davis at D&A Powdercoating asked me what color I wanted the frame. I told him that I didn’t care as long as it had some flake in it; it came out badass. The wheels ended up staying green and since the frame and the wheels clashed, we thought a sore dick red seat with flake would be cool. After all that, there was nothing we could do with the sheet metal that would make it pop like primer gray. I also had the handlebars chromed at Space Coast Plating in Melbourne. That brake set-up was an experiment that just happened to end up working perfectly; thank you double banjo. George then turned down the fender mounts on the lowers and it started coming together. It was close to being done when I took a job working offshore again. About a week before I came home, the boys at Redline sent me a picture of George doing a burnout on my bike. It was a real long week; my face hurt from smiling so much! I just want to thank the following for all they did: George Breckenridge, Wes Holstman, Martin Eddins, Daniel Davis, Will Fitzgerald, Roadside Marty and his dad Shelton, and last but not least, my dad C.J. Williams and my wife Michele.
Cody’s First Year Pan Tech Sheet
Owner: Cody Williams
City: Pensacola, FL
Fabrication By: Cody / Redline MC
Year: 1948
Model: EL
Value: To Build: $5500 To Buy: OMG
Time: 18 Months
ENGINE
Year: 1948
Model: Panhead
Builder: ?
Ignition:
Displacement: All over Pensacola
Pistons:
Heads: STD
Cam(s):
Carb: S&S E
Air Cleaner: HD Horn Cover / Martin Eddins
Primary: 1.5 Open Belt
TRANSMISSION
Year: ?
Make: V-Twin
Shifting: 1 Down – 3 Up
FRAME
Year: ?
Make: Redline Take-Off Modified
Rake: ?
Stretch: ?
FRONT END
Type: Wideglide
Builder: Redline Take-Off
Extension: +2
Triple Trees: H-D Wide Glide
WHEELS
Front Wheel: HD Redline Take-Off
Size: 21”
Tire: Avon Venom
Brakes: HD
Rear Wheel: HD Redline Take-Off
Size:
Tire: Avon Venom
Brakes: HD Redline Take-Off
PAINT
Painter: George Breckenridge
Type: Primer
Color: Daniel Special
Molding: None
Graphics:
Chroming: Space Coast, Melbourne, FL
ACCESSORIES
Bars: Cody
Risers:
Hand Controls: Barnett Lever – Midwest Int.
Gas Tank(s): ?
Front Fender: None
Rear Fender: Cody
Seat: Cody
Foot Controls:
Oil Tank: Redline Take-Off Of Original Frame
Taillight: Will Fitgerald / PM – Tag Bracket
Headlight: Harley-Davidson
Speedo: No Thank You – I’m Fine
Photographer: Chris Callen