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Feature Bikes

A Man And His Pan

Article And Photos By: Chris Condon

Originally Published In The September 2014 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine

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Thor Tamberg has been around motorcycles his whole life. When Thor was a child his father rode a Norton and a KZ650. His father taught him to ride a Honda 50 at the age of 10. When he got a little older he would steal the KZ 650 out of the garage and tear up the streets. His father used to get mad because Thor was burning through his tires very quickly doing burnouts. When Thor turned 19 he bought his first Harley, a stock 1984 sportster. He rode it around stock for a long time, then he started hanging around a local shop here in NY that would forever change his motorcycle ideals. Dudleys Basement was the place for all hardcore motorcyclists on Long Island. Many 1%er’s and independents brought their Knuckles, Pans and Shovels there for everything from oil changes to a complete rebuild. Dudleys was a crazy place back then and not for the weak or timid. Thor befriended Eric Best (R.I.P.), one of Dudley’s sons.

In 1997 Thor, Eric and Dudley’s other son, James Best, who still owns and operates the shop, started hitting the swapmeets for parts. Thor scored a nice set of 58 cases and that was the start of this classy pan. He hit every swap meet he could. He bought the tranny from a local guy. He bought a Paughco frame and oil tank. He threw a 6 over wideglide with a drum brake and a superglide tank on it. He painted it rattle can black like any good chopper jockey would. He learned how to lace and true wheels and built the front and rear wheels including a Sun aluminum 18 inch rear. By 1999 Thor had the bike up and running. He had made the jump that built custom. The old sporty would take a back seat for a while. Thor rode that pan around in that configuration for many years.

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I had heard about a nice local pan while I was working for another magazine back in 2001. I met Thor at a local bike Bar and we tried to meet up for a photo shoot, but we could never manage to get it together. 14 years have gone by and he and I now live in the same town and ride together frequently. I figured it’s about time we shoot the pan that has eluded me for the last 14 years. Thor has rebuilt the 58 a few times since its first inception back in 1999. Back in 2005 he decided to give it another overhaul. He dropped the motor off to Bob McQueen to rebuild. He took the frame and tin to local painter Mike Calderone and Mike added a nice Candy Brandywine finish to the old girl. The Pan now sports a V-Twin replica wishbone frame, a Paughco springer frontend and 5 gallon fatbobs. Thor decided to add a set of PM front brakes and late model, since traffic here on Long Island has tripled since he first started riding, and that old drum brake just wasn’t cutting it. This is its classiest existence yet. Thor is done with this pan for the time being. He still has his Honda 50, his 84 sporty, a Dyna that he logs lots of miles on and of course this sweet Pan. He is going to put together a 57 Pan/Shovel and throw it in the old Paughco frame that this pan started out in. Hopefully I won’t have to wait another 14 years to shoot that one! Thor would like to dedicate this shoot to the memory of James Floyd Best and Eric Best of Dudleys Basement. Thor says he learned a lot about motorcycles and even a little about life hanging out at the shop with The Old man Dudley.

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Thor’s Pan Tech Sheet

Owner: Thor Tamberg

City: Long Island, NY

Fabrication By: Thor Tamberg

Year: 1958

Model: Rigid

Value: The price of a .45 caliber in your dome

piece

Time: Various Years

ENGINE

Year: 1958

Model: FLH

Builder: Bob Mcqueen

Ignition: Stock Distributor

Displacement: 74 C.L.

Pistons: Wiseco 8.5-1

Heads: Harley

Cam(s): Andrews A

Carb: S.U.

Air Cleaner: S.U.

Exhaust: Straight Pipe

primary: Belt

TRANSMISSION

Year: Early

Make: HD

Shifting: Foot

FRAME

Year: Early 2000 V-Twin Replica Wishbone

Make: Paughco

Rake: Stock

FRONT END

Type: Springer

Builder: Paughco

WHEELS

Front Wheel: Late Model Dual Disk

Size: 21”

Tire: Bridgestone Battleaxe

Front Brake: Performance Machine

Rear Wheel: Star Hub laced to Sun Aluminum Rim

Size: 18”

Tire: Bridgestone Spitfire

Brakes: Stock Mechanical Drum

PAINT

Painter: Mike Calderone

Color: Candy Brandywine

ACCESSORIES

Bars: 12” Baby Apes

Risers: 4”

Hand controls: Arleen Ness

fuel tanks: 5 gallon Fatbobs

Rear Fender: Stock FHL

Seat: Le Pera

Oil tank: Paughco

Headlight: Bates

Taillight: Beehive

Speedo: Aftermarket

Photographer: Chris Condon

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