Featured in The November 2014 Issue Of Cycle Source
Article & Photos By: Mark Velazquez
I always wanted to start a story off saying… “This is a story about a guy name Joe” Ok now that we have gotten yet another one of those mindless things off my bucket list let me really tell you about this guy named Joe and his 58 Pan. Well not many people I know start a bike build or vision shall we say with the first part in his hands being the pipes. Well for Joe that’s how it all started. And even as I write this I still don’t remember why. You would think after looking at this ride that it was pain staking creation or some off the hook mind blowing restoration that had to be done because the bike use to belong to some unknown dead cousin you never met. Nope, Joe wanted a rigid and he wanted a Pan. And so the story goes… So it’s hard to believe when I get to sit and chat with Joe that the first thing he tells me is he really just wanted a black bike. Go figure, I have one of those. With that being said he begins to tell me how he searched and searched to finally find what he calls a semi basket running long bike. It did take some time to find because he wanted good numbers on the engine. But in the end he really only wanted the bike for the engine and the tranny. Still thinking he wants just another black bike he sends his find off to his buddy Charlie at Street Smart Cycles in Northport, Long Island. Now not being in a rush, and so they all say at the start, Charlie gets to work on his new project. Even before we can say all good things come to an end what was thought to be a modest project turns into a true rebuild. So as Charlie starts to strip down Joe’s project bike Joe starts to do some shopping. We already know he got a bad ass set of Paughco pipes but next to follow is a new neck kit, frame, rear axle and this is just the start! And since funds were low most of the new parts coming in were paid for by some of the stock hard to find parts that were on his find. Joe got some major slack from some of his buddies for not keeping these true parts but like he says “Hey my bike,my build so shut the F___ up”.
Charlie dives head first into the build. All the stainless steel work you see is hand crafted by Charlie himself, so take a look at those controls and oil lines just to start. And if you take another look yes a killer seat done by Christian Marsh of Xian Leather! With the engine and tranny done everything is good and the build is kicking ass! But now Joe decides he don’t want no stinking black bike and with no real vision in mind he reaches out to Jayme Schmidt at Blue Moon Kustoms in Wisconsin for the solution. I’m gonna have to try this some time because if this is the results when you tell a master painter I just want something with black lace, purple and some flake and your results looks like this all I can say is let the masters do what they do best and just step back. Honestly this paint job is truly one of the best I have ever seen. About a year later with a lot of hard work, maybe some blood and sweat what you see before you is truly a SIC killer 58 Pan that will stop traffic and stand the test of time. Joe claims that this is his forever bike and with a ’77 FL and an ‘82 Shovel also in his stable I’m sure this will be the case. On a side and ending note there is something to be said about guys like Joe. You would like to think that like the name there is a “Joe” in every circle and as common as the name may sound. But here is the catch 22 to this Joe. When I asked how often you get to blast this baby around his response was; “Well to be honest I ride when I can ride. And my biggest priority these day is being a chauffeur to my young teenage daughter which I will never second guess and be ashamed to say.” Well to me that sums it up. Take a good look at Big Joe, I don’t think he has to or needs to answer to anyone. But like Joe it’s nice to know we have choices, and his choices in life are as perfect as the ride he gets to call his own. And trust me he gets to have his cake and eat it too… because, yes he gets to ride.
Joe’s 58 Pan Tech Sheet
Owner: Joe Pisacone
City: Smithtown, NY
Fabrication By: Street Smart Cycles
Year: 1958
Model: FLH
ENGINE
Year: 1958
Model: Panhead
Builder:
Ignition: Mallory
Displacement: 74”
Pistons:
Heads:
Cam(s):
Carb: S&S
Air Cleaner: FMA Short Stack
Exhaust: Paughco
Primary: Open
TRANSMISSION
Year: 1958
Make: Harley
Shifting: Foot
FRAME
Make: Paughco
Rake:
Stretch:
Forks
Type: Old Springer
Builder:
Extension: Shortened
Triple Trees:
WHEELS
Front Wheel:
Size: 21”
Front Tire: Avon
Rear Wheel:
Size: 16”
Rear Tire: Avon
Rear Brakes: PM
PAINT
Painter: Blue Moon Kustoms
Color: Purple, Black, Silver
Type: House of Kolor
graphics: Lace
chroming: Polished Stainless
ACCESSORIES
Bars: Low Drags – Front Street Cycles
Hand Controls: PM
Gas Tank(s): Paughco
Front Fender:
Rear Fender: 7 Metal West
Seat: Bull Seat – Xian Leather, Baas Pan
Foot Controls: Street Smart Cycles
Oil Tank: Paughco
Headlight: 4”
Taillight: 33 Ford
Speedo: I wear a red one!
Photographer: Mark Velazquez