When Andy McCaslin, owner of Porky's Choppers in New Carlisle, Ohio, made up his mind to build a bike to show off and ride at Daytona Bike Week, he did with only 22 days until the first day of the run. He had to work fast to get it finished in time to enter it at the Rats' Hole show. Andy called on some friends, Don Strouth and Kenny Hergy, to help with the build. The three got started on building a jig for the frame, which was going to be built as a one-off to ensure that no one would have the same bike.
Andy ordered about 35 feet of round stock steel to create a rigid frame. They started with the downtubes, adding 3 inches to push the frontend up with 3 more added to the backbone. They went with a neck rake of 36 degrees to keep the frontend in tight, keeping with a barhopper look. After bolting on a Paughco Springer with internal fork stops, he'd have a little suspension for the bumps in the road. When it came time for wheels, the only kind that would work for the bike were spokes: a 21-incher up front and an 18-incher out back, both from Tommy Wheels. For stopping power, a set of HHI calipers and Arlen Ness rotors found their way onto the bike.
As the roller was coming together, Andy called his good friend and trusted motor builder, Mike Stocker, to get the powerplant in order. He started with S&S Twin cam cases, H-D flywheels, and J&E pistons. The cylinders are Axtell, with H-D heads, rocker boxes, pushrods, and tubes. Fuel supply is handled by a 45mm Mikuni carb with a handmade velocity stack, as all the spent gas is expelled through a set of exhaust pipes from L.A. Choppers. Backing up the motor is a five-speed Dyna transmission that is fed by a BDL clutch and primary drive.
On a mission to keep things different, and with time running out fast, the guys had to do all the sheetmetal by hand. With no front fender in this bike's plan, all their time could be spent on the handmade rear fender and the gas tank. Andy was looking to keep the rear fender small and cut clean to the tire. The shape of the gas tank is not a mistake. Andy made the gas tank in the shape of a Sportster tank, but when it came time to weld in the frame channel, he put it on the top, making it an upside-down mount tank. By the time the bike was ready to be stripped down for paint, it was the day before they needed to leave for Daytona. So, Mike Bredy sprayed the black basecoat on the sheetmetal and frame. Then, as soon as they were dry, everything was loaded in the truck, and they hit the road. Once Andy got to Daytona and checked in to the hotel, they had to finish the bike in the room. Andy wet-sanded the tank and fender, then had Shane Syx, his friend and painter, add the wood-grain graphics and spray on a few coats of clear.
Andy designed and fabricated his own handlebars and attached them to the frontend. He added Arlen Ness hand controls, a small H-D mirror, and a CCI headlight. The foot controls and passenger pegs were also custom-made in Andy's garage, along with the license-plate mount. The last thing bolted to the bike was a custom leather-topped barstool - and how they got the stool is still a mystery.
With less than 10 hours until the show, Andy wired the bike and hit the start button for the first time. The bike sounded good, and with a few small adjustments to the carb, it was ready for the show. All they had to do then was clean the rubbing compound off the walls and carpet. After the show, the crew was exhausted, but happy with all the responses the bike got. They said that next time they would give themselves at least 35 days instead of only 22.
If you like Andy and the Porky's Choppers crew's work, you can holler at them at: Porky's Choppers, 919 Bellefontaine Rd., New Carlisle, OH, 45344, (937) 520-6288, www.porkyschopperco.com.