As the majority of the country began thawing out from the chill of the winter in April 1975, STREET CHOPPER was already ready to kick off summer early with a beach-themed cover. The photo showed Bob Clark and his new Harley, along with a bikini-clad acquaintance carrying a sandy surfboard. Bob's ride was the backbone of the "Chopper Building Series," an ongoing column in the magazine that showed readers how to build their own bike. "The Sundance Kid" featured several angles of the chopper set to a warm, sunny Southern California beach backdrop. Starting out as a police bike, the finished product sported a 30-inch-over stock springer frontend, a '69 Harley 74ci engine, and a red, gold, and silver metalflake paintjob. Judging by the look on his face, Bob was a happy camper.
Speaking of the "Chopper Building Series," its final article ran this month, concluding with the installation of oil lines and the mounting of switches and wires. This step-by-step guide explained the basics to eager bike builders, diagramming the process on a Harley, Triumph, and a Honda 750.
Other points of interest in the mag included individualizing your gas tank with a new shape, installing a hardtail, painting your engine at home, and the necessity of preparing for an engine assembly (let's not forget to mention the addition of more color photos, as well). On the political side of things, "The Washington Report" exposed the mounting frustration of riders with the limitations of helmet laws in the state of Massachusetts.
Well, that's the April '75 issue in a nutshell. Come back next month for another look back at Street Chopper in the '70s.