2004 Chopsmiths Astrozombie Custom Chopper

What is the AstroZombie? The AstroZombie is the combination of old school style with modern performance. Jason Hart, owner and operator of Chopsmiths located in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been able to blend two often-opposing styles into one. In Jason's opinion, many builders today get pigeonholed into building one type of bike. They are either dead-set on the "old school" style, or have tunnel vision for the over-the-top radical custom. Jason feels he has an advantage over many builders because he uses the best of both worlds by blending both styles. He's all about the "anything goes" attitude. He stays up on the trends only to stay as far away from them as he can. Any time Jason finds an old part or something cool that he can turn into a useable part, he wastes no time in doing so.

As for this bike, a long time friend, Mark Walls, told Jason he was tired of seeing bike after bike leave the shop and not being one of the guys grinning and waving goodbye. To solve that, Mark showed up with a parts list that he wanted to see on the next Chopsmith bike - one he would own. The only thing was, Jason didn't like the list - it had too many billet and bolt-on parts. Jason got a frame from RC Components and cut the seat post out and welded a crossbar to the rear. Then told Mark what he had in mind for this bike. That was the last time Mark tried put in his two cents on the build.

Once Jason was turned loose, he got a 93-ci S&S Shovelhead-style motor and Accessories Unlimited trans in the frame and bolted the two together with a Primo beltdrive. Some of the tricks that went into this bike show in parts like the oil bag. Jason runs the chain through the bag having welded Teflon plate to the inside of the chain to keep the chain slop from hitting the bag. He made a set of hand controls from old con-rods, and the rocker boxes were split and drilled.

When it came time for the exhaust, Jason did not work alone. The shop doors were open and a few guys from the car shop next door came over to see what he was working on. Of course, they all had advice on how the exhaust should run. Jason walked away to get something to drink, but when he got back the shape of the pipe had already been worked out. Granted, the pipes looked good, but they weren't quite right and needed a few adjustments. So after everyone went home, he fixed the pipes and made them work. All the sheetmetal on this bike was handformed by Jason - he didn't use any parts from a catalog.

The headlight started out as a Chevy big-block piston and now houses a 5-inch light; it's just one more of Jason's signature pieces. He also did all the leatherwork on the seat. Jason takes great pride in actually pounding out real handmade parts. Catch him at work, and you'll see him hammering out handmade tanks, fenders, and frames. His goal is not to be the biggest bike builder, but to be known as one of the best builders in the country.

The Vitals: