vendredi 1 novembre 2013
Venier Customs’ Corsaiola
For a shop that’s only been going for 15 months, Venier Customs are punching well above their weight with two well-publicised builds, a further eight under their belt and three in the pipeline. Started in 2012 by Italian Stefano Venier with investment from his grandma Livia’s pension “without her Venier Customs wouldn’t exist”, the shop employs six split equally between Treviso, just north of Venice, and Brooklyn, New York.
Stefano, 34, has been riding bikes since he was 10 and modifying bikes since he was a kid “I just figured out what the purpose of all those days spent disassembling things that I thought weren’t perfect”. He stopped riding in his 20s until a few years ago he bought an ’08 Bonneville and was re-bitten by the bug “an avalanche hit me and now I’m sick more than ever!”
Corsaiola (‘racy’ in Italian) is based on a stock 1989 Moto Guzzi V75 which the Venier team stripped of the ugly 80s fuel tank and plastic panels and replaced with handmade items “we use no plastic, everything is made out of steel or aluminum”. The rear frame was shortened and reshaped to supporting a narrower handmade leather seat.
The 4-valve small block 750cc engine, which ironically produces 10hp more than its modern 2-valve counterpart, was restored and fitted with vintage Mistral pipes. The v-twin’s 58hp is driven through the original 16″F/18″R cast wheels, recoated in black, and with modern Avon Roadrider tyres to improving handling.
The bespoke aluminium tank took Stefano’s team a while to get just right “designing a tank you have so many choices but keeping it simple is the hardest part” and features Venier’s signature backward stripe, which also appears on their ‘Tractor V75′ scrambler. Referencing mid-seventies Guzzi 750 Sports livery, the stripe is purposely mis-aligned because Stefano believes that “something off gives more reality and charm to the build”
The headlight has been replaced by a slim 6″ number that sits as close as possible to the reconditioned Marzocchi forks which have been lowered by 60mm nicely framing the mini speedo from Dime City Cycles, as are the clear indicators and LED rear light. Tarozzi bars and pedals finish the cafe look.
Corsaiola is one of a limited edition of seven bikes, a number chosen as “reasonable to still have unique motorcycles”, although in reality it’s an edition of six since “all builds are bikes I would have in my collection and to tell you the truth the number one never leaves my garage!”
via the bike shed
Custom Honda CB500 Cafe Brat by Steel Bent Customs
The economy has been pretty tough around the world but that doesn’t stop a custom craving, people will always try to find a way to fill that custom desire.
If you have the money you can go and get a stock bike or you could choose an old school custom bike from the likes of Steel Bent Customs. Dan Rodriguez and Michael Mundy the co-founders of Steel Bent Customs consider themselves garage builders, taking old bikes and giving them a new lease of life is what they love doing.
According to Steel Bent “We travel quite a distance to find the right bike in the right condition for the build. On a few rare occasions, the bikes find us. By the time our bikes are out of the photography studio, they are typically sold. However, we can build another or anything you can dream up. Our commission builds are between $5000 and $6000. We take 1/2 upfront and we start searching for the donor bike. We favor Honda’s, but we love all things fossil fueled”.
For today’s feature we are taking a look at their latest creation a custom Honda CB500 Cafe Brat. The build of this custom Honda CB500 Cafe Brat started out as a stock Honda CB500 that was found at Dime City Cycles. “She was there for an engine rebuild & Herm contacted us to say the owner was thinking of selling. We grabbed her up quickly -thank you to Jason & Herm at DCC!”
To being with the build the stock bike was stripped down to the frame, next the frame under went many man-hours of cutting and grinding to get the right style for the build. The stock CB500 engine was polished, overhauled and was fitted with a custom 4 into 1 exhaust.
According to Steel Bent “The mid 60′s-70′s Japanese engines are a testament to the craftsmanship and reliability, but often need refreshing after years of neglect. We rebuild the carburetors and re-jet for the pods/velocity stacks and typically re-wire the ignition coils. Cables, fork seals, bearings and whatever she needs, she gets.”
At the front this custom Honda CB500 Cafe Brat features a Clubman bars vintage looking headlight. At the rear the bike includes Loaded Gun rear-sets. The finished bike rolls on Shinko tires and the seat was wrapped by Lance’s. The orange color for the tank was the client’s selection, which looks fantastic with the black on the rest of bike.
“We weld, we grind, we sweat and we bleed until she is ready to ride. Then, she gets fresh fluids & she is ready to fire. We ride her, and we ride her hard. We want her to fail in our hands before we ship a bike to a buyer 1000+ miles away” says Michael
Interested in a custom build from Steel Bent Customs, then check out their website or facebook page.
Visit - Steel Bent Customs | Steel Bent Customs – Facebook | Photos by Choppershotz
via http://motorivista.com
FOR FUN !!!
#IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER: Turbo Theme
Earlier this month, we set you the of capturing the essence of turbo. We wanted you to explore the theme both literally and how you feel turbocharged cars are best represented in the still image. The results were many and varied but as always, only the select few made it to here…
(Above) It was close for this theme’s featured image, but eventually we decided that Rick Watanabe‘s shot should take top honours. To capture the moment of launch perfectly is one thing, but to also capture all hell breaking loose is another level of achievement. For those of you wondering, it ran a low nine second pass on a -big- single turbo L28.
We had plenty of submissions detailing a more traditional representation – nice and considered angles with shallow depth of field were plentiful…
… but gold plated engines bays not so much. Proof that sometimes you need to relax, and let the car do the work.
Call me old fashioned, but I’ll always be a fan of the less obvious approach.
You know the photos that really draw you in and allow you to immerse yourself in what makes it special.
Sometimes it can be the subtlest of hints…
… or it can be more obvious but the result should be the same. To put a smile on the reader’s face and inspire them.
Sometimes the most difficult decision as a photographer is to take the easy shot. But sometimes that’s what you need to do. There’s no point in over complicating things.
Other times, you need to spend time thinking of each detail and allowing for the most minute of changes.
I guess the most important thing though, is knowing what you want to capture and going out and getting it. I don’t think there are many more things in life that can be as rewarding as realising a vision.
Yes, you need the technical skills to be able to capture what you can see in your mind’s eye but if you don’t have that vision in the first place, then you are just taking pointless pictures.
Of course, a little bit of luck never goes astray…
… but there are rewards to be reaped by those who are willing to work towards a vision and end goal.
This was definitely one of the more difficult themes we’ve issued but I think everyone who contributed can be really proud of themselves, regardless if you made it or not. It takes guts to put yourself out there and to be scrutinised by others. We also appreciate that it can be hard to not be selected, but fear not.
Because there will be a day when your time will come and your success will be all the sweeter for the trials and tribulations that you have endured beforehand.
Be inspired, keep shooting and shoot safe. Your time is coming.
Paddy McGrathchallenge
Icons of desert modernism: The 5 coolest Palm Springs homes
The mid-century modernist homes of Palm Springs are the stuff of architectural legend, ranging from the celebrated Elrod House featured in the Bond movie Diamonds are Forever to the Twin Palms estate where Frank Sinatra threw parties for half of Hollywood…
We've chosen five properties which, says leading Palm Springs real estate agent Andy Linsky (ASK@windermere.com), are among the most covetable in the area, with potential values ranging from USD 2 million - 35 million.
"All are located in Palm Springs proper (as opposed to further east in the Coachella Valley) with the Elrod and Kauffman properties rising to the top architecturally, followed by the Sinatra, Loewy and Elvis houses - although all are quite spectacular in their own right," says Linsky.
Raymond Loewy House by Albert Frey
Design genius Raymond Loewy penned the lines for everything from the Coke bottle to the Scenicruiser Greyhound Bus, the Studebaker Avanti and the Lucky Strike cigarettes logo – but he left the job of planning his three-bedroom dream home to Zurich-born 'desert modernism' architect Albert Frey. Created in 1946 at 600, Panorama Road, its slide-back glass walls give way to a breathtaking view of mountains and desert. Relatively small and minimalist to the core, the open-plan living accommodation centres around a lagoon-like illuminated pool.
Kaufmann Desert House by Richard Neutra
Pittsburgh department store tycoon Edgar J. Kaufmann commissioned the great Richard Neutra to design this five-bedroom, five-bathroom home in 1946. It fully embraces the 'indoors-outdoors' living style of Palm Springs with sets of vast, sliding windows that open on to a series of poolside patios. The place is considered to be such an architectural gem that it was offered for sale by Christie's as a single lot in a 2008 sale of modernist design. The hammer fell at USD 15 million – but the successful bidder failed to come up with the cash.
Twin Palms Frank Sinatra Estate
Set in the heart of the Palm Springs 'movie colony', Twin Palms was designed for Frank Sinatra in 1947 by architect E. Stewart Williams, complete with suitably 'grand' piano-shaped swimming pool. Ol' Blue Eyes originally lived there with his first wife, Nancy Barbato, but subsequently ensconced his second bride, Ava Gardner. The pair hosted lavish parties at Twin Palms, but the four-bedroom, seven-bathroom home was also the scene of their tempestuous rows – as evinced by the cracked washbasin which still bears testament to a badly aimed (or well dodged) champagne bottle.
Elvis's Honeymoon Hideaway
Robert and Helene Alexander were as near as it was possible to get to Palm Springs royalty during the 1960s – not least because their construction company built many of the best-known homes in the area. Few, however, were as impressive as their own pad at 1350 Ladera Circle. Capable of accommodating 180 people (the Alexanders loved to party), it featured a 64-foot, built-in sofa and its own outdoor stage. Its space-age design saw it dubbed 'the home of tomorrow' – but five years after moving in, the Alexanders were killed in a plane crash. The following year, in 1966, Elvis leased it for a year, honeymooning there with bride Priscilla in May '67.
Elrod House by John Lautner
John Lautner, one-time apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, conceived this spectacular ridge-top property for interior designer Arthur Elrod in 1968. Perched high above Palm Springs, it is visible from miles around and features a vast, conical roof and a 60-foot wide, circular living room in which protruding rocks form part of the decor. The natural lair of a 007 nemesis, it was chosen as the summer house of gem-obsessed villain Willard Whyte in the 1971 movie Diamonds are Forever. Sean Connery's Bond famously took a beating there from Whyte's gorgeous female bodyguards, Bambi and Thumper. With five bedrooms and five bathrooms, the Elrod House was last offered for sale in 2011 at USD 13.8 million.
Photos: Getty Images / Jan Baedeker
You can find an ever-expanding list of spectacular properties for sale in the Classic Driver Market.
YAMAHA XS750 CAFE RACER BY UGLY MOTORBIKES
The team at Ugly Motorbikes have a habit of making their name pleasantly ironic, they invariably turn out motorcycles, like this Yamaha cafe racer, that are so beautiful they almost seem to pop out at you through the screen.
Brady and Chris at Ugly Motorbikes found the donor bike for this build in San Diego, the owner had given up halfway through a bobber conversion and the frame was covered with dodgy welds and bullet casings (they were used as frame plugs), the owner had also decided to weld on rebar hard-tail struts. If you’re anything like me, that last part made you slap your hands over your face and question the existence of god.
“We wanted to build a bike that would catch your eye first look, but will really draw your full attention on the second head turn. We’ve had people visit the shop and not notice the bike till an hour after BSing, with the common response being “Wait, what is this!” Giving this build the unofficial nickname – The Girl Next Door.” Brady Young – Ugly Motorbikes
The Yamaha XS750 isn’t the most common choice for a cafe racer conversion, this one has had its frame re-worked and has a custom 3 into 3 exhaust set up that gives it a urgent, almost angry sound when being ridden properly. The forks have been internally lowered 1 ½ inches and a further 1 inch at the triple tree, the velocity stacks are custom engraved, the stop light is asymmetrical and the seat, grips, and foot-pegs are wrapped in Nigerian calf leather. The colour of this leather wrap works well with the fat-blue fuel tank and rear cowling, giving the bike a look reminiscent of the classic Gulf GT40s.
If you’d like to see more from Ugly Motorbikes check out our previous feature on their Honda CB650 cafe racer here, or visit their website here.
via SILODROME
Chrysler unveils five models bound for SEMA
A little bit of everything
Following a preview earlier this month, Chrysler has unveiled a handful of vehicles for SEMA.
First up, the Ram Sun Chaser is based on theRam 1500 Quad Cab and features a Vibrance Orange Blast exterior with a "sport performance" hood, a 2-inch lift kit and a Mopar cat-back exhaust system. Other highlights include a surf rack, muscular fender flares and 17-inch beadlock wheels. The truck also has a "Flip-Up" tailgate and a "makeshift shower kit" that enables owners to wash themselves off after a day at the beach.
Next up, the Fiat 500L Adventurer is a ruggized model that has a tri-tone exterior with a roof rack, tinted taillights and unique 18-inch alloy wheels. The concept also has suede / leather seats, orange trim and alloy pedals.
The Jeep Cherokee Trail Carver is designed for "trail addicts" and has an Auburn Pearl exterior with custom graphics, orange tow hooks and off-road tires. Other highlights include Katzkin leather seats, painted trim, a wireless smartphone charger and WiFi connectivity.
Lastly, the 2014 Chrysler 300S has a Phantom Black Tri-coat exterior with a revised grille, an SRT spoiler and 20-inch alloy wheels. The car has also been equipped with a lowered suspension and an upgraded interior that has two-tone leather seats and satin black trim.
Check out the press release for additional information
Source: Chrysler
via Worldcarfans
1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SLS RACING
This 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS ‘Racing’ is an original ’57 300 SL that’s been modified into a faithful reproduction of the car used by legendary American racing driver Paul O’Shea – the O’Shea-Tilp Racing Team had enjoyed remarkable success with the 300 SL and so when Mercedes-Benzwithdrew from motorsports in 1955 due to a horrific accident at Le Mans, O’Shea set about building his own race cars from stock 300 SLs.
By 1957 the O’Shea-Tilp Team had made the fateful decision to compete in the SCCA D Production class, they bought two new Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs and modified them for racing. The cars would go on to be a dominant force in the D-class against the Ferraris and Aston Martins, Paul O’Shea was competing shoulder to shoulder with Carroll Shelby throughout the season and by the time the chequered flag flew over the final race at the Riverside International Raceway, O’Shea would be crowned champion.
The car pictured here has been significantly modified from stock, it’s now producing 250hp from its 2996 cc overhead-cam inline 6-cylinder engine, an aluminium block replaced the iron block in the stock car to keep weight down. The original 4-speed manual transmission is still fitted and the car sits on independent front suspension with upper and lower A-arms and coil springs as well as independent rear suspension with swing axles and coil springs.
The car is presented in almost perfect condition and, dare I say it, is ready for some paint-swapping out on the race track. The estimated value of the car is in the £600,000 to £800,000 region and if you don’t already know what that is in US dollars I’ll just assume that like me, you can’t afford it.
The car is due to roll across the auction block with RM Auctions on the 8th and 9th of September 2013 in London, if you’d like to read more about the car and see more pictures, you can click here to visit RM Auctions.
Photo Credits: Tim Scott ©2013 Courtesy of RM Auctions
via SILODROME
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