2013 EMERY BUILT CUSTOM BLAJKOUT TRAIL BOUNCER

by Ricky Berry
Surely you’ve heard of rock bouncers by now. They are all the rage in the Southeast and quickly spreading. Crazy tube machines with out-of-the-box styling, all wrapped around a big nasty loud engine and huge tires. Several other factors make up a rock bouncer, of course. Generally they have small fuel cells, pretty much zero storage, and, frankly, aren’t very comfortable to sit in and are nearly impossible to get in and out of. They are built to look cool, take abuse, and kill nasty hills.

 The engine is a healthy GM LS6 with some minor modification, like ported heads and a performance camshaft. The engine area is clean and packaged well to house a front-mounted radiator and a big hydro-boost brake system. Those are two features that make this buggy pleasurable to ride on the trail because it can run cool all day and stop on a dime should it crest a giant hill with an even bigger cliff on the other side.

This isn’t a rock bouncer. We know it may look like one. You might expect to see it bouncing off the rev limiter with total disregard—and we’re not saying it can’t do that—but this is actually a multipurpose trail rig.

 It is all about the little things. Secure and dry storage using a Jeep CJ lockbox is integrated into the handmade aluminum dash along with these custom cupholders. Another detail is that each gauge features the Jeep logo, a nice finishing touch.

Emery Built Customs is a one-man operation out of West Monroe, Louisiana. Stephen Emery is a passionate trail rider with a unique style and fabrication skill that stands out apart from the rest. His creations are visually the essence of what these rock bouncers were founded on years ago: show-quality finish work with polished aluminum or chrome, and flawless paint and powdercoating. Stephen’s personal buggy, BlaJKout, was built with one major feature that no other rock bouncer buggy has: a cooler mount! While it may look like it was designed to launch a nasty hill with a 3,500-stall and burn the tires off, it is actually built to ride trails in comfort and blast nasty hills.

Rolled tube, double B-pillar, and a cooler mount

This LS V-8 powered machine is able to take on full throttle hillclimbs or comfortably cruise the trails all day. It has a large fuel cell, tunes, and a modest exhaust system. Why settle when you can have it all?

 What makes this buggy a great trail rig is not any one part but rather the combination of elements. The 5:1 Atlas transfer case provides a strong low range for crawling. The full exhaust system that dumps out behind the passengers makes for a quieter ride. A stereo is tucked inside the cab to enjoy tunes on the trail. All these features contribute to a comfortable trail rig. BlaJKout has all the fun and style of a rock bouncer, but with comfort and practicality in mind.

Tech Specs
2013 Emery Built Customs BlaJKout

Drivetrain
Engine: GM LS6
Transmission: PTC Powerglide
Transfer case: Atlas 5:1
Front Axle: HP Dana 60
Rear Axle: GM 14-Bolt

Suspension
Springs & Such: Fox 2.0 coilovers, 14-inch fronts and 16-inch rears
Tires & Wheels: 43-inch Interco TSL SX tires on 17-inch Trail Ready beadlocks
Steering: PSC full hydro with a single-ended ram
Other Stuff: Warn Zeon 10-S winch, Vision X Tantrum rock lights, Hella Black Magic headlights, custom Bluetooth stereo system, K2 cooler with custom mount system

 The interior is very clean and minimal. Lots of legroom, easy-entry door bars, and comfortable suspension seats are just three creature comforts to make this thing enjoyable on the trail. The aluminum interior panels and floor are all Rhino-lined to reduce the heat and noise coming from the engine and transmission.

From: http://www.fourwheeler.com

LUIS MOTO: A BMW R NINET SCRAMBLER, ITALIAN STYLE

If rumors of BMW’s new R nineT-based scrambler have you foaming at the mouth, but you’re the impatient type—Luis Bertelli has the answer.

He’s reworked the R nineT into a modern replica of the quintessential BMW scrambler, the R80G/S Paris Dakar. And he’s done it in spectacular fashion; if we were sitting in Munich right now, we’d be taking notes.

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Luis operates as Luis Moto out of Pisa, Italy, where he customizes bikes and sells custom parts. So everything you see here is (or will soon be) available on his online store. That’s good news if you’ve got an R nineT in the garage—and a soft spot for old dirt-biased boxers.

G/S aficionados will immediately spot the R nineT’s more obvious Paris Dakar-inspired cues: like the red seat, black knee indents and tank graphics. (Which, by the way, have been painted rather than stuck on.)

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But Luis’ mods go beyond just a few splashes of color. There’s a neat grill covering the stock headlight—which is mounted on a bracket designed to dampen vibration. And there’s a carbon fiber number board that acts as a shroud to conceal the slightly bulky clocks.

The aluminum front fender and brace are new too, and will be available unpainted or polished. And out back, Luis has constructed a rear fender that runs over the stock frame. It’s been designed to give the tail a shorter feel without the need to cut or weld anything. Mounted on it is Lucas-style tail light with a license plate bracket.

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The seat’s covered in a leather that’s been dyed at the tannery itself, to be as close to the original G/S red as possible. (Luis also plans to produce it in brown and black.) Rounding off the back half of the bike are a pair of aluminum side panels, which will be reproduced in carbon fiber for public consumption.

Aside from a new paint job, the R nineT fuel tank has been left alone. Luis removed the stock airbox snorkel from the right side though—citing weight, aesthetics and performance as his reasons. In its place is a slim carbon fiber plate, painted white to match the tank.

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Running up the left hand side of the bike is a full stainless steel, two-into-one exhaust system. It exits high, but runs inside the frame at the back to avoid creating extra bulk. Luis says he’ll be offering it as a fully customizable system, with multiple finishes and configurations to choose from—including an optional dB killer.

To get the final color scheme just right, Luis had a bunch of smaller parts redone in wrinkle black, including the headlight, triple clamps, fork lowers and instrument trim.

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Finishing off the build kit are a set of dirt-bike handlebars, adjustable billet aluminum levers, and a pair of Metzeler Karoo tires.

If BMW’s new scrambler looks half as good as this, we’re in for a treat.

Luis Moto | Facebook

Was Eric Clapton’s Dino 206 GT the real-life ‘Layla’?

Eric Clapton cited the inspiration behind the hit record ‘Layla’ as a character from ancient Persian literature – but the voluptuous curves of the Dino 206 GT he owned at the time of release meant it could easily have been his ‘other’ secret muse…

I Am Yours...

Now in fully restored condition and for sale through Classic Driver dealer Tom Hartley Junior, theex-Eric Clapton Dino 206 GT is undoubtedly one of the most significant of the 150 or so first-generation Dinos produced. Ordered from the factory by UK Concessionaire Colonel Ronnie Hoare as one of only two cars officially imported to the UK, it was registered to its first owner in April 1969 – and curiously exchanged for a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 and a £200 credit note. Just over a year later, it was purchased by young singer-songwriter Clapton, who recorded the song ‘Layla’ in the following months. In fact, it was during this recording period that he crashed the car, a similar fate to that which befell his fellow musician Keith Moon in a 246 GT a year or two later. Perhaps Clapton’s prang meant he was too bitter to cite it as inspiration for what became one of his most memorable songs? Conjecture, admittedly, but a possibility nonetheless.

Artist’s muses don’t come much prettier, whether or not they are attributed to specific works. But we’re nicknaming this rare Dino ‘Layla’, anyway.

Photos: Tom Hartley Junior

Pensive....