On one of the message boards today, I used a quote from Jeff Leighton's article on Droopy's built and owned "...since '63 " Knuckle, from the April/May 2012 issue of Street Chopper, and some of my long-dormant brain cells clicked in, and I thought you'd enjoy this. First, the quote - now remember, this was in 1963:
"With the major parts purchased Droopy and his friend Paul Cerrato bought 2 pounds of hash (*my note: we ain't talkin' no Hormel brand here), and set out to build some choppers. Every time they would work on Droopy's Knucklehead, or Paul's 'four wheeler' (a trike with dual springer front ends) they would smoke out, and think up cool ways to build bikes.....".
I know you've seen countless photos of Droopy's purple Knuckle (if you haven't, search Droopy in any image search engine), but have you ever seen Paul's bike???
Well, you have now......Paul Cerrato's "Four Wheeler".
When I first saw Cerrato's bike feature in the July 1974 issue of Easyriders, I was totally taken away by it's sheer awsomeness. What would inspire somebody to build something like this....well, now you know!
Hey, did you catch the reefer plants embroidered on the back of the seat?
Illegal substance-directed engineering.........a Model T front axle mounted to the frame neck, which is located with long hot rod hairpin radius rods, with two more frame necks welded where the axle spindles would be, holding two 15 over springers, steered with a set of tiller bars, which move the springers via a set of tubular drag links. Fuckin' A!
Hey Rich glad to see my article was well received. Paul's 4 wheeler was super sweet. The bike isnt together anymore but a guy i know owns all of it. He was friends with Paul and Droopy. He talks about putting it back together but sadly i dont think it will happen
ReplyDeleteHey yourself Jeff, yeah, I enjoyed your article on Droopy's bike. I talk to Droopy when I see him out there, and he has all those great stories that he tells in just that matter-of-fact Droopy way. I thought it added a nice touch of "color" to the article.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you know where Paul's bike is, and it's present condition is something I can appreciate.
Just thinking of all the backyard engineering that went into the front end is mind boggling. Setting up the basic front end structure to begin with, then having to dial in the caster/camber/toe on it so it went down the road straight and not doing the St. Vitus Dance is something that probably would have a good automotive front end guy scratching his head over.
Maybe see you at David Mann?
However, not allowed on Sturgis Main Street
ReplyDeleteAw Noot, you party pooper!
ReplyDeleteMissed this post initially mate, out there extremo, wow !!! Some folk exist in a universe far, far away, thank god !!
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