Earing Mike's South Bay Chopper, or Ask and You Shall Receive?

I said I'd like to see more of the bike, so I get a call from Joe Hurst saying, "you asked for it". Mike still has his bike and as you can see, not only is it almost unchanged, but it also looks fresh as ever. The beautiful forks deserve a double take as they are narrowed and extended Harley (by Mike), with Dick Allen rockers.While not having all of the exact same styling cues, the look and stance is definitely South Bay. The Sportster headlight, Hunt magneto, 12 spoke mags, and D.A. rockers do add to the recipe. Go back and look at Joe's White Bear, Foots bike, or Bruce's Funny bike, and you'll see it was all in the family of friends.Compare this shot with the one in the last post and it drives home how, other than the paint and the plug wires, nothing has changed! While repainted, the tank retains the Ride to Live and Wings theme. The frame is fantastic. Note the seat area. It's been stretched, raked, and molded with metal before chroming. The sissy bar doesn't have the normal South Bay Swoop, but instead has an almost invisible fender following support bar. The oil tank reminded me of the Funny Bike's tank and it's no coincidence since it was made by Bruce's mentor, Steve Davis.My thanks go out to Mike and Joe for sharing this cool ride.

More Parrish Arts

Another tank by Bruce Parrish. While compared to others he'd done, it's somewhat simple, it's one of his favorites.It was done for Earing Mike. I'd like to see more shots of this bike. Check the belt guard and iron cross shift knob. Got to love them cargo jeans with patches.

Flaming

A very sweet flame and molding job from the 70's by Bruce Parrish.

B.P. Chopper Sculpture

After seeing the post on Greg Parigian's chopper sculpture, Bruce Parrish sent me some pics of the one he did for his father. It was based on and done when he finished his first build back in 1971. Bruce says, "It's 9.5" long and about 4" high at the sissy bar tip... and, yes, those are nails as well as washers, nuts and bolts, plus a few welding rods". Bruce added, "Maybe I should go back to this form of art. Things happen way quicker".

Dick Allen's Blue Print

Bruce Parrish sent me these photos of Dick Allen's Blue Print. It was called the Blue Print because it was blue, but more importantly, it was planned to be the first of a series of ground up choppers built using Dick's parts and established styling cues.Here's Bruce prepping the ultra rare Dick Allen frame for paint circa 1973. Only a few were ever produced. Dick didn't create the frame jig. For now, Bruce doesn't remember the name of the guy who Dick got it from. This was at Bruce's paint shop adjacent to Dick's in Gardena, CA. Note the Parrish Arts Logo in the background and compare it to Dick's Logo (both designed by Bruce), shown below.This appears to be a under construction shot. The rear fender looks to be painted at this stage. Later, as on many South Bay bikes, it's chrome. Note the use of a (then), late model oil tank. The Blue Print was built for Freaky Fred Williams. Above and below. Two of Bruce's photos from either the Tridents or the Long Beach car show.This bike conjures up some fuzzy memories. I seem to remember seeing a feature on it and possibly another very similar bike using one of Dick's frame in a one of my now lost Custom Chopper Magazines. I know it was later featured in Street Chopper with a lighter blue paint job. More on that to come.

Mystery Bike Part 3, Bruce's 1st Build

Working from the first post backwards, here's photos of Bruce Parrish's first chopper. This is the same bike that would become the Funny Bike in it's second iteration.Escape from New York. Bruce bought a complete 1950 Panhead late in 1970 for $100. The frame engine and trans were loaded in the trunk of his friend's Chevelle and they headed for California.Once in Cali., Bruce stumbled upon Dick Allen's shop, where the bike above, became the inspiration for his build.Bruce's first mold job.The proud owner with his freshly finished creation circa 1971. Nicely detailed motor. Until I asked about it, Bruce had forgot about the chromed barrels. Turn down tips were added to the drag pipes at this point. The hex end bolt forward and highway pegs were made to match the rocker stud bolts of the Dick Allen springer.Back to New York. Bruce rode his Pan cross country a few times.Another trip to the east coast in '72. This time with SU carb and 2 into 1 collector exhaust.Happy Birthday! Bruce said he was never superstitious since his birthday was the 13th. Then, on 1/13/73 (his 23rd birthday), some dude in a Mustang gave him a nasty present. Some might say it's the Green Bike curse. This was the end of the bike as it was and the beginning of the Funny Bike.

A Rare-it-"T" and the "Z" Man

When Bruce Parrish told me he still had a Dick Allen T-shirt, I told him he had to send some photos.This may be the Holy Grail of vintage chopper T-shirts. I find it interesting that it says California. Perhaps, so Dick could use the same design no matter what city his shop might move to.I'm not sure if this is a dark photo of the same shirt or a black one. Bruce designed Dick's lettering and drew the art. Joe Hurst said Dick looked like the Zig-Zag man and says he suggested using his head on the art, but Bruce said it was from a cigarette (I never heard of and can't recall the name), that Dick like to smoke. I have to admit, it looks like the Zig-Zag Man to me. Bruce, send me the name if you get a chance. I don't know about the T-shirt art, but....Update: Joe called and said the cigarettes that Dick smoked were (sounds like), Shebeedees or Zabedees). That's what Bruce had mentioned. When Bruce told me I did a search, but came up empty. I now found Azadbidi, a brand of bidi cigarettes. That's likely it. Bidis (pronounced bee-dees) are small hand-rolled cigarettes manufactured in India and other southeast Asian countries. These are not Azadbibi, but show the type. Azad's usually have an elephant on the pack. Bidis are tobacco wrapped in tendu or temburni leaf . Traditionally they are tied with string and come in flavors, like chocolate, mango, vanilla, lemon-lime, mint, pineapple and cherry.

Mystery Bike Part 2, Funny Bike 1

Since I started with the third build of Bruce Parrish's bike, working backwards, here's the second version called Funny Bike 1. Just to keep things straight, the first build of this bike (to be posted soon) wasn't considered a Funny Bike.This version shown with a long distance auxiliary tank was built around 1975. The oil tank foreshadows Bruce's move towards the use of more aluminum custom fabricated pieces. Although the later version (Funny Bike 2), is a more sophisticated and trick build, I really like the paint and look at this stage.Bruce looking relaxed as he gets it on.Much of the basic platform was carried over to Funny Bike 2.Maybe I should have used this photo for my old running gag, "What Sort of Man Reads MC art?" Bruce circa 1975 with his girl friend (now wife), looking proud of his accomplishment.All photos courtesy of Bruce Parrish

Dick Allen's Cobra, Shop, and other Wild Things

All photos taken by and courtesy of Bruce ParrishThis shot of Dick and his Cobra Trike is probably familiar to many of you. It was published in Garage magazine and I posted it myself from that source awhile back. This time it's a scan from Bruce's original photo so it's without the magazine's gutter running down the image.Dick and his pet leopard. It strikes me as very bizarre to see a wild cat on Artesia blvd. I asked Bruce about it and he replied, "Dick was really good with animals". The conversation switch gears, so I need to get back to him on that subject.A good view of the trike. The bike next to it served as inspiration for Bruce's first chopper. More on that to come.While Bruce's interest was in shooting the trike and this bike, I really like the fact we get a rare glimpse of Dick's shop. That's Dick to the right talking to someone who's cutoff. Those are the beginnings of more cobra trike frames leaning near the tires. If you look carefully you can also spot 7 Harley frames.This blown version never got further than this mock up. The Cobra Trikes were a joint effort between Dick and Ed Roth. Dick welded up frames and Roth glassed up the bodies. The frames and the bodies were $250 each. Dick also made and sold the motor mounts. The bike next to it is the bike Joe Hurst referred to as Dick's Rat Fuck. It has the old purple Loco-Motion 1 tank and is the bike (with a different engine), in the previous post (Freeway Jamming), that eventually became White Bear. It appears there was some type of parts counter in the shop. I'd love to get a glimpse of the bike inside.I'm very glad that Bruce took and kept these photos. As far as I know, he's the only one who has shots of the shop, and once again, want to say thanks for sharing them. Now, if we could only go and walk inside them.

Funny Bike 2 Omission

I accidentally omitted this photo in the last post. It was in a separate email from Bruce and got overlooked. I did notice while setting up the last post that there was no right side shot of the bike, so I'm glad to have found it. Bruce was smart. It's a good idea to build a bike and ride it before making it pretty. The black bike behind Bruce's belonged to Ben Stoner and the blue one, Gary French. Ben's seat was covered with denim. While the execution may be different, this photo illustrates some of the similarities among South Bay Bikes, and practically begs the question, did anyone with a Dick Allen springer not run a Sportster headlight? Photo: Corona, Ca Nov. 1977 Bruce Parrish

Mystery Bike Revealed Part 1 Funny Bike 2

This unidentified bike was recently featured in Irish Rich's post on Phil Ross. It looked familiar and had South Bay Style written all over it, so I made an inquiry to a good source and after a chain of emails it's owner and builder contacted me.This photo from Rich's blog started the inquiry. The stance and style of the paint seemed all too familiar.The man responsible for the bike is Bruce Parrish. If the name sounds familiar it's because he was mentioned in the Why White Bear? post as it's painter.The following is the email I received from Bruce. I'll fill in what he later told me in the captions.

Chris, I am the mystery bike owner and builder. I still have it. That was the 3rd. build of the same frame over a 10-13 year period. I have pictures from most all the projects I have been involved with over the years. I was a painter for a lot of South Bay bikes. AKA Painter Bruce.

The running mock up. One reason the bike looked familiar, the handlebars were lent to Joe Hurst when White Bear was in the Trident's Show. See last August's Header. All photos courtesy of Bruce Parrish

I hung out, partied and road with Dick Allen and the like from the Redondo Beach area. For a few years my paint shop was in the back shop of Phil Ross's known as "Parrish Arts. " I later became a metal Fabricator and called my business "Parrish Parts", worked for several businesses for about 16 years.

This was the 3rd build of this bike and 2nd of what Bruce called the Funny Bike. Funny Bike?... it's because Bruce built it like one would build a Funny Car. Bruce fabricated both the gas and oil tanks plus all the trick goodies you can spot.I have been back on my own since 1992 with my business now as Parrish & Sons Specialties. Do check it out www.parrishspecialties.com Thanks for your interest and feel free to contact me. Happy New Year, Bruce ParrishAll laid out and ready to go. Something tells me this guy is meticulous.The frame was altered to Bruce's specs. (2" in the back bone and about 3" in the front legs), by Kevin Daily of Zap Fab. Kevin started calling this style of neck a "Brucie -Neck". The South Bay Swoop sissy bar is unique as it's a true two piece type and mounts through the top of the fender.More of Bruce's fine and tidy work. Most of the work was done while he worked at Dan Woods shop. Yes that Dan Woods. Prior to this he shortly worked for Steve Davis and largely credits him for learning and developing his metal shaping skills.Bruce spent about two years (1976-'77), on the bike and was finished in '78. The bike was ahead of it's time. Note the attention to detail on items like the fender bracket, clutch linkage, the shifter and ratchet . This kind of machine work with these types of materials was pretty much unheard of in those days.The bike could be run minus the top sissy bar section. Bruce knocked the center out of a 15" Porsche rim and had Buchanan's dimple and drill it for spokes. It was then laced up to a Kosman hub. The fork is an 18" over Dick Allen springer.

Here's the left side again, but this time all dolled up. The engine is a 1950 with S&S flywheels and Sifton cam. The carburetor was first an SU but was later switch to a Branch dual throat Mikuni.It's hard to believe that this bike was never featured in a magazine. The bike was almost sold and disassembled many years ago, but Bruce still has it. Hopefully one day he'll put it back together as Funny Bike 3.Bruce definitely played a part in the South bay bike scene and I'm honored to shed some light his contributions. He has since sent me more photos, some of this bike in it's other guises.... so stay tuned folks.... and oh yeah, don't forget to check out his website.