Oscar Eliminator

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History of a Legend : WLA

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Via the Southsiders-mc



The WLA is a model of Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was produced to US Army specifications in the years during and around World War II. It was based on an existing civilian model, the WL, and is of the 45 solo type, so called due to its 45 cubic inch engine and single-rider design. The same engine, in a slightly lower state of tune, also powered the three-wheeled Servi-Car (the "G" family), leading to the "solo" distinction.

Harley-Davidson began producing the WLA in small numbers in 1940, as part of a general military expansion. The later entry of the United States into World War II saw significantly increased production, with over 90,000 being produced during the war (along with spare parts the equivalent of many more). Harley Davidson would also produce a close WLA variant for the Canadian Army called the WLC and would also supply smaller numbers to the UK, South Africa, and other allies, as well as filling orders for different models from the Navy and Marine Corps.

this is a civilized military model, fresh from the barn and is the next restoration project for "Olive" at POP RACING.





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Moleskine Notebook

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Moleskine (mol-a-skeen’-a) is a popular brand of notebook manufactured by Moleskine Srl, an Italian company. Although the name implies otherwise, the notebook is not bound in moleskin, but in oilcloth-covered cardboard. Other distinct features include an elastic band to hold the notebook closed, a sewn spine that allows it to lie flat when opened, rounded corners, a ribbon bookmark and an expandable pocket inside the rear cover.



The modern Moleskine is fashioned after Bruce Chatwin's descriptions of the notebooks he used and is not a direct descendant of the original Moleskine. Chatwin used similar notebooks constantly throughout his travels, and wrote about them glowingly. His original source of notebooks dried up in 1986, when his Paris stationer informed him that the last moleskine manufacturer, a small family-run firm of Tours, had discontinued production that year after the death of the owner.



Aside from Moleskine, there are now a number of companies that produce notebooks similar to Chatwin's description, including Lama Li Travel Journals, Derwent, and Hand+Book Journals.
Although Moleskine srl claims their notebook has been used by well-known artists and writers, such as Picasso, Matisse, Kurakin and Hemingway, the brand Moleskine was officially registered only in 1996. Francesco Franceschi, head of Modo & Modo's marketing department, was quoted as saying, "It's an exaggeration. It's marketing, not science. It's not the absolute truth."



In 2006, Modo & Modo, the old Italian publisher, began looking to sell the company or partner with someone to help it expand. According to a 2006 article in The Daily Telegraph, the company reports that its small staff was unable to keep up with demand. In August 2006, the French investment fund Société Générale purchased Modo & Modo for 60 million euros.
The Moleskine products are assembled/stitched in Italy, printed in China since 2006. Details printed on the external label band indicate these changes.



The below only refers to the USA: On notebooks released up through 2006, the band read: "Kikkerland Design Inc. 423-427 West 127th Street New York, NY 10027 - www.kikkerland.com." As of 2006-2007, the band now adds the following: "Printed and bound in China" and "Designed and assembled in Italy".

Mine

In late 2006, Laura Kellner, a representative of Kikkerland Design, Inc., the U.S. distributor of Moleskine products, confirmed changes to the product label and packaging, elaborating "...the changes that have occurred are the labeling to include Made in China, the [label] band has changed in the last couple of years (color coding the different styles), and the insert story has been updated from time to time with new product information, the newest books now have a quality control number."


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Attacking the Track

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CARLO PRATI

CAPPELLOTTO FERNANDO

BRUNO MALOSSI

BONERA

ANGELO DI BARTOLOMEO

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The Sunday Movie : Early Drag Racing 1950 1960

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BMW ISDT Enduro Racer

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Via our good friend Bike Exif



BMW’s profile in the racing enduro market seems to be slipping of late. (Which is a pity, because the G450X offers promise, as well as BMW’s usual 24-month warranty.) But this factory-endorsed, 900 cc boxer endurofrom almost thirty years ago shows what could have been. In 1980 it won the German and European enduro championships, plus the prestigious ISDT.



The bike apparently sports 50 bhp and weighs just 132 kg, and inspired the cultish BMW R80 G/S (Gelände/Straße, or off-road/street) built from ’81 to ‘87. That machine married the 800 cc R80/7 engine to a strengthened R65 chassis, and was the only BMW twin to be unaffected by the launch of the K series. For more obscure BMW off-roading goodness, check out this gallery from German BMW race preparation expert HPN.


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Texas Vintage Racing Club

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Picture courtesy of : Craig Knight

Talking about " serious " guys, you will find here one of the best social vintage motorcycle network on the web.
The pictures, videos and events are simply amazing, so if you're a Texas rider ( ... and not only Texas )please take time to visit this great website by clicking : TVRC you wont be disapointed.

Picture courtesy of : David Maclaskey

The very first TVRC race was October, 1988. Since then it's been Old Dudes, Old Bikes (both getting older!), Old Stories, and New Fun!


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Doxa Watches

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Doxa S.A. is a Swiss company, founded in 1889, that manufactures watches. Doxa is best known for its dive watches.Doxa, founded in 1889 by George Ducommun, began as a maker of fine dress watches and other timepieces. Over the years, Doxa gained in size and branched out into other timekeeping markets.
In the late 1960s Doxa realized that diving was becoming more popular—especially given the success of early innovators like Rolex and Blancpain in the early 1950s.

Picture courtesy of : lesmala.net

In fact the success of Rolex's Submariner and Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms helped originate a market for followers such as Doxa. This may have been due to the efforts of Jacques Cousteau and increased general awareness of the sport. Doxa decided to devote resources to create a watch to be used for diving. Tests indicated that an orange face was more visible in murky water. Doxa also consulted with divers, including Cousteau, then chairman of "U.S. Divers," and Claude Wesly (a Cousteau companion and the first man to spend seven days thirty-three feet underwater). A staff of engineers and professional divers was assembled to create a watch with features important to the diving industry. The Sub300t was purchased in quantity by U.S. Divers, who resold the watch in the United States. It was an instant hit with divers and quickly sold out upon its introduction.

The Doxa Sub300t features an orange face to make it more visible in the water. It has a rotating bezel with the official US Navy air dive table for no-decompression dives engraved onto its surface. The watch could be used to calculate decompression times, and other information useful to divers. It was rated to work 300 meters below sea level, and later versions were introduced that could work up to 750 meters below sea level.

Other watchmakers then followed with similar bezels, as well as colorful and bright faces.
Soon after the introduction of the Sub300t, the Swiss watch industry was hard-hit economically by the quartz watch revolution. Accurate, reliable and small timepieces could now be made without the mechanical movements that the Swiss specialized in constructing. In response, Doxa joined a group of Swiss watchmakers to consolidate resources. This eventually failed and Doxa, after being sold, ceased operations in about 1980.

Picture courtesy of : lesmala.net

Recently, Doxa has been revived by the Jenny family of Switzerland, who owns the brand. Since August 2002, Doxa has introduced re-editions of its well known watches and timepieces in limited quantities. Many are faithful to their original models in design and construction, and all use Swiss movements.



First Orange Faced dive watch, Sub300t in 1967.
First watch with a rotating bezel to compute no-decompression times, Sub 300t, 1967
First Publicly Available Dive Watch with Helium Release Valve named the Conquistador. In certain diving situations, helium can penetrate the watch seals and cause a pressure buildup in the watch, eventually blowing the crystal off the watch face. Rolex, invented and introduced the first dive watches with a helium release valve in 1969, which prevented this helium buildup. While this was a major advance at the time, few actual watches with this feature were produced. Doxa introduced the Sub300t Conquistador in 1969 featuring a helium release valve.



According to the sales brochures and advertisements in Skin diver magazine, DOXA was the first watch company to introduce this device to the public for general sale. Rolex was manufacturing watches with the Helium Release Valve at the same time, but was only selling them to Commercial Diving Companies such as COMEX. Rolex offered the Sea Dweller with Helium Escape Valve to the public in 1972. Omega also eventually introduced a helium release valve, in its Seamaster watch.



In the media
The hero of the Dirk Pitt book series by author Clive Cussler wears an Orange faced Doxa watch and also in the movie Sahara an orange faced Doxa is worn by Dirk Pitt. In recognition of this Doxa have officially recognised Clive Cussler and presented him with a special watch.

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United States Vintage Motocross

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Today i found this website and the only thing i can say is that those guys have the spirit, the only one as they say, " The two primary guiding principles are to keep it simple and to keep it fun. The rules are few and the smiles will be plenty and the best part is you only have to be a member of the human race to participate. Come along for the ride. You'll be glad you did."



The United States Vintage Motocross series is a culmination of all that is good about vintage motocross in America. The sport started about 20 years ago and has continued to grow and evolve. A major component in its growth and health has been the independent regional clubs and organizations that have been able to "define" vintage racing in their own unique styles. It is that "local flavor" that is the essence of this national series.



The USVMX National Series brings together one race from each of the established independent scenes and clubs across America. The race in Texas will be a real "bigger is better" Texan affair, while the gorgeous Great Pacific Northwest will host an event with a natural ambiance that is not to be missed. Throw in Southern California, the Arizona desert, the loamy soil of Missouri or Illinois, Budd's Creek Maryland and Hi Point Raceway and you can quickly see that every venue will be a road trip worth taking.




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Vintage Maico

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Maicowerk A.G. began in 1926, originally assembling 98 and 123 cc Ilo two stroke motors. After World War II the West German motorcycle manufacturer began producing its own unit construction two stroke engines, selling engines and complete motorcycles. Maico made a brief foray into the automobile business with their own line of microcars in the late 1950s. Maico have also made Go kart engines.



The road motorcycles were named after winds... 'Blizzard' 'Typhoon' etc, but the company was better known for its purpose-built Motocross and Enduro machines, and for its 'Maicoletta' motor scooter, both of which sold in higher numbers than the road motorcycles.

Picture courtesy of : rageracing.com

Maico motocross (MC) and enduro (GS) racing models proved very successful in both European and American competition throughout the 1970s. While lacking the financial capital and big money race-team backing like that of the Japanese factories of Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki, Maico riders such as Adolf Weil, Åke Jonsson and Willy Bauer proved to be a serious challenge to the Japanese factories and produced numerous top three finishes in both World and US Championship motocross competitions.

Picture courtesy of : virginiabritishmotorcycleclub

U.S. publication Motocross Action called the 1981 Maico Mega 490 the greatest open-class motocross bike of all time. The 1974.5 400cc and 440cc GP, and 1981 490cc models along with any year 501cc motocross bike are some of the most sought-after vintage MX and twin-shock motorcycles to this day.

Picture courtesy of : kramer-sportsmotorcycles

Maicowerk AG filed for bankruptcy in 1983 but continued to produce small numbers of motocross and enduro models (re-badged as M-Stars in the United States due to legal issues) up through 1986. Subsequent manufacturers have purchased the brand name and applied it to their own limited production motorcycles. Modern open-class dirt-bikes are still being produced under the Maico brandname[2]. The ATK Intimidator dirt-bike (reportedly the most powerful production 2 stroke motorcycle available aside from Maico's own bikes) features a Maico motor.



One of the largest contributions to the world of motocross suspension technology came in the 1974 season when the Wheelsmith Motorcycles team in the USA and the Gunther Schier teams in Europe forward-mounted the rear shocks on the Maico works bikes, immediately increasing the travel and ability to trump the competition. This initiated a frantic effort on the part of factory teams and privateers alike; chopping up their frames in a desperate attempt to remain competitive.



Also check out this excellent website : http://www.vintagemaicos.com/

The Eames lounge chair

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The Eames Lounge Chair and ottoman, correctly titled Eames Lounge (670) and Ottoman (671), were released in 1956 after years of development by designers Charles and Ray Eames for the Herman Miller furniture company. It was the first chair the Eames designed for a high-end market. These furnishings are made of molded plywood and leather. Examples of these furnishings are part of the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.



The chair is composed of three curved plywood shells. In modern production the shells are made up of seven thin layers of wood veneer glued together and shaped under heat and pressure. This differentiates the newer chairs from the "original" (vintage) chairs which used Brazilian rosewood veneers and were constructed of five layers of plywood. Also differentiating the very earliest sets from newer sets were rubber spacers between the aluminum spines and the wood panels first used in the earliest production models and then hard plastic washers used in later versions. In the earlier sets, the zipper around the cushions may have been brown or black as well, and in newer sets the zippers are black. The shells and the seat cushions are essentially the same shape: composed of two curved forms interlocking to form a solid mass. The chair back and headrest are identical in proportion, as are the seat and the Ottoman.



The Eameses constantly made use of new materials. The couple's first plywood chair—the Eames Lounge Chair Wood (LCW)—made use of a heavy rubber washer glued to the backrest of the chair and screwed to the lumbar support. These washers, which have come to be called 'shock mounts', allow the backrest to flex slightly. This technology was brought back in the 670 Lounge chair. The backrest and headrest are screwed together by a pair of aluminum supports. This unit is suspended on the seat via two connection points in the armrests. The armrests are screwed to shock mounts on the interior of the backrest shell, allowing the backrest and headrest to flex when the chair is in use. This is part of the chair's unusual design, as well as one of its biggest flaws. The rubber washers are solidly glued to the plywood shells, but have been known to tear free when excessive weight is applied, or when the rubber becomes old and brittle.



Other creative uses of materials include the seat cushions - which eschew standard stapled or nailed upholstery. Instead the cushions are sewn with a zipper around the outer edge that connects them to a stiff plastic backing. The backing affixes to the plywood shells with a series of hidden clips and rings. This design, along with the hidden shock mounts in the armrest allow the outside veneer of the chair to be unmarred by screws or bolts. The chair has a low seat which is permanently fixed at a recline. The seat of the chair swivels on a cast aluminum base, with glides that are threaded so that the chair may remain level.



It first appeared on the Arlene Francis 'Home" show broadcast on the NBC television network in the USA in 1956. The chair has become iconic with Modern style design although when it was first made Ray Eames remarked in a letter to Charles that the chair looked "comfortable and un-designy" (sic). Charles's vision was for a chair with "the warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt". Immediately following the début Herman Miller launched an advertising campaign that highlighted the versatility of the chair. Print ads depicted the 670 in a Victorian parlor, occupied by a grandmother shelling peas on the front porch of an American Gothic style house, and in the middle of a sunny field of hay. One notable advertisement was produced by the Eames for Herman Miller warning consumers against imitations and knockoffs.



Since its introduction, the chair has been in continuous production by Herman Miller in America. Later, Vitra began producing the chair for the European market. Immediately following its release other furniture companies began to copy the chair's design. Some copies were direct knockoffs, while others were merely 'influenced' by the design. Most notably Plycraft Company, now defunct, issued dozens of chairs that directly mimicked or were in-the-style-of the Eames 670. More recently the Chinese market, as well as other European companies, have begun making direct copy knockoffs. However, Herman Miller and Vitra remain the only two companies to produce these chairs with the Eames name attached.



The Eames Lounge Chair appeals to people for several reasons. It is a classic design that has been in production continuously since its creation. In addition to the style, it is also very comfortable, a combination not always found in high design. Additionally, some people find it desirable purely for reasons of conspicuous consumption—the chair with Ottoman retail for around $3,200 or more, depending on the selection of veneer and leather (leathers by Edelman, recently offered by Herman Miller, add considerably to the cost). In part the appeal of the chair comes from its comfort. The Eames focused first on usability in their designs.


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1970 Indian Velo 500

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Via the AMA Motorcycle hall of fame

Sometimes it’s hard to say goodbye. And that was particularly true in the years after the original Indian Motocycle Company went out of business in 1953.
For decades, the legendary brand had battled with Harley-Davidson for domination of the U.S. market, and the nation’s racetracks. So when the end came for the company, Indian’s fiercely loyal fans had a hard time accepting it.

One of those in a position to do something about that was former West Coast Indian distributor and motorcycle magazine publisher Floyd Clymer, who acquired the rights to the Indian name in 1967 and made a number of attempts to revive the marque.
Clymer worked with two German firms, Munch and Horex, to build prototypes of an updated Indian, but neither of those projects got beyond that stage.



Eventually, Clymer succeeded in creating this machine, the Indian Velo 500. It combined an Italian frame and other components with an engine from the British Velocette factory. And in 1969, he offered the Indian Velo 500 to the public.
The bike was powered by a 499cc, single-cylinder, four-stroke engine that produced an estimated 34 horsepower at 6,200 rpm. It had a four-speed transmission, wet clutch and chain drive. An Amal carb handled the fuel-mixing chores, while the drum brakes were sourced from Grimeca.



Unfortunately, the Indian Velo came along at a time when the motorcycle world was rapidly changing. Indeed, the year it was first offered to the public, Honda unveiled the four-cylinder 750, and things would never be the same again.



Estimates of the number of Indian Velos produced range from 100 to 150 before Clymer’s death in 1970 brought an end to the effort.
This particular Indian Velo is owned by Arvid Myhre of Stockton, New Jersey, who has kept it in original condition.
“I picked it up because it was obvious that it would be a rare bike,” he says. “It was a departure from the classic British single, and I like that.”

Want to know more about the Velocette ... dont forget to check my friend Paul's blog : The Vintagent

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