A hood ornament on a ’55 Chevy which is and has been residing in the shed, patiently waiting for some attention. This ornament, looking like an abandoned billionaire’s toy in a airfield of broken dreams, a constant reminder of time wasted and half cooked ideas. Screaming silently “Daddy, make me go fast…”.

November last year we shot a short film called PAM, set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop, it is the story of a circumstantial hero who’s ward is a young boy who possesses a coveted prize. Was a fun job to work on with some of the most talented people I have met, it was a great couple of weeks.

I was invited to the Air-Cooled M.C. Christmas party down in Mornington about an hour and a bit down the coast from Melbourne. The gathering took place on one of the boy’s properties, a property filled with all toys desirable and packed with a fun park of tracks and trials courses to test the toys. It even has a small speedway. What a fun day.

One thing in particular to note is the ’51 Chevy convertible (pictured), rare as hens teeth and just beautiful!

Could be a new Old Spice commercial – “Now look at me. I’m on fire…”

So, one of my not-so-new obsessions is taxidermy, and late last year I was able to get near a week in a shed with David Luxford, renowned taxidermist, and now good friend. I will spare you the squirmier photos, but after getting past the initial shock of pushing needle and thread through undeniable dermis in an endeavour to revive beauty of this now departed creature, it was quite a blast; a phase, I assure you, this is not.

Fascinating!

Yes, it’s a ’62 T bird, a half-finished project that was shuffled out the door to make room for another. So many nice motors everywhere! Having so little to finish on this, I would have definitely pounced, had I the cash and if I wasn’t already flush with half finished motors.

It’s been a while friends, I have ventured away, life’s fete has popped up ducks and I have been steadily firing, sometimes hitting and sometimes missing. Anyway…

From this blog, it may seem like my brain is a 2-stroke at full noise, I assure you it isn’t. However, I do like things that go bang and how can you look past an object of such undeniable beauty? I ask you, dear chickens: how?This is a 1944 BSA M20. Marc, my friend who owns the Norton, 356 and other desirables, has now added another amazing toy to his already bursting cool quiver. The M20, along with tons of guns, was the staple bike supplied to the British army. One of the many things I love about this bike is how you prime the carby: press the primer until fuel spits out. Yes! The gears are a bit on-the-piss too, it’s right foot gear change with first being up and 2nd, 3rd and 4th clicking down.

BSA, or the Birmingham Small Arms Company, was a manufacturer after a lad’s own heart. Making all the right things that go bang, and at their peak, BSA was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world. Their reach didn’t stop there, they also produced (originally) shotguns and airguns; bicycles; cars; buses and bodies; steel; iron castings; hand, power, and machine tools; coal cleaning and handling plants; sintered metals; and hard chrome process.

Marc’s new toy turned up the other day, and I was frothing at the bit to welcome the new arrival. Take the plunge to see more pictures.

A 1967 Norton Atlas is what those peepers are peeping, take a moment to let those eyeballs soak. Restored down to its nuts and bolts, every detail of this beauty has been attended to but not overdone; from a distance she looks like she’s just stepped out of the chrome bath, but upon closer inspection, there is just the right amount of patina on the tank, the “Norton” is painted on as is the Union Jack and everything is as it should be with the world.

The list of importantcies about this bike: a 750 sucking from a 6 gallon tank pulls the slimline featherbed frame like a thoroughbred, ready to cook past stone walls, bashing hangers in the Isle of Mann. I’ve sat on the thing and even sat still you feel like your committed to fast riding, despite your leisurely intentions. Can’t wait to start her up for a ride!

Beauty, in this case, is definitely in the eye of its beholder. And yes, Lords and Ladies, the lad beholding the beauty is me. There are some very special bits on this little wonder, and when she’s done, she will be low, loud and bare. I will track the process and post evidence here.

Blam! That’s my new toy, of which I will get better photos and post them here in time futuristic. The plans I have for this one, oh the plans!