Daytona Bike Week with Commentary by John Dodson

I set out to Daytona, Florida with the Gangster Rig loaded with the likes of Johnny A. List. We did it all, drove at night with sunglasses on, picked up road side hookers, drinked a Gallon of Wild Irish Rose, ran out of gas, had a flat, smoked a carton of Reds, got lost but...we made it thru Bike Week 2009!
All of what was cool about bike week seems to be missing. I don't think its anything I can do about it either. Grown men 'ought to know its not cool to do bike week on a Dresser, but there I was staring into rows of Street Glides cruising around. What a waste. This is not even funny, its sad, most of these guys trailered the Dressers there! I don't blame a dude for trailering a Sportster or a wild Chopper but come on, a Dresser?
Its gets worst. I used to see hundreds of chicks riding bikes, Sportsters, Fat Boys and other odd ones. This year, there was hardly any lady riders. As a matter of fact I noticed that the entire "chick" content was down. So basically to sum up Bike Week '09 is this: Faggots riding Dressers that they Trailered to Florida.

Gotta go - You can count me in!

Columbus, The last stop....

February 13, 14 & 15 wrapped up the Easyriders Tour for 2009. Columbus was the spot and if you missed it shame on you! Gangster Choppers was set up with the Official Gangster Choppers Merchandise. Preachers Daughter took home 1st place Street Custom honors, how does it feel to have the number one bike in the nation? Well I think I'll go and smoke the little 150mm rear tire off of it and get back to you on that one.

Scotty's Paint Shop

At this stage Scotty and Earl had the base primer sprayed and the heavy House of Kolor flake was laid down on the roof and inside the cab. Earl mixed Fire Red flake with another shade of flake and topped that in a Kandy toner for the final effect.

Scottys shop is located directly behind his house and he spends an average of 15 hours a day working on old cars and pickups. Before he took on my '59 Chevy he had just completed a '64 Ford short bed compete frame off resto. I got on his waiting list ASAP and still got bumped a few months off schedule for my next project, a '66 Chevelle.

Scott has had the '66 for just shy of a year and its turning out to be an ultra straight gloss black paint job. If anybody wants Scottys contact info, drop me a line.

Dave Mann Rules

Jenn ordered me these stamps a while back, she framed them and I have them displayed in my final assembly room.

This is where it all started...

Doc Ken getting the '59 through the Transmision filter change, the only thing the truck needed when it was put on the lift in the first place but in true Gangster style - "nothing sacred - chop 'em all". A simple filter change turned into a full blown under carriage modification.

We did it for you!

Making the trip to Louisville was a tough one! With the Gangster Van loaded up with swag we left Richmond at the crack of dawn, the plan was to drive straight thru to Louisville non stop. Crossing into West Virginia the snow and sleet started, no plows, no salt spreaders, it seemed like it was just us on the highway.

We made frequent gas stops to adjust air pressure in the tires, clean the windshield and the headlights. The sun didn't shine thru the storm clouds all day, phone calls back to the Gangster Choppers Global Headquarters reveled that a record breaking storm had hit the area! Power was out, roads were closed, wow the mayhem!

We pressed thru and made the show date. I am personally glad we did, I met the most sincere and true bikers anywhere in the USA in Louisville. The storm had weeded out the fakes, the posers. The spectators were telling me stories about cutting tree limbs out of the roadway to drive there, many lost electricity but still came out.

As always we bring you the story with pictures! Enjoy.