O ’ A C

TACO KUSTOMS’ 1962 PANHEAD

This is a really special bike build to us for several reasons. The project was supposed to have been put together several years ago when my wife and I purchased the heart of this beautiful machine in the form of a nonrunning 1962 HarleyDavidson Panhead. The night we bought this engine turned out to be a night we wish never happened. My mother-in-law, Kim Hall, came over to see the engine we had been raving about scoring. Kim passed away tragically from a heart aneurysm just minutes after leaving our house. Yes, we have all heard many married men rant on and on about their motherin-law, but this was not the case with me. My beautiful and loving mother-in-law was the most amazing woman you would ever meet. She loved spoiling us and wanted only to see us happy, regardless of the situation. Because of this, I decided that building this bike would be put on the back burner until the time was right.

Fast-forward about three years. I received a phone call from the man himself, Michael Lichter. Michael called and offered me the challenging opportunity of building a bike in less than four months. The bike was to be displayed at the world-famous Motorcycles as Art exhibit at the Buffalo Chip during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. I knew of the event and also knew that the bike was on display for more than two weeks under some bright, unforgiving lights for all the world to see. And it was going to be shown alongside some of the world’s top young builders. Talk about pressure.

But doing this show opened up the opportunity to meet some of the greatest OGs of the industry who paved the way for us current builders—guys such as Willie G. Davidson, Sugar Bear, Dave Perewitz, Paul Yaffe, Bobby Seeger Jr., and Arlen and Cory Ness, who stopped by to see the bike at the show and say good words about it. Due to the situation with my mother-in-law’s passing, the time frame of the bike build, and the design of the bike, this was by far the most important and most challenging build of my career. And to do it with little to no sleep, I must have had an angel looking down on me. HB

Specifications

GENERAL

OWNER Taco Rodriguez and Laken Hall

SHOP Taco Kustoms

SHOP PHONE 386-256-4086

WEBSITE tacokustoms.com

YEAR/MAKE/MODEL 1962/Harley-Davidson/Panhead

ENGINE

TRANSMISSION YEAR/TYPE 1977/Ultima/five-speed

SUSPENSION

LENGTH Stock

TRIPLE TREES Tricky Air & Billet

WHEELS, TIRES, AND BRAKES

FRONT BUILDER/SIZE Lyndall/21 x 2.5 in.

TIRE/SIZE Michelin/21 x 3

ROTORS Lyndall

REAR BUILDER/SIZE Lyndall/18 x 4 in.

TIRE/SIZE Michelin/18 x 5 in.

CALIPER Harley/Brembo

ROTOR Lyndall

SPROCKET Lyndall

FINISH/PAINT

MANUFACTURER Chad Chambers Custom Paint

COLORS Mint Green Pearl/variegated gold leaf

PAINT Chad Chambers Custom Paint

GRAPHICS Pinstriping by Mikey

PLATING Hialeah Plating

POLISHING Perfect Polishing Daytona Beach

POWDERCOATING Moto Stop Daytona

ENGRAVING The homie Big Rick

ACCESSORIES

REAR FENDER Taco Kustoms

STRUTS Chop Docs

GAS TANK Modified Lowbrow

HANDLEBARS Taco Kustoms

GRIPS Junkyard

FOOT CONTROLS Accutronics

PEGS Accutronics

HEADLIGHT Hard Drive

TAILLIGHT Chop Docs

LICENSE MOUNT Taco Kustoms

SEAT Taco Kustoms

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