Biker Build Off P-51

[sdennison]

So, watching the Discovery Channel Biker Build Off with the Tuttles and Jesse James going at it. Paul Jr.'s secret inspiration was a "WWII Mustang fighter" cleverly disguised as a "Stuart" 3/4 scale Chevy powered plane. I guess the show couldn't afford to rent a real one? Probably not too many on the West Coast, eh? For those fabricators like me out there, Paul Jr. again buys all the components and assembles a pretty cool bike. I wouldn't ride long with the exhaust routed in the fuel tank, but that's just me. Jesse, of course, makes his all himself, in his shop with the help of a few other guys. Old Man Tuttle is smokin something with his creation but again buying platforms and systems...a far cry from the premis of the show. Oh well. Winner announced tonight.

[67Cougar]

It would have been nice if they had identified the airplane as a downsized replica. Showing it off as a 'real' P-51 lost the show a lot of credibility, I think.

Sr's contraption is cool looking, but bears no resembalence to a bike - its closer to a snowmobile. Jr's is a whole lot of craftsmanship and design, but ugly as sin. A 9/11 tribute based upon a P-51???, and it looks like a chrome plated toy. James' effort is cool looking, but to this non-motorcycle builder it looks just like thousands of other choppers out there.

You'd have thought that with as big a buildup to this buildoff Discovery has been pushing, that their efforts would be more spectacular? I realize that each of them thinks they've built a masterpiece, but I was really disappointed in what I saw.

[The Inspector]

The Tuttles businesses are in South Central New York state and I thought James had moved to New Mexico. When I saw the exhaust routing, the first thing that came to mind was that ''CHOPPER BUILD OFF" where Billy Lane routed the exhaust under the seat cushion and out the rear fender and made it about two miles before he burned his rear because of the 'no kiddin?' heat.
It's too bad Indian Larry died

[Red Tail]

So, watching the Discovery Channel Biker Build Off with the Tuttles and Jesse James going at it. Paul Jr.'s secret inspiration was a "WWII Mustang fighter" cleverly disguised as a "Stuart" 3/4 scale Chevy powered plane. I guess the show couldn't afford to rent a real one? Probably not too many on the West Coast, eh? For those fabricators like me out there, Paul Jr. again buys all the components and assembles a pretty cool bike. I wouldn't ride long with the exhaust routed in the fuel tank, but that's just me. Jesse, of course, makes his all himself, in his shop with the help of a few other guys. Old Man Tuttle is smokin something with his creation but again buying platforms and systems...a far cry from the premis of the show. Oh well. Winner announced tonight.

Scooter,

Side note...OCC is located in upstate NY, not California. In their defense there are not many Mustangs up in that area. That’s as far as I'll defend them!

Ya, there was only one reference to a real Mustang made and it was by the pilot. He was referring to the exhaust stripe. Pretty sad. Come to think of it, those guys are about dense enough to actually believe the Stewart -51 the real McCoy. I'm mean come on, all they would have had to do was call either you or me for some schooling!

I was holding out high hopes for Jr's bike to really embody some Mustang attributes but it wasn't to be. It ended up looking like some kind of aviation themed costume jewelry on two wheels. I liked the fact that Jesse James built nearly everything in his own shop, not something either of the other competitors could do in my opinion. It may have been more simple but that's just his style.."Blingless". Being a biker I'm OK with that!

John

[jaybird]

just a tidbit, but the plane used was actually a Titan 51....there's an earlier thread on the subject in the general aviation section if you want to gander over there

[Bear]

just a tidbit, but the plane used was actually a Titan 51....there's an earlier thread on the subject in the general aviation section if you want to gander over there

Here's the thread.

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=43505

[cooper9411]

Why don't they just do a show about the Titan 51 instead of about the bikes, planes , and all the other private life drama!

[airnutz]

I thought James had moved to New Mexico.

Austin, Texas. Yep, I miss the build-offs where they had to drive their creation to meet and be judged...I have a feeling Jesse's scooter would be first, if not the only to arrive. Seniors creation would beat the rider to death before he left city limits and PJ's would have to 'cool the fuel' every few miles.

[sdennison]

So, watching the Discovery Channel Biker Build Off with the Tuttles and Jesse James going at it. Paul Jr.'s secret inspiration was a "WWII Mustang fighter" cleverly disguised as a "Stuart" 3/4 scale Chevy powered plane. I guess the show couldn't afford to rent a real one? Probably not too many on the West Coast, eh? For those fabricators like me out there, Paul Jr. again buys all the components and assembles a pretty cool bike. I wouldn't ride long with the exhaust routed in the fuel tank, but that's just me. Jesse, of course, makes his all himself, in his shop with the help of a few other guys. Old Man Tuttle is smokin something with his creation but again buying platforms and systems...a far cry from the premis of the show. Oh well. Winner announced tonight.

Scooter,

Side note...OCC is located in upstate NY, not California. In their defense there are not many Mustangs up in that area. That’s as far as I'll defend them!

Ya, there was only one reference to a real Mustang made and it was by the pilot. He was referring to the exhaust stripe. Pretty sad. Come to think of it, those guys are about dense enough to actually believe the Stewart -51 the real McCoy. I'm mean come on, all they would have had to do was call either you or me for some schooling!

I was holding out high hopes for Jr's bike to really embody some Mustang attributes but it wasn't to be. It ended up looking like some kind of aviation themed costume jewelry on two wheels. I liked the fact that Jesse James built nearly everything in his own shop, not something either of the other competitors could do in my opinion. It may have been more simple but that's just his style.."Blingless". Being a biker I'm OK with that!

John

I spent too much time in SoCal so Orange County seemed like a logical choice...duh

I have a really good idea for a better version of this show but no industry contacts. Do you have any?

[The Inspector]

Dude, even if it's a movie premier party, there ain't that much snow in California's O.C. And J. James reminds me more and more of something you'd divert onto the lawn to scrape off the bottom of your shoe.

[JohnB]

When it comes to talent, those biker morons can't hold a candle to folks like the Ezells and Pembertons....and a dozen other aircraft restoration/rebuild outfits.

[Tulio]

I wouldn't ride long with the exhaust routed in the fuel tank, but that's just me.

The exhaust routes through what otherwise would have been the fuel tank, but "it ain't."

They have a very small fuel tank on the lower part of the bike; according to what they said on the show tonight, the fuel tank holds "one" gallon of fuel.

Although the bike looks interesting, if it was based on the general P-51 airplane, the wheels are not what they should have been, what with simulated wooden props and riveted brass (?) leading edges.

I spent a large part of my day off today, watching old episodes of the show; they seem to me to be basically the same thing over and over, frame up, engine up, cut the fenders, bend the pipes for the handlebars, disassemble... so I guess that they had to throw in some family drama, otherwise the show would have died after the first or second season.

Oh, well. I still like to see some of the bikes, although some are really outrageous to my particular taste.

Saludos,


Tulio

[JDK]

I wouldn't ride long with the exhaust routed in the fuel tank, but that's just me.

Any guesses as to the W.W.II twin V-12 fighter type that had it's four exhausts routed through the fuel tanks?

The designers changed that after one exhaust burnt through things it shouldn't have.

[tinbender2]

When it comes to talent, those biker morons can't hold a candle to folks like the Ezells and Pembertons....and a dozen other aircraft restoration/rebuild outfits.

My thoughts exactly.

They have the skillsets of an apprentice that has spent 6-8 months in a fab shop. And they have been doing this for how many YEARS?

While a slim few of their bikes have a bit of design thought put into them, most of them are the same basic parts, with a bunch of aftermarket crap tacked on, and a pretty paint job. They look like a biker version of a 1920s circus wagon.

[The Inspector]

JDK,
At a guess, the non turbo equipped, Ba$tard Lightnings built for and rejected by, the RAF?