Holiday Wishes

May all your dressers be lit like a Christmas tree.

It Took A Lot Of Balls...

328 chrome ones!... to customize this '77 Harley Full Dresser.

Recently on Ebay

286 small chrome balls, 42 large chrome balls, 75 lights, 263 chrome bullets, and 23 visors to be exact.

You might say, a dresser for the "Fringe Element".

A lot of balls and horny too!

Seller said, "this bike is VERY front end heavy and will take getting used to". "this bike will NOT do 70 mph on the freeway".

Also stated, "this is an old bike that rattles, vibrates, and has seen better days. Definitely a treasure".

Really?!! ...a treasure?

Survivor?

I shot this dresser in 1996 at the show that Los Angeles Harley-Davidson puts on every August. This dresser was not in the show, but parked out front. Because most of the bikes in the show are new and for the most part not very interesting to me, I believe it's the last time I went.

From a few clues, I'd say it's a '68. The tank decals are from a '72 and were designed to fit the then new straight bar badges. Similar style decals were used in '71 and were made to conformed to this style of badge. The original buddy seat was reshaped into a wild King and Queen style that looks like a tight fit for two, but helmets hung from the both ends of the bars mean it's being put to use.

I was already appreciating old surviving dressers and thought it was a cool relic back then. I wonder what happened to this one, could it still be around?

Cheers!

Good to be Back In The Saddle Again

Electra-Glide... the only way to fly!

The Dresser Wars

Are Heating Up!
Another classic Battle Wagon to keep Tjebbe of ZZChop inspired.

This one's a 1960 in the cool original H-D Hi-Fi green/turquoise paint.

Don't worry, I'll get back to posting some cool choppers. It's just that these things are so much fun to look at.

For Irish Rich, Elvis' Liberator

Had to put these up for Rich after finding he's an out of the closet Liberator fan. Go to his Applied Machete blog for more info on these little seen beasts.

This shot was taken at Graceland. I believe it's a '76. Yup, that's a Stutz. The King had impeccable taste.

I believe it's now on display at a Harley dealer.

A Good Dresser is Hard to Find

I recently received an email from Tjebbe of the ZZChop blog explaining how ever since my post on dressers, he's been hooked, but being a chopper guy, doesn't want to be!

He went on to say how he's been hunting the internet for those elusive dresser photos.

Good pictures of dressers are a lot tougher than choppers to find. Maybe that's partly what makes them interesting.


Hopefully these beast will help him cope with his new found addiction.

This Month's Header

June represents the beginning of Summer, Grads and Dads, and since school is over, for many families that means summer vacations. That in turn means (like them or not), there's no avoiding RV's on the road.


Motorcycles are RV's too! I did this goofy drawing of a over the top dresser in about 1973.

By the way, for many years I've thought "Vacation" was a weird way of putting it. I think the English have the right idea when they say, "I'm going on Holiday".

1970 Harley NOK (New Old Kustom)

I saw this bike when it was originally for sale (just before Big Scott bought it), at the Long Beach Swap. It especially caught my eye because I own a restored '70. It was on a trailer as found, covered with the dust and patina of time and for the most part, looked little used. It was very puzzling until I checked the speedometer.


That's one wild dresser! It's amazing how chrome and paint can transform a stock configured bike.

I talked to the seller about it. He told me about it's history and how it was built for a show (something like Autorama, or World of Wheels? my memory), in San Diego in late 69? For such a nice relic, it was being offered at a bargain price. Later I saw a photo of it on a blog somewhere.


Scott cleaned it up and changed the seat. It had a funky but similar brown seat when unearthed.

Then Big Scott of Cycle Zombies emailed me.

Howdy Chris,
After seeing Stretch's blog (nostalgia on wheels), and seeing the pics of all the dressers, I read your comment that you just posted a bunch. Well I just sold a 1970 FLH custom that was built by the owner of El Cajon Harley, Chuck Holinda. Anyway, he took a brand new bike in late 1969 (first year alternator motor), tore it down completely and chromed it all! Then he molded the tank, frame etc. with raised molded flames! Really cool! By the way only has 3 miles on it! Here is a few pics that you might want to add to your blog. Thanks, Big Scott czombieblog.com

The shocking truth! This explained the bike's unused appearance.


Everything mechanical was given a dip of the bright stuff!

Since my memory was foggy I emailed Scott for the show infomation.

Scott replied, "I don't have a lot of info on the shows it was in. There was one show in '71 where it took 3rd place. Randy Smith and Bob Clark of Street Chopper were both judges but, thats all I know".

Molded flames to raise the judges eyes.

Scott added, "The bike cleaned up amazing, a little bit of chrome flaking off the aluminum heads and covers. Anyway, post what you want"

Later, I ran into Scott at the Long Beach swap and he told me how after flushing the tanks and some proper prep it fired right up and ran like new. It was then traded for a nice original '58. It's current owner has stripped and is storing the bags, changed the seat, put apes on it, and now rides the hell out it!

Photos: Big Scott. Re-imaged/Photoshoped: CK.

Attack of the Dressers

Tony and Toni looking sharp

Go check this out:
http://www.nostalgiaonwheels.blogspot.com/

He just posted some unreal photos from a dresser road trip circa 1965. The colors and styles will blow your lid.

Top n' Tails

TOP

Class act. It's amazing what a set of handlebars can do. That, and the small headlight starts to move it from a bob to a chop. I found this image long before all these blogs got started. Where?, I don't know.

TAILS

This should have made the Dresser post. There's a lot going on here. Lights are one thing but, when guys start adding those chrome balls everywhere? They must weigh at least a pound each. Who cares when your dragging a 200 lb. bumper? Ahhh, the good old days, when you could put a bike in the trunk. Don't remember where I grabbed this beauty.

Full Dressers, the Other Custom Bike

Some of you might think I've lost it.

I shouldn't like this bike but I do, and I don't even like red bikes.

Most of us bike enthusiast dig Choppers, Bobbers, Racers, and Antiques, but Full Dressers? They are quite possibly one of the most maligned types of bikes there is. After all, the term garbage wagon ain't exactly flattering.


For Dressers, these two are pretty tastefully done. I prefer the one on the left.


Who can't smile when looking at these bikes?

Because of the chopper, I got into this whole motorcycle thing and over the years my appreciation of all things motorcycle grew. Okay, maybe not all things but, many.


This is what happens when you're born with an extra Chromosome, also known as a Chromosexual.

One of the acquired tastes was the Full Dresser. I went from yuck!, to that's sort of interesting, to later, bitchen! Now I'm not saying I'm going to build one but, there's something in a American folk art sort of way that I love about them.

I like the Dressers from the Duo-Glide era the best. The lights and accessories have a more organic feeling than the later ones.

Is it just me, or is there something kind of beautiful going on here?

Think about this. The Chopper rider generally thinks of themselves as a rebel or an outsider but, it's the dresser riders that never really got any media attention or much published about them. After all you never saw Dresser magazine. (I know, there's a Bagger magazine now but, it's really a different animal) Also, check the blogs, you hardley see any of pictures of them. Full Dressers are sort of the outsider to the outsider.

Even Chopper Dave posted a Dresser. Did he like it, or was he poking fun? It's another bike from the era I like.

Ed Roth was one who tried to reached out. Even though he got flack for it, he tried to include them in his magazine. He went on the major bike runs so, he got to know those folks and appreciated what they did to their bikes.


Here's a mild but sharp customized Dresser. It was restored to it's former glory.


Another mild one, set up more for touring than glitz. I can't help thinking Land Yacht when I look at it. I guess it's no surprise, it's original owner was a truck driver.

Yes, things can go overboard but, that's true of Choppers too. It's just human nature to take things over the limit. You can partly blame that on competition, sometimes just known as, plain old fashioned one ups man-ship.


Some don't know when to stop. If some is good, then more is better? It's funny to think about a guy in his garage adding the latest light or do-dad, then stepping back and thinking... now thats much better!


Anybody remember this one? This Gold Plated bike was in the window of George's Round Up, the country western bar that used to be in Long Beach, Ca.


Some guys get obsessive and can't stop. This one's in the Harley Museum.


Don't tell this proud guy his bike ain't cool... or is that a flying carpet?


"You guys better stop making fun of my bike"!
The rift between bikers was once much larger than it is today. Things have really changed. Just look at the popularity of custom Baggers today. Most of us would have never thought we might one day ride a bike with saddlebags and a fairing. Okay, I admit it, were all getting old.

Because of the rarity of photos and existing examples, I think it makes the old Full Dresser more fascinating than ever.

Keep in mind, many custom bikes, even those you think are ugly, can still be fun to look at.