three decades earlier. Keep in mind, it’s not easy to
fit those smaller cylinders onto the big bore holes
in the 74in cases.
Then they made a decision to modernize the
mechanicals including an electric start and 5-speed
Softail transmission. To make this happen, Arlen
called his friends at BDL who set them up with a
belt drive with an early Big Twin tapered shaft front
pulley and a rear pulley to accommodate a clutch
basket and ring gear for a 90 and later Softail tranny.
More parts came off the shelves like a Linkert M53
carb off an early Knucklehead, split 3.5 gallon tanks
that Arlen slimmed down by cutting them and the
big rear fender which was re-purposed from an old
car trailer.
Ness catalogue controls, mirrors, pegs, oil bag,
headlight, large 15in rotors and brakes came in
handy but the bars, pipes and other pieces they
fabricated in-house. They were able to take advantage
of in-house powdercoating to apply Ferrari Red to"HE WAS ESPECIALLY EXCITED WITH HOW IT SOUNDED
AND HAD GRANDSON ZACH COME OUT TO HEAR IT."