Custom Chrome On The Move

This past Monday, the new Custom Chrome held a Grand Opening Celebration at its new corporate headquarters located at 18255 Serene Drive / Suite 150 in Morgan Hill, CA. I remind you that in January 08, after filing for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, parent company Global Motorsport Group sold its assets to Dae-Il USA. Dae II USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dae-II Corp. a Korean manufacturer of parts for automobiles and motorcycles (including Rev-tech engines and transmissions). Good luck to the new Custom Chrome.

18 Responses to “Custom Chrome On The Move”


  1. 1 rodent Dec 4th, 2008 at 9:00 am

    more American jobs leaving for Asia

  2. 2 Wacko-Outlaw Communications Dec 4th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

    How many re-orgs have them done now? I am not hearing great things lately. Shops that I work with in the Morgan Hill area will not even tough the CCI catalog. The trust is gone! I hope they do well since we need to have some distribution competitors but I have major doubts.

  3. 3 Kirk Perry Dec 4th, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    The re-organization could be historic, if CCI re-makes their 1936-1965 fuel tanks to be exact replicas of the original Harley-Davidson tanks. This would be the final “keystone” piece that would allow someone to build a reasonable replica of a 1957 Big Twin. I built a 99% aftermarket 1955-57 Pan from V-Twin parts, that if set next to an original, would be acceptable as a replica.
    I pestered Lou Tractneburg for 5 yrs. to re-make their STD Pan heads with OEM spigot exhaust ports and Linkert positioned intake manifold ports. Lou used to counter in 1993, with “I’d make them (spigot heads) but nobody is asking for them…….. h-m-m…but then of course (thinks out loud), I guess I could change the mold patterns around to an OEM configuration….h-m-m, yes that could be done…..I’ll think about it”.

    Well, Lou did change the head configuration. Call up STD today and see if the OEM style Pan heads are selling well. Then ask them which is a better seller, the OEM style or the goofy 3-bolt Shovel exhasut and Bendix port Pan heads?

    Make the 3.5 gallon tanks exactly like the OEM versions. You can’t get people interested in building a Panhead with the bulbous, oversized 3.5 gallon Pan/Shovel tanks they’ve been selling for the last 35 yrs. Who’d be proud of a Panhead motorcycle with fuel tanks that look wrong with the rest of the machine?

    $1,500.00 (used) 1959-1960 OEM tanks on e-bay does not create a new market.

  4. 4 Slag Dec 4th, 2008 at 2:05 pm

    Looks non Ameican to me.

  5. 5 Kirk Perry Dec 4th, 2008 at 2:35 pm

    Nothing is made in America anymore except a few Chevys and Fords and some tractors. In 1980 we told China and the rest of the third world, “Look fellas, we’ve polluted the air over here in the USA about as much as we can getting a man on the moon and establishing a firm foundation for western civilization. We notice that most of the people in China ride bicycles. How about if your take over smelting minerals into iron and pollute your atmosphere for the next century. You’ll create a great export market and the people from China can buy Yugos to replace their bicycles and horse drawn carts. And we’ll give you a shot at inventing “air scrubbers” to clean up, before the Chinese can no longer breathe the air. It’s a win-win…plus you’ll be driving our old SUV’s that Detroit is unloading and create an upper middle class lifestyle in China.
    Who cares where the fuel tanks are made, just don’t cheap-out on the 100 ton press molds when you start striking replicas. Make Knuckle tanks with the correct dash hole. Make the pop-up reserve holes line-up top to bottom. Make the tanks from true negative molds of real tanks, not skinned-over original tanks (the cheap way) as your mold. Spend some big money doing it right. Make the back of the tanks pull in like OE, not fatten out like 5 gallon tanks. It hides the top of the rear Pan cover from view.

    One part of my conversation with Lou Tractenburg I left out, was when Lou was mulling the possibilities of changing his Pan head molds to OEM configuration, he ended the conversation with, “I guess if we actually made the OE replica heads, people might start buying them”. Key sentence there, because people starting buying them immediately.
    Look at the V-Twin Knuckle (10-1988) and Panhead motor (10-1995). Timers, alloy finish, iron oil pumps.
    What the Harley market needs is REAL looking, functioning 3.5 gallon tanks. And don’t trust anyone under the age of 60 yrs. old to make them either.
    All those people in the corporate pic above look like “kids” who wouldn’t know a Panhead from a Valkerie.
    CCI, don’t make the same mistake twice. Create a new market with one set of 3.5 tanks. Don’t put tank emblems on them. Harley-Davidson® has made us 1951-1954 tank script in Taiwan under license. Don’t make tank shift. Too complicated to manufacture. Make foot shift only. Now go.

  6. 6 Mike Dec 4th, 2008 at 4:07 pm

    So you think one tank is enough to re-build an entire distributor? Don’t make me laugh. How are they going to earn back the trust of their old dealers and vendors? How is one tank going to get their fill rates up?

  7. 7 Kirk Perry Dec 4th, 2008 at 5:25 pm

    Thanks for asking.
    Today, we’re only talking only about establishing a NEW market, not catering to a group of antiquer’s, that want to restore their machine, since maybe they have 90% of a group of antique parts assembled – and if they only had a set of ’36-39 or ’40-46 true replica tanks they could complete their registration. We’ll forget those guys. Let them go to their secret stash sources and buy and sell $1,500.00 tanks between them. They will cast into their own finite world of finite parts. Let them be. They serve a purpose of “authentic example”. We replicators will need a comparison for what’s correct for each year 1936-1959 (last year of the detached headlight).
    What we (the building public) need (in the beginning) are a single set of 1949-1965 (style) footshift tanks, with EXACT dimensions of the OEM tanks.
    The most popular Panhead kit to build, is the 1954-1957 Panhead. You can build one today, and it looks exact enough with the V-Twin (10-1988) Pan motor.
    When you add a set of 3.5 gallon CCI tanks, to an otherwise good replication (frame, iron pump, wheels, fenders, headlight, toolbox, all looking good; crankcase, cam cover, spigot exh. heads, still looking pretty good in your minds eye.)
    Now add a set of CCI 3.5 gallon tanks and it totally ruins the look. The CCI tanks don’t match the rest of the machine. Harley “sized” everything on the motorcycle to accent each other. Looking at a CCI tanks on a Panhead, your mind thinks “fraud”.
    The “new” market will be created by people who buy S&S, or Accurate Engineering, or V-Twin Pan motors. They can put them in V-Twin frames and build old style bobbers, with pop-up reserves, or replica rigid Pans. The tank emblems are made by Harley-Davidson for all years. They stick-on with “fuel-proof” 3-M double-stick tape. The emblems have actual screws.
    The pop-up reserve is keystone to the LInert fuel system. Do not underestimate the publics desire to see a rider turn the pop-up reserve knob, pull the rod, push the choke lever down, kick-the motor through, pull up the choke, find the compression stroke, turn on the ignition key, and start the motor with one single push through with the pedal beginning way down there at 7 o’clock. That routine is something we all like to watch.
    Build one footshift tank. Let people put whatever year emblem they want on it. CCI made a mistake 35 years ago, trying to make one single tank for Pan and Shovel. Might have been popular back in the high performance days. Today peoples minds know the difference.

  8. 8 Kirk Perry Dec 4th, 2008 at 5:54 pm

    Thanks for asking. (this is an edited version. I don’t know how to edit without posting another reply).
    Today, we’re only talking only about establishing a NEW market, not catering to a group of antiquer’s, that want to restore their machine, since maybe they have 90% of a group of antique parts assembled – and if they only had a set of ‘36-39 or ‘40-46 or ’47 or ’48 or ’49-65 true replica tanks, they could complete their restoration. Well forget those guys. Let them go to their secret stash sources and buy and sell $1,500.00 tanks between them. They like their group to stay small. Worldwide yes, but small in numbers, since they for the most part are “I got mine – go drool”. They will remain happily-cast in their own finite world of finite parts. Let them be. The antiquers serve a purpose of valuable, community, “authentic example”. We replicators, bobbers, and cut-downers will need a comparison for what’s correct for each year 1936-1959 (last year of the detached headlight).
    What we (the building public) need (to begin with) are a single set of 1949-1965 (style) footshift tanks, with EXACT dimensions of the OEM tanks.
    Careful of the back of that right tank Eugene!!….there’s a necessary wiring harness indent channel stamped into the back panel.
    The most popular kit to build, is the 1954-1957 Panhead. You can build one today, and it looks exact enough with the V-Twin (10-1988) Pan motor on a rolling frame.
    When you add a set of 3.5 gallon CCI tanks, to an otherwise good replication of: frame, iron pump, wheels, fenders, headlight, toolbox, all looking good so far; crankcase, cam cover, spigot exh. heads, still looking pretty good in your minds eye. No alarms have gone off yet)
    Now go and add a set of CCI 3.5 gallon tanks and it totally ruins the look. The CCI tanks don’t match the rest of the machine. Harley “sized” every part on the motorcycle to accent each other. Symmetry. It’s relaxing to the mind to look at. It makes people smile.
    Looking at a CCI tanks on a Panhead, your mind immediately thinks “fraud!”.
    The “new” market will be created by people who buy S&S, or Accurate Engineering, or V-Twin Pan motors. They can put them in V-Twin frames and build old style bobbers, with pop-up reserves, or replica rigid Pans. The tank emblems are made by Harley-Davidson for all years. They stick-on with “fuel-proof” 3-M double-stick tape. The emblems have actual screws. One set of tank style will sell multiple associated parts, because of all the different configurations made available. No matter what year you build, you’re going to have that pop-up reserve that people are going to ask questions about.
    The pop-up reserve is keystone to the LInkert fuel system.
    Do not underestimate the public’s desire to see a rider turn the pop-up reserve knob, pull up the rod, push the choke lever down, kick-the motor through once, pull up the choke lever, find the compression stroke, turn on the ignition key, and start the motor with one single push-through, with the pedal beginning way down there at 7 o’clock. That routine is something we all like to watch.
    Build one footshift tank. Let people put whatever year emblem they want on it.
    CCI made a mistake 35 years ago, trying to make one single tank for Pan and Shovel. Might have been popular back in the high performance days, but today people’s minds know the difference.

  9. 9 RideSafe Dec 5th, 2008 at 12:04 am

    What’s the fill rate? Money spent to move might have purchased some inventory so orders can be filled better than 50%!
    Where is the old CCI? Good fill rates, others and their own new products, and annual dealer show?

  10. 10 Mike Dec 5th, 2008 at 10:50 am

    Kirk, it sounds like maybe you should drop the $100K to tool up for the tanks yourself. I don’t see too many manufactures wanting to make that tank for you in today’s market.

  11. 11 Kirk Perry Dec 5th, 2008 at 11:43 am

    I think your right Mike!
    CCI and V-Twin have performed as well as Chrysler, Chevy and Ford – 35 yrs. of investing time and money on making the wrong parts, and continually making, shipping and getting returns on parts that don’t fit.
    We’ll see who’s still in business in 2011. See you over there.

  12. 12 Kirk Perry Dec 5th, 2008 at 1:20 pm

    Just received:

    Email address: npanzica@revengecycle.com
    Name: nace panzica
    Message: Really want these gas tanks made? Our tooling cost will be about $50K to $75K. We would consider eating the tooling cost if, 1.) Can you provide at least 2 HD OEM complete samples with gas caps, petcock and dash assemblies, and the upper frame portion of where the tanks mount?
    2.) How many sets can you order on the first order, and 3.) What is your target price per set F.O.B. Taiwan? 4.) If we pay the tooling cost, can you issue a Letter of Credit or make a down paymnet of at 50% of the first order “after” you approve the pre-production samples?
    If you want to proceed call me at 1-408-848-8444. We can move as fast as you can provide the above. Have a great day.

  13. 13 Kirk Perry Dec 5th, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    I’ve put the offer up for investors to consider. A copy of this offer went to my “purchasing contact” at Tedd Cycle. Inc., NY.

  14. 14 Kirk Perry Dec 5th, 2008 at 2:32 pm

    Revenge Cycle’s reply:
    •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
    Kirk

    Sorry to bother you about these gas tanks. Sounded from your posting to the CCI grand opening that you were in the antique parts business.

    The guys at Tedd’s have the same resources that we do and can easily make this gas thank if they desire and think that the tooling investment makes business sense.

    But even with a bag of money no one can make these tanks without at least the 2 samples and other attaching parts. Even if these could be reversed engineered and blueprints generated the samples would still be necessary. So unless samples can be bought borrowed or stole then the project will never get off the ground.

    If you have any contacts that want anything made for a motorcycle send them our way we can probably help have been doing this for about 40 years.

    By the way I was one of the founders of CCI back in 1969.

    Nace

  15. 15 Kirk Perry Dec 6th, 2008 at 4:57 pm

    Note to readers:
    I didn’t post these personal (non-edited) emails from Nace as an advertisement. but as an opportunity. This is the first time anyone has ever offered to make exact replica tanks for Panheads, from a 1969 founder. A full circle almost 40 yrs. later.
    I have no further comment on 3.5 gallon tanks. This is as good as I can do. I’m retiring to finish my ’55-57 repop Pan and ride it, and then finish my ’46 Knuckle-Glide, once I’m back on the road with the Pan. I wish for 3.5 gallon tanks for the masses.
    Invite anyone investor you know to continue with Nace on this project.
    Thanks, VT

  16. 16 Kirk Perry Jan 7th, 2009 at 12:18 pm

    Wait a minute……….I thought I saw something move…..over there…..in the background. Did you see that?

  17. 17 Kirk Perry Mar 4th, 2009 at 10:48 am

    3/4/09 “I am optimistic about the 3.5 tanks.- Don”
    **************************************
    Referring to today’s report on whether the new tanks will be true replicas or merely a changed version of the old CCI one’s.
    This is as much as I got for an answer, source considered, re-confirms how OEM shaped these new tanks will be.
    We’re standing in between the cogs and gears of the repop clockworks here. The next news will be when the tanks are released.

  18. 18 joe bikers Mar 5th, 2009 at 9:45 pm

    Wow Rodent, did your daddy molest you as a child or are you really that ignorant?!?!

    From what my regional rep tells me, it was a move that was in talks for quite sometime. A very SMART move to help save the company hundreds of thousands a year in a lease they were tied into for decades, and from what I understand and move that allows them to be more productive and effective, I’ve seen the changes this company has gone through and so far I’m impressed! From what I’ve been seeing from my orders as of late (past 3 months) the fillrate has increased, they lowered pricing on a lot of the parts my shop uses and the items my customers want and need, I now see CCI advertising on national magazines, etc…

    I wish them nothing but the best.. you should too.

    -JB

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Cyril Huze