Here’s a strange one. First it starts out with a strange connection, Jim Murillo, of Jim’s Cycle Painting, in Gardenia, California. He’s a recovering something or other, who roams the streets of Los Angeles doing, I don’t know what? If you call his shop the answering machine always picks up. “This is Jim’s Custom, err, Motorcycle, err Cycle Painting. Don’t leave a message, we have enough work right now to last a lifetime. Thank you for your interest.”
After calling for six months I stopped by his shop, ‘cause my boss couldn’t believe it. Jim was perched on a bar stool, slapping bondo on a British Peanut Tank. He had a stack of them in the corner. “Hey you,” He said to me. “If I paint this tank will you buy it and put it on something?”
I grabbed my cell and called Bandit, “Boss,” I said, “don’t you need a tank for the trophy you’re working on?” It was the first job Murillo scored in six months. I looked around his shop inquisitively. No jobs, but milk crates full of El Pollo Loco burrito wrappers.
”When do you need it,” Jim asked? His eyes darted around the shop, as if he was searching for something.
”You want a large or grande burrito,” I said?
”Grande,” Jim snapped. “The tank will be painted when you get back.”
I was beginning to get the picture as I sped toward the taco joint. Jim and I became fast friends. I didn’t show up at his shop without a Burrito or two and I enjoyed his harangue about the prick I work for. There was no end to his stories.
Recently Jim sent me shots of this rare one-off Speedway racer perched against the wall of his shop. “Snake,” he called me, “did you see the shots? I saw this bike race at Ascot in the early ‘80s and now it’s in my shop.”
The sliced Sporty was built by Paul Burkhart Sr., who died recently. In ’76 they tested the single cylinder Sporty (check the Goldhammer bike in Bike Features, that won the World Championship this year). Paul also cut the transmission off the bike and installed a performance clutch mechanism for flat track racing. It was tuned at Indian Dunes in the mid ‘70s where there were several different configured tracks to run on.
Jim watched it race in ’84 with Jim Griffitts behind the bars. “Jim signed this black and white for me,” Jim said with pride while munching on his third burrito. “I have a photograph of the 40-year-old racer signing this shot.” He signed it, Harley Man with a felt pen.
Here’s where the small world formula plays into the scenario. Robbie Hackman a local car dealer guy who once rode speedway, showed up at Jim’s shop recently with this bike in his truck. “He’s a family man,” Jim said, “and doesn’t ride anymore.” The owner of the bike contacted Robbie and told him that the bike had to go. Robbie didn’t want it, but bought it anyway and delivered it to Jim.
The mystery continues as the bike is for sale. Two notable antique motorcycle curators are vying for ownership, but they can’t come to a price. So the bike’s still for Sale. We’ll keep you posted. If you know anymore about this bike or the history of these bikes send it to Bikernet. We’ll add it to the story as the mystery unfolds.
–Snake
JimsCyclePainting.com
(310) 329-4707
