Shop Stop: Iron Oxide Engineering

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? If you asked me at age 5, I would've said "farmer" - I liked tractors. At age 10 someone asked me this same question and I replied "I want to be just like Dick Miles". I liked motorcycles.

Dick, owner of iron Oxide Engineering and Holding Co. was one of my fathers best friends. They shared a passion for vintage British motorcycles. Over the years I traveled with My dad and Dick to AHRMA races all over the country, often times in the "China Clipper" which is Dicks sixty-something year old cargo truck that's been decked out like a turn of the century steam ship, complete with a portholes, bunks and a head with working shower.

Between races, my dad and I would go down to Iron Oxide Engineerings home base, a warehouse located in an unsuspecting alleyway on the outskirts of Coatesville Pennsylvania. The space looks practically abandoned with all it's windows boarded up with plywood - a good security measure. The front door is heavily barred and locked. Above the door is a faded hand lettered "IOE" leaving outsiders to wonder what goes on in the behemoth of a building. Next to the door is a contraption consisting of a penny washer wrapped to a wire sticking out of a piece of 1/2 lead pipe leading through the wall where it connects to an old brass bell hanging inside. The word doorbell, is faintly visible on a piece of masking tape underneath, identifying it's purpose.

I have long been meaning to get over there and have a look but every time I stopped by, no one was around. On one occasion, a woman working at a nearby laundromat came out back for a smoke. She eyed me suspiciously as I rang the "doorbell". "no one's in there, the gates locked!" she snarled. "do you know Dick?" I asked. "Miles?" she snapped, "yeah I know him.." She continued: "He's got a whole bunch of junk in that place - well, he says it's worth a lot...." she paused, then softened "How do you know him?" observing our vast age difference. "He was a friend of my fathers." "Well he's out here most weekends, making a whole lot of racket." "weekends huh? I'll stop back." The woman again eyed me suspiciously as I hopped on my Triumph parked around the corner. "Sometimes he's around during the week too, you never know with that guy" she hollered as I fired up the bike "Ok, thanks!" I shouted back.

Last week, I happened to find myself wrapping up my day just outside of Coatesville and I decided to swing by again. This time, the inside door was open.

Dicks Manx Norton race bike. This is his main racer.

193? Norton. Awesome Pillion pad and fork girders!

Vellocette

Ducati.

I hadn't seen Dick in almost a year (since my wedding) but we had exchanged voice mails many times, so he wasn't at all surprised by my dropping by and he invited my in for a tour.

Dick opened the heavily reinforced gate wearing tan chino's, Jack Purcell tennis shoes, a grubby white tee shirt, a pair of steel wire rim glasses and boyish grin thats second only to his boyish enthusiasm. When he speaks, theres a warmness and sincerity about him that makes Dick very easy to like. He's quick witted, funny and a charmer, but you can tell theres a mischievous side to him. Not in a malicious way, more of a sly, adolescent-boy way.

Dick Miles is a total character. A one time magician, escape artist (ask about jumping into the Skukill River in a straight jacket) ordained minister ($1.00 sent to an address on the back of a match book) juggler, unicyclist, world traveler, motorcycle racer, car racer, wooden boat racer and more recently vintage go-kart racer. Dick might possibly be the worlds real life "most interesting man alive".

I asked if he'd mind me snapping a few pictures. "Sure" though throughout the visit, he remained decidedly camera-shy.

Dicks shop is divided up into many different areas. The go-kart area is up front. Here he has several karts, a wall full of trophies and a bench full of 2 stroke engines. "I racked up enough points to qualify for national standing" Dick boasted "but it doesn't hurt that the track up above Oley holds races every week. Some people have to travel around to different tracks each week just to gather points." Dick travels too, mid west races and even California - all for go-karts. "I've raced everything - cars, cycles and boats, but nothing's more fun than drifting the back wheels around a hair pin turn going 60mph on a kart sized for a kid". Sized for a kid, yes, but the engines are geared for the older "kids". They run on methanol and nitrous.

Dicks kart racing team has recently expanded. Now occasionally racing for Iron Oxide is Lady Faye Pierson, a spry woman with a long history of kart knowledge says Dick. She wins races too.

Upstairs is Dicks office which overlooks the entire space. His initials are hand painted on the glass windows of the door. A faded sign reads "Almost everything is for sale, if you don't see a price just ask". Not surprising, nothing is marked with a price, but if the offer is too good for Dick to pass up, you could probably purchase almost anything.

These goggles are in fact priced at $0.59 a set, though they were priced 60 years ago and inflation has undoubtably raised the price quite a bit.

Behind some stuff I spotted my Dads picture. I have the same one hanging in my garage. "theres another one of your Pop riding a Norton at the Isle of Mann, downstairs" said Dick "your dad spent a lot of time hanging out here you know, he took home a number of bikes over the years, much to your mothers dismay, I'm sure"

I shared the story of my recent acquisition of my 51 Triumph and how I had all my water conditioning supplies pushed to one side of the van to make room for the bike. "just like your old man" said dick smiling, only this smile wasn't the same boyish grin as usual - more of a moment lost in thought.

Every square inch of the warehouse is covered with interesting antiques and oddities. Old cars, boats, model airplanes, vintage pogo sticks, hula girl statues, art of all kinds, vintage posters and parts. Lots and LOTS of parts. Tanks, wheels frames, engines, fairings plenty to build dozens of project bikes. "It may come as no surprise, but I was recently diagnosed with adult ADD, which probably explains all the unfinished projects around here".

Not all projects are unfinished though. There's a guest room that looks like a ships cabin, much like the China Clipper, complete with steam vents, portholes, bunk beds and a an old cast iron claw foot tub. "I usually clean parts or soak my leathers in there" he said "but I have bathed in it from time to time." I imagine Dick laying in a bubble bath with a fedora, smoking a cigar and reading the paper. I'm probably not far off.

Besides collecting, showing/racing bikes, cars, boats and go-karts, Dicks shop is a fully functional machine shop complete with milling, lathes and literally the biggest drill i have ever seen. Its the size of a tool shed and its bits were from 2"s up (way up). "if you ever need to drill a giant hole in something, you know where to come". Dick saved the press from a salvage yard but admits that besides a great conversation piece, it rarely serves any real purpose.

As a former navy machinist, Dick can fabricate almost anything out of metal. He's set up to make parts from scratch, or file down valves and valve seats. There is a tool for everything and then some.

Before I left, dick gave me a sign he had made featuring a line from a Humphrey Bogart film titled African Queen. "Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow". Words of wisdom - I too suffer from adult ADD.

I got the sign outside and saw that Dick had personalized it for me with his signature followed by his race number 44.

At 34, I'm married, own a home with my beautiful wife, own and operate my fathers successful water filtration business and have a garage with a couple of old motorcycle projects. Still one day, I hope to be just like Dick Miles.

PS

My Brother in law, John Young has some pictures from the 2003 Turkey Pro, an annual post Thanksgiving Bike rally held each year at various locations. On this year it was held at Iron Oxide Engineering. Check out more GREAT pictures from Dicks shop from Tikaro.com!

Cafe Racer Magazine launches TV show on Discovery!

Mike Seate, Author of the book Cafe Racer, Editor of Cafe Racer Magazine, director of Cafe Society (documentary on Cafe bikes) is set to launch a new TV series on Discovery HD Theater. It premiers next Wednesday. Should be worth checking out. Heres the details I received in an email:

Cafe Racer, the new series on

Discovery's HD Theater channel debuts

on Wednesday, October 13 at 9PM.

After a successful pilot episode in December,

Cafe Racer is back on television. Don't miss the

first two episodes, back-to-back, on October 13!

New toy, 1951 Triumph 5t Speed Twin Bobber

Every once in a while, a rare motorcycle pops up for sale in my area that is just too good to pass on. AD: 1951 Triumph 5T "Bobber" in running condition with T-I-T-L-E. Clutch sticks fenders included but no fender stays.

I've been collecting parts to build a 58 650 rigid for a while, but it seemed the more I hunted and gathered parts, the further that bike seemed like reality. Plus I have never owned a Pre Unit bike that was complete, so I really had no reference as to how they fit together. This cycle seemed like the perfect bike for what I needed (don't they all though?) it was basically running and complete. a little fiddling with the cosmetics and I have a really trick classic motorcycle - plus I have a reference for my 650 build.

As for this bike, I plan on making some temporary rear fender stays (unless they turn out nice, then they may become my KUSTOM stays! The front tire has to go (it has square edges, like a car tire, in fact it might be a car tire), it just feels dangerous, and not in a good way. I kinda dig the headlight, it looks like it might have been from a Ford model T, but I feel like it's way too high, kinda like a periscope or something. I'd like it to be lower than the bars. I also have a set of lower bars that I think will make it look cooler. I like the tank, not sure what it's from, but its bolted on the frame nicely and its free of dents and rust. I'm not married to the color. It looks like a rattle can, albeit decent rattle can paint job. But that will probably be my last step.

Today I'm going to give her a good look-over, check to see if theres any wobble in the wheels (it felt wobbly) change the plugs (it kept cutting out on the left side, though it has been sitting for 5 years) and I'm making a list of things I need to order like new front brake cable, clutch cable and While I'm at it, throttle cable.

Then, out comes the engine brite aerosol, and a can of Mothers and thecleaning begins!

Unless I happen across a pile of 51 5T parts for dirt cheap, I doubt I'll be restoring it to showroom condition. My minds eye see's this bike as something that one of Johnny's crew might have ridden in The Wild One.

A day later...

I had to lower the head light. It just looked odd sitting up so high. I made a temporary bracket out of an old copper pipe that I hammered, drilled and ground into shape.

I kinda like the way it looks but it is only temporary. Kind of steam-punk don't you think?

I mocked up the rear fender which I'm making steal fender stays for this week. More to come soon...

Hotrod Hoedown, Philadelphia PA Sept 11-12 2010

September 11, 2010, A day for remembrance of the tragedy that took place 9 years ago in NYC, Central PA, and Washington D.C.. Also day to celebrate the the continued freedom we have here in the United States.

In Philadelphia, the long running Hotrod Hoedown held another of it's long running Autumn vintage-auto appreciation parties at the Simeone Auto Museum, located in the industrial wastelands surrounds the Philadelphia International Airport. A perfect location featuring the museums collection of antique and historic autos, surrounded by long stretches of vacant streets.

My good friend Alex wanted to come down from NYC to shoot the event, so I agreed to meet him for a day of hanging out, checking out Hotrods, motorcycles and do some people watching. I was also excited to see the vintage motorcycle exhibit Simeone had been showing since the summer.

I hopped on my Bonnie t100 and headed north up 95 on what may have been the most spectacular riding day of the year. High 70's, no humidity and sunny skies.

From a high speed race up I95 exited onto the desolated streets of south west Philadelphia. A few turns and the streets became alive with the roar of Rat Rods, muscle cars and vintage motorcycles. Cars were parked a half mile in either direction of the front gate to the event, but I found a nice spot right by the entrance next to two beautiful Triumph Bobbers. One OIF hard tail and another mid 60's hard tail. The menacing machines glared at my Modern Classic but I didn't care, I was there for a day of fun in the sun, if those bikes don't like it then tough.

I paid the entry fee and immediately ran into my old friend Mike McCann. Mike has a 60's Plymouth Galaxy that he recently had the engine rebuilt and the seats reupholstered.

Mike gave me the obligatory "homeboy posing in front of his ride" photo op. Mike is a crazy old hardcore kid from Virginia. While in high school, I used go to shows in DC a lot, Mike rolled with a crew that terrified me with their aggressive style of dancing and stagediving (they perfected a move called the head walk...). Mike moved to Philly in 1996 and we got to know each other pretty well and we remain good friends to this day.

My iPhone didn't really pic up the details of the rebuilt 8 Cylinder, but you can tell that it is shiny. It packes a punch as well.

We took a spin around the vacant streets and did some burnouts as par for a good hotrod show.

After our ride I met up with Alex for a bit and checked out the show. Lots of cars, a few motorcycles, but sadly, I discovered the motorcycle exhibit had ended. I kicked myself for not going earlier in the summer when I first heard about it.

Out of all the beautifully chopped and painted hotrods, I found myself more drawn to the home build rat rods as I felt they had much more personality. This car jumped out at me and screamed pure evil. The windscreen was barely visible with its low chop and sun guard, the hulking flat black body boldly stated "don't eff with me".

The decidedly rough body work was backed up with a simple statement. 10% car, 90% bondo. Clearly this was a big old one finger salute to all the high budget beauties parked nearby.

The pipes sat centimeters off the pavement. I bet theres quite a but of scuffing on the bottom of those bad boys.

Spark plugs which will emit flames when a button is pushed, diverting the spark from the engine, causing fuel to flush through the exhaust where a spark awaits to blow an impressive fireball to unsuspecting pedestrians. Pure evil. On a side note, while in college, my dad had this mod set up on Triumph Tiger Cub, which has a great back story involving, modification, troubleshooting, and the burning of eyebrows..... but thats for another post.

I saw a young lad roll in on this 60's honda. It rattled it's way though the cars and parked next to a Triumph Chopper. The rider removed his vintage Buco helmet, left it on the seat and went for a stroll through the fairgrounds. I snapped a picture of his bike. I felt that this kid got what it was all about.

Nice patina on this 60's lid.

Cool 70's inspired paint job on this Triumph Chop.

Choppers aren't my thing really, but I really appreciate the revival of this 60's/70's style that a younger generation is bringing back. Its a breath of fresh air in a stagnant chopper scene where contemporary choppers are more inspired by Television "kustom bike" shows than Easy Rider.

OK, cars are a bit of a mystery to me. They require a lot of space to work on them, money as well as car-knowledge, money to customize and even more money. Time, knowledge space and money, four things I don't have a lot to spare. Therefore I can't say much about the types of autos, or their motors. I can comment on cool aspects such as this semi finished open engine rod. It has green stuff on it which I like.

The bucket seats sit below the main drive shaft on a floor that sits inches above the pavement. There is no back seat or floor... or roof. You can literally drag your hand on the pavement if you wanted to!

Here's a cool simple design, again with open engine with a classic black, white and red color scheme.

Ok, I have less and less to say about cars. I like the red on the engine thingy?

All in all, I saw some cool stuff, hung out with some good friends, was disappointed to miss the motorcycle show, but happy to be riding my Triumph to the event, even though my mirror fell off during the ride.

The coincidental date of the Hoedown falling on 9-11 was bitter-sweet. Sad to reflect on all those lost on that horrific day, but reassuring to see people still enjoying an important part of American culture. Cars and motorcycles!