Thursday, October 14

An Aussie in Illinois, 1975

"Hi Guy. In 1975 I was 19, earning AU$2.80 an hour on Barrow Island oilfield, Western Australia, trying to save the money to get to the US to hunt for a Pan. The airfare was AU$600 return to San Francisco... almost 6 weeks' wages."

"I found this Pan in Knoxville, a few miles from Galesburg in Illinois (where this shot was taken). I paid the owner, Bradley Hobbs, AU$762 for it. It cost less than AU$250 to ship it home."

"I'm currently putting a new project together using many parts from that same Panhead. I sure like your magazine. Nice REAL bikes in it."

Loz, south coast, Western Australia

6 comments:

Kid Kurpius said...

That's why I can't find sweet survivors here in IL. Sweet picture! You have to be double jointed to get you foot on the right forward peg. My panshov was like that when I got it. You had to dislocate your hip and wrap a shin bone around the air cleaner then contort you ankle enough to get a pinky toe to barely clinch the foot peg. Good luck finding the brake peddle when grandma pulls out in front of you..... mmmmm brings back fond memories. Rad bike... wouldn't change a thing...

matt machine said...

is this where i write "aussies are tops".....

jimmy monk said...

love a good find,
panheads rule.
love the fact you still got it 35 years on.

Anonymous said...

As my dear white haired granny used to say;
'three kinds of people in the world;
those people that make things happen,
those people that watch things happen,
and some people that just wonder, WTF just happened!'
good on yer mate.
59

Anonymous said...

oz is full of beautiful ol bikes with beautiful ol boys ridin them .....

Anonymous said...

Well said Anonymous, can't say it any better :)