As it is never too late for making well, I have updated finally this page (almost).

At the beginning of 1998, I decided to try to restore my Chief. I say *try* as if I have the capacities to do it I cruelly miss financial means (today) to buy the missing parts.

I rebuilt the engine totally: new cylinders sleeves, crankshaft rollers, bronzes rings in any kind, valves, etc.

On the other hand, question aesthetic, I didn't go by the painting of cylinders with high temp, cadmium-coating of bolts and nuts, all that don't go with the budget that I fixed, and what import to me is to have a reliable machine to ride, not a show bike (though a "show bike" you can ride is not badly either).

I disassembled the rigid (custom) frame, took off what I could use and install my engine within an original frame. I recovered the original front fork and assembled the whole pack... to see that the fork is completely twisted !

Fortunately a Club member had one that it changed for other stuff. The handlebar, the cables, sheaths, handles, the thousand ;-) of small parts which composes the accelerator and ignition controls as well as the headlight and its support are repro parts (it cost me a fortune).

I reassemble all that and... the front brake back plate don't go correctly ! It is a good repro but it is for a 344 model which differs very slightly from the 340 model (I still do not find my happiness, then if you have this part thank you to contact me).

So, to be able to ride the next summer, I went up with the Sportster fork but by lowering it of a few inches.

The mudguards are military models in rather good state, someday I will paint them (when ?).

Not having a rear wheel, I went up the wheel from the chop (HD hub) with a new axis turned to measure. The muffler is a copy (made in France) of the military model, no problem of assembly (on this one I'm lucky).

After fine tuning the engine turns perfectly and it left for a turn around the block of houses. No problem, all is ok !. I go to the Coupes Moto Légende, assured success... I definitely have the oddest Chief if you look at the other ones... I am subscribed with rat bikes.

In July I ride down to Burgundy for the Indian International Rally.

At the end of August I ride down to La Rochelle (west cost) to spend a small week at Fred Masse (Iron Redskin Service). All is ok until the my return day before when going down the country the motor starts to misfire and the power drops enormously. The engine is ebullient, I stop on the low side, lets cool the engine by thinking to me that it is still the carburetor which plays me a bad turn. I try to start again the motor bike but while kicking I realize that I do not have compression any more on the rear, damned!

Panics! I am on 20 kilometers from Fred, into deep country. Such an amount of worse, I remove the rear plug (to avoid tiring the engine with a cylinder acting as driving brake) and on the road again with only one cylinder. Five kilometers further one guy stops with a Suzuki and draws me to La Rochelle.

Large mercy with him, if ever you read these lines, contacts me.

One month later I returned seek the animal than I had had to leave at Fred; the following day I open the engine and notes the damage: it is a #@^*&%$! clips of axis of piston which broke and which killed me my cylinder! Yes I said broken, not left well his housing because of a bad assembly (not but you will not cut me a suit kind of Fred don't know his work).

Since I rebuild engines it is the first time that I see a "straw" in a clips and it is necessary that is on my machine! I am completely spited.

Since, I've found a cylinder (standard bore, please), gift from Jo (fortunately that there are the pals), but I have no more money to buy pistons, to rebore the cylinders and to buy the few trifles which left something to be desired.

I seek a sponsor, a maecenas ; -) or some job, anybody ?

I have also parts and a car to be sold...

At least something new (March 9 2001 - August 23 2001) (only in French)

The last pictures, story... and video (March-July 2002)