They're rebellious, innovative and created with traditional techniques and styles passed on from one generation to the next. This book showcases bobbers, the predecessor to choppers as well as surviving old school choppers, giving fans a superbly illustrated reference of inspiration and information. This guide: features 25 bikes built with old-school techniques and character that will inspire custom bike builders and chopper enthusiasts; includes 400 stunning photos, customizers can refer to as they tackle their own projects; and, covers old-school bike history and its popular present and gives readers advice on what to look for in a chopper builder.
Alan Mayes was raised in Daleville in central Indiana, automotive country, surrounded by General Motors component factories with Ford and Chrysler plants not far away. He is a lifelong gearhead and started building model cars in 1958 (an AMT Edsel, which he still owns). He graduated from Harding University and also attended Ball State and Purdue University classes. He spent over 30 years working in the automotive and plastics industries before entering the publishing field full-time.
These days, Alan is the Managing Editor of Car Kulture DeLuxe and Ol' Skool Rodz magazines. Both are bimonthly hot rod and custom car magazines published by Koolhouse Publishing Company. He is Vice President of Koolhouse.
He is the author of Old School Customs: Top Traditional Custom Car Builders; Custom Cars: Coupes, Sedans, Pickups (Idea Book); and Hot Rods (First Gear Series), all published by Motorbooks, as well as Old School Hot Rods and Old School Choppers, both by Krause Publications. Additionally, he contributed to The Harley Davidson Reader by Michael Dregni, How to Build a Cheap Chopper by Timothy Remus, and The Art of the Bobber by Spencer Drate.
He has been writing for automotive and motorcycle magazines and books, as well as newspapers, since 1984. In addition to Car Kulture DeLuxe and Ol' Skool Rodz, his published articles have appeared in Kustom Kulture Magazine (France), Old Cars Weekly, Old Cars Price Guide, Rider Magazine, IronWorks, Cycle Source, Thunder Press, The Horse Backstreet Choppers, The Boulder (CO) Daily Camera, and The Anderson (IN) Herald-Bulletin.
Alan Mayes resides with his wife in Tennessee. He owns three custom cars (two in-progress) and a motorcycle.
