Matt Whitlock runs Wrecked Metals, a hotrod and chopper shop in Boise, Idaho. And when he's not building slammed Fords and Chevys, he's riding this super-clean 1959 Harley. His Panhead has an effortless beauty about it, but the build was a mission for Matt. He'd had his eye on the bike for a long time, and finally scraped together enough money to buy it. After an incident-prone four years of riding it, he sent the motor off for a rebuild—and the shop burnt down. The Panhead engine survived the fire, but it took Matt a year to get it back. It's now been extended to 93 ci, and is hooked up to a 4-speed transmission. The bike has a rigid frame, an inline Springer front end and a suicide shift. 'I tried to hand-fabricate as much stuff as I could,' says Matt. 'I've owned the bike for 10 years.' Matt made the shotgun pipes, bars, forward controls and fender himself, giving the Harley a timeless, classic look. It might be half a century old, but this big twin is in the prime of its life. I'd ride it in a heartbeat. [Thanks to Sara Byrne for the images.]
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