Courtesy of the Randy Smith Collection:

Randy Smith - Extreme Unction!

With help from Tim Wallingford and the Randy Smith Collection, Church Of Choppers has another very limited edition t-shirt for sale. Randy Smith with his bike Extreme Unction.

Also a big thanks to Rick Whitehead of Custom Cycle Engineering and Lisha Smith.

Click here to order.




We're only doing 50 pieces of this one!

Courtesy of the Randy Smith Collection:



Thanks to Lisha Smith.

Courtesy of the Randy Smith Collection:

Here's Lisha Smith on a pre-production FX that Randy was test riding for the H-D factory. They sent Randy bikes for evaluation on at least two different occasions. Randy and Lisha would take the bike and go to Mexico for the weekend and chill out, make adjustments, etc. Photo was taken sometime in the early to mid 70's.

Yes, this is the same Alicia "Lisha" Smith that's been kind enough to share all these old photos with us. I certainly appreciate her help, as well as Tim Wallingford's. Thanks to you guys.

Submitted by The Randy Smith Collection, courtesy of Lisha Smith.



Here's what Tim Wallingford had to say -"this is out of Randy's early photo album. Note the front wheel. Randy told me it was from a horse racing (trotter) buggy. These were 23" but not rated for motorcycles speeds. Randy and Dick Allen were really good friends."




Big mahalos also goes out to Tim! He's always so modest but I always appreciate the effort Tim makes to get us never before seen photos to share.

From the Randy Smith Collection, courtesy of Lisha Smith:


Randy was a man of many talents. This old photo had me floored. Thanks also goes to Tim Wallingford. 

Courtesy of Lisha Smith. Here's the frame and tank for the 45 Magnum. It was one of those on again, off again projects.

This photo was taken at Randy Smith's shop in Long Beach, CA. Circa late 1968, early 1969. The frame was modified by Buchanan's Frame & Wheel which was originally in South Gate, CA, now known as Buchanan Spoke & Rim, Inc. Check out the windowed neck! The frame was probably raked out to 33 degrees, which is the rake that Randy thought was ideal for most of his bikes.

The Bolt Grinder!

This bike came together from the hands of Tim Wallingford, with help from Custom Cycle Engineering.
It is believed that this overhead valve set up was made in the 1930's by a gentleman who resided in Illinois. It was then purchased by Randy Smith when he was at the Davenport Antique Motorcycle Swap Meet sometime in the mid-60's. Tim bought it from Randy in '96.

Although similar to the experimental conversion H-D had also made, this set is one-off.
The bottom end of this motor had been "ball-jobbed". All four cams, the sprocket shaft and pinion shaft run on ball bearings. Photos were taken in LaCrosse, WI over the weekend at the S&S Cycle 50th Anniversary Celebration.

**We already have a winner but stay tuned!**




Church Of Choppers GIVEAWAY! Win this copy of Hardcore Chopper magazine by answering the question below by using the "comments" link of this post. DO NOT ANSWER BY EMAIL! Also... if you're a friend of mine residing in the L.A/O.C area, give someone else a fucking chance to win, dick! And U.S residents only, please! Sorry!



Randy Smith's famous panhead rocker covers, "Finned Dishpans," were first made in 1968. Soon afterwards, he was copied and a big court battle ensued in 1970.


The court battle was between Randy Smith versus _________________?




Hint: You can name the person or the company.




The Answer: Tom McMullen/AEE Choppers

Submitted by Tim Wallingford and the Randy Smith Collection:

Randy's racing helmet from the 60's.
Thanks goes to Lisha Smith, Randy's wife, for taking care of all his old stuff for us to enjoy.
I was fortunate enough to hang out with Randy on a few occasions; he'd even come by my work just to shoot the shit and believe me I was flattered! It was amazing to talk to a guy so passionate about choppers, racing and everything else that surrounds it. He once invited me over to his pad to check out his old air cleaner covers.




He had just bought a new bagger with "one of those new Twin Cam motors in it." He had it all apart in his living room just because he wanted to see how it ticks!

Check out this gem of a photo:



Courtesy of Tim Wallingford and the Randy Smith Collection.

Ran into John Edwards at the H-D dealership.

John was showing me several pieces he just had chromed, which included the mount for his highly polished Randy Smith "Holy Pegs". I gave him one Holy Peg (which I found at the LB swap meet for $1!) and thanks to Nice Guy Tim Wallingford, John got hooked up with one more to make a set. Don't bother asking me or Tim cause we ain't got any left!

Can't wait to see how John's bike turns out because he's got an eye for total period-perfection, which is something I really respect.

Submitted by Tim Wallingford and the Randy Smith Collection:
Pat Leahy with the 45 Magnum as it was being built.

This photo taken when Randy Smith was first putting the 45 Magnum together. I got hooked up with a bunch of these photos from about a year ago - thanks Tim! Check out the finned rocker covers in the background waiting to get drilled and polished. Photo courtesy of Tim Wallingford and the Randy Smith Collection:

Make sure you check out Randy Smith's site. http://www.randysmith.info/ Randy was one of the innovators of choppers in Southern California and inventor of the 45 Magnum!