Full size 1911.....Kimber or Colt....why?

[Drail]

Colts are much better than they used to be in the 80s and 90s. They still have problems with quality control. They did however FINALLY replace a lot of their machine tools that were worn out 50 years ago. When Kimber first started building 1911s they were just below Wilson Combat and Ed Brown. Extremely well built and fitted guns. Now they are selling metallic assemblies that vaguely resemble a 1911 but have many more problems than Colt ever dreamed of on their worst day. They are HEAVILY marketed and they sell a lot of them. I am basing these opinions after customizing, repairing, selling and shooting 1911s for about 30 years (before there was an Internet). My recommendation today for someone looking into 1911s is the same as it was 30 years ago. Springfield. Guys buy Colt 1911s for the very same reason they buy Harley Davidson motorcycles - because they really don't understand how a 1911 works and they believe the hype that everyone tells them.

 

[churchmouse]

I agree with your statements on the kimbers and I am a full on believer in Springfield.
As to the Harley reference.....Not so much.....

Just a few of the ones I have built.......no hype here.

 

[88E30M50]

Hey CM, are those real Harley's? I don't see an oil puddle in any of those photos. I have it on good authority (meaning I know nothing about the subject) that Harley's are like radial engines on airplanes. If they're not leaking, it means they have no oil in them. Did you photoshop the oil puddles out?

 

[churchmouse]

Hey CM, are those real Harley's? I don't see an oil puddle in any of those photos. I have it on good authority (meaning I know nothing about the subject) that Harley's are like radial engines on airplanes. If they're not leaking, it means they have no oil in them. Did you photoshop the oil puddles out?

The dyna has stock engine castings but held a set of 89" stroker wheels and no, it never leaked a drop.
The others were all after market and they only leaked when a rod or similar rotating mass got out of the cases in excess of 6500 RPM.
The one in the pic below heaved its guts at 7500 with the Nitrous engaged......yeah, pretty messy.




Wise guy.......

 

[Harleyrider_50]

The dyna has stock engine castings but held a set of 89" stroker wheels and no, it never leaked a drop.
The others were all after market and they only leaked when a rod or similar rotating mass got out of the cases in excess of 6500 RPM.
The one in the pic below heaved its guts at 7500 with the Nitrous engaged......yeah, pretty messy.




Wise guy.......

AT's the side that bike I was wait'n ta see !.........hahahahahahahaha.......

 

[churchmouse]

AT's the side that bike I was wait'n ta see !.........hahahahahahahaha.......

Did you notice the air shifter???

No thread jack intended.

 

[Harleyrider_50]

Did you notice the air shifter???

No thread jack intended.

DID'n......cain't never git past 'at blower........

DID notice the chain,in place the belt......

Anything done ta the swingarm?.............jus' DON't see the average setup hold'n up, launch'n 'at thing.....

 

[churchmouse]

DID'n......cain't never git past 'at blower........

It is right behind the blower on top of the primary cases. The tank can be seen in the other pic along with the nitrous bottle. Air pump is under the seat so recharge possible while riding.
Bike was a serous piece. Never, ever got beat.....ever.

 

[Harleyrider_50]

It is right behind the blower on top of the primary cases. The tank can be seen in the other pic along with the nitrous bottle. Air pump is under the seat so recharge possible while riding.
Bike was a serous piece. Never, ever got beat.....ever.

.....see it now......

.....no doubt on'a other.......'at dude's.......baaaadazz.......

Oh....sorry fer ......all........

be in later.....got'a drag shaper out an' run some stuff.........

 

[churchmouse]

DID'n......cain't never git past 'at blower........

DID notice the chain,in place the belt......

Anything done ta the swingarm?.............jus' DON't see the average setup hold'n up, launch'n 'at thing.....

If you look there is bracing all through the chain side of the swingarm. The arm was fabricated in my shop to put a 200 series Avon tire under a stock softail frame. Primary is spaced over one and one quuarter inch to get the chain around the tire. The rear axle was made from rifle drilled 4130 Chrome moly and had 3 bearings to support the power. I bent 3 axles looking for the right set up.

The springer in the other pics (Purple and white) is this bike. When the wife got her dyna glide I went ape on the purple springer and this is the result.

 

[Crossbow]

Drail;5352156].........My recommendation today for someone looking into 1911s is the same as it was 30 years ago. Springfield......

Well, actually Springfield Armory didn't make their first 1911 until 1985. That would be only 29 years ago.

 

[BE Mike]

If this isn't thread drift, then this is a successful launch:

 

[churchmouse]

If this isn't thread drift, then this is a successful launch:

Yeah....hard not to respond the the Harley Haters.

 

[Drail]

I don't hate Harleys. I just think that they are EXTREMELY overrated and overpriced for what they are. I do however have nothing but contempt all the Harley owners who INSIST on running straight pipes on the street and pulling up next to me and rapping their throttle. Grow up kids. I used to live in a house outside Bloomington that was a popular road for bikes (for good reason) and every single weekend I would get to listen to every window in my house rattle while groups of 40 or 50 Harley folks would cruise by - everyone of them with straight pipes. Just so they could be "cool". I worked for a short time at the Harley dealer in Bloomington and out back they have a building that is filled from floor to ceiling with factory exhaust pipes. It seems that almost every new owner would buy a bike and then bring it back within a couple of weeks of purchase and have straight pipes installed. I asked what happens to all of those factory exhaust pipes and was told that when the building got so full that you couldn't walk around in it they would have a scrap dealer come in and haul them away. REALLY? Grow up kids. Just because you bought a Harley and put straight pipes on it doesn't make you a biker. It just makes you an obnoxious poser.

 

[churchmouse]

I don't hate Harleys. I just think that they are EXTREMELY overrated and overpriced for what they are. I do however have nothing but contempt all the Harley owners who INSIST on running straight pipes on the street and pulling up next to me and rapping their throttle. Grow up kids. I used to live in a house outside Bloomington that was a popular road for bikes (for good reason) and every single weekend I would get to listen to every window in my house rattle while groups of 40 or 50 Harley folks would cruise by - everyone of them with straight pipes. Just so they could be "cool".

Just rattling your chain.
Notice that all my bikes except the insane one had headers. Db's were acceptable and they added to the level of performance.
The insane one was the loudest street Harley I have ever heard if the throttle was used in an aggressive manner. I seldom just blipped the throttle for sport. At $4.00 a gallon (racing fuel) I rode it with some sense.....well, sometimes any way.

 

[jagee]

Just rattling your chain.
Notice that all my bikes except the insane one had headers. Db's were acceptable and they added to the level of performance.
The insane one was the loudest street Harley I have ever heard if the throttle was used in an aggressive manner. I seldom just blipped the throttle for sport. At $4.00 a gallon (racing fuel) I rode it with some sense.....well, sometimes any way.

I thought that stuff was around $8.00/gal

 

[Drail]

Feel free to rattle my chain any time you like. At my age it reminds me that I am still alive. And it's kind of.........invigorating. Of all of the things I have been forced to give up - riding a motorcycle down an open highway at EXTREMELY illegal speeds was probably the most fun thing I have ever done - next to flying a high performance aircraft. THAT is without a doubt the most fun a human being can have.

 

[churchmouse]

I thought that stuff was around $8.00/gal

We are talking 10 years ago. It was $4.00 a gallon then.

 

[churchmouse]

Feel free to rattle my chain any time you like. At my age it reminds me that I am still alive. And it's kind of.........invigorating. Of all of the things I have been forced to give up - riding a motorcycle down an open highway at EXTREMELY illegal speeds was probably the most fun thing I have ever done - next to flying a high performance aircraft. THAT is without a doubt the most fun a human being can have.

Dont I know it......Not street riden....(much)

 

[88E30M50]

The dyna has stock engine castings but held a set of 89" stroker wheels and no, it never leaked a drop.
The others were all after market and they only leaked when a rod or similar rotating mass got out of the cases in excess of 6500 RPM.
The one in the pic below heaved its guts at 7500 with the Nitrous engaged......yeah, pretty messy.




Wise guy.......

You know I'm just having a bit of fun. I've never been into Harley's, or any other bike for that matter, but I have to admit the one above is art on wheels.