| Greetings! Glad that you decided to take an interest in the best hobby you will ever know! Maybe you are already a seasoned garage hacker and have decided to build a few of the projects from this book, adding your own special modifications, of course. Or, maybe you have never thought about taking an angle grinder to a working bicycle, chopping it into 50 pieces so you can twist and contort it into something unique and wonderful. Well, dude, let me tell you, once you start building your own custom vehicles, you will never stop. Some of your neighbors will love what you do, visiting you often to see what you are working on. Others will fear you like some type of mad Evil Genius, and others will simply give you that empty look that the dog often gives you when you try to make him understand complex math. Now, seriously, are you ready to be the “freak on the block,” the dude who rides a pedal-powered chopper that looks sicker than the one for sale at the Harley store? Are you ready to beat your neighbors’ Hummer from one set of lights to the next on a bicycle that weighs less than his spare tire? Well, if this all sounds good, then you are like me and are going to enjoy what you are about to read! Nothing I build is impossible for anyone with a little motivation. I own only an angle grinder, basic AC welder, and the usual small hand tools. I have no lathe, no drill press, no chop saw, and often have no heat in my garage during the winter. I get most of my parts from the city landfill site, and I have no degree on my wall that says I am qualified for the engineering feats that I often achieve. What I do have is the desire to hack, weld, and ride! I have seen young garage hackers build great bikes after only a week of owning a lunchbox-sized welding machine. I have seen “old dogs” learn these “new tricks.”
In fact, I have never seen anyone fail at this hobby if they put some effort and imagination to the grindstone. You can certainly build everything presented in this bookand more by simply becoming motivated enough to get your hands dirty, sweat a little, and maybe even curse a bit. If it was easy to build a great invention, then every clown on the block would be doing it, and what would it be worth then? Cool rides do not come with serial numbers. A custom is a one of a kind! Enough ranting. Let’s get down to business and start building. |
