Carroll Shelby will go down in history as the father of the legendary beautifully-brutal Cobra roadsters, stunning Daytona coupes, and Corvette-road-race-beating early Shelby GT350s, not a bad thing to be remembered and admired for. What I remember and admire him for the most was how he pulled the wool over the eyes of every car magazine back in 1962 when he introduced the original 260” Ford V-8 powered Cobra. After originally seeing a small picture of the prototype, CSX 2000, in a raw aluminum body in Motor Trend, I couldn’t wait to see a production roadster in a color. I didn’t have to wait long as yellow, blue, red, and many more different-hued Cobras graced the covers of every car magazine on the news stands. Little did I know (nor did the magazine editors) was that there was only one actual Cobra in existence. Celebrated hot rod painter Dean Jeffries re-painted and re-painted and re-painted CSX 2000 making it look like Shelby had a factory up and running knocking these things out. Amazing what a little paint can do to fool people into thinking that mathematically― one equals two, three, four, or whatever.

If you live anywhere near Mesa, Arizona, you might just think the same thing about local Jeff Braun and his “collection” of Harleys. Not unlike Carroll Shelby and his slew of Cobras consisting of a single Cobra, Jeff’s collection consists of just one vehicle too, a 2003 Harley FLSTCI (Heritage Softail Classic to you regular folk) and a lot of time spent in a spray booth. “Yes, it’s taken on numerous looks,” said Jeff laughing. “I actually own four different gas tanks and I can interchange them with different tank emblems and copycat paint schemes from a different era.”

All the schemes save one have been retro-inspired and Jeff explained why, “A neighbor of mine in Maryland where I grew up rebuilt old Harleys and Triumphs and as a little boy I woke up many a Sunday morning to him trying to kickstart a bike. It was my alarm clock. I saw my share of old ‘50s and ‘60s bikes sitting in his backyard and nothing beats the old-time look.” This early morning routine influenced him into a choice of old motorcycle-style and became a factor when it came time for Jeff to get a new Harley. “I just wanted, actually had a craving, for something old-time looking. I looked at the Road Kings and they’re fine and dandy for touring, but there’s something about a Softail Heritage with the oil tank that pulled me right in. They kinda have that mid-‘50s look with the regular headlight with no nacelle on there and the leather bags.” said Jeff. “I got it brand new at the tail of ’02, it was an ’03 and the original tins were the 100th Anniversary black. I knew someday I’d get it looking more like an old Panhead or something.”

Jeff rode it with stock paint and a few mods until 2004. “I never liked the new Harley stickers under a clear coat, they looked cheap and ugly. That’s why I probably got the itch for changing it. I started shopping around for tins on eBay to make changes, they were a dime-a-dozen out there,” he said. “I sold the original tins and I’ll probably regret it in another 200 years when they’re worth something (laughing).” The first paintjob was silver with flat black ghost flames which did change the appearance, but not to his liking. “I didn’t keep that look for very long. I had to get back to something that looked more retro,” said Jeff.

Lucky for him, he ended up hooking up with “All-star custom painter” Roger Kwiatt of Kwiatt Custom Paint (www.kwiattpaint.com). “The guy’s pretty darn good. If you go to his website, some of the graphics he’s done are remarkable,” said Jeff. “He’s also quick to get a job done and his prices are fair too.” First came a classic all-black look with ’61 H-D metal tank badges, then black with white side panes and ’59 badges, then black with swoopy white stripes and ’61 badges again, then black with a candy apple red top panel, well, anyway, you get the picture. “Each year there’s a different look to it, I’ve never been sold on one look. I guess I wanted to experience all the different tank emblems,” said Jeff. “The red arrow and the star, those two I think are the best that Harley’s ever had.”

There have been a lot of other cosmetic and mechanical changes along the way, some practical and some whimsical. Oh things like a Samson True Dual Fishtail exhaust to floating rotors and braided lines to Cyclesmiths Banana boards (“I really like ‘em”) to Metzeler tires (in white and blackwall) to 80-spokes from 40 to BB Reproduction saddlebags (in white and black) to a retro–tint Memphis Shades windshield (“I like it better than Harley’s”) to the huge horn that doesn’t work . . . doesn’t work? “That old-time horn I‘ve got on the right side doesn’t work as a horn ‘cause my stock horn works just fine,” said Jeff adding. “It serves a purpose as I drilled out about ten small holes on each side where it goes between the two cylinders. At speed, there’s ram air coming in between the cylinders to cool it a bit. It works.”

Jeff’s left the engine basically stock and said, “It’s just got a Stage 1 on there. I keep up with my buddies on their hopped-up bikes. I’m sure they could blow my doors off, but I’m keeping up with them doing 75-80mph just like them. If the engine ever gives me some problems [24,000 on it now], maybe I’ll look into doing something, but I’m happy with the 88 as it is.”

“People say you’re never done. I kick it around and think about the next venture I want to do with it. The latest color scheme I want to do is a silver-ish green color I saw on a hot rod at the Goodguys show. I think that’s going to look good,” said Jeff. Hey Jeff, it’s no big deal if it doesn’t. Wait another year and you’ll have changed it once again.