One more thing Motorcycle TV did was introduce us to builders we might never have known about otherwise. Such is the case with Torch Industries out of Phoenix, Arizona, who built this pretty rad (time frame again) Shovelhead tail-dragger beginning with a 1966 Harley-Davidson FL that morphed into a Softail. According to Torch’s Justin Coleman, “The frame is built using the rear cast portion of a Shovelhead frame, a Knucklehead neck casting, and a Shovelhead seat post casting. The Softail-style rear swingarm uses rigid Panhead axle castings and a Softail-style air ride shock was mounted under the transmission.” That’s a pretty damn cool mishmash of vintage Harley stuff that now looks completely natural together.

 

    That gem of an engine, well, “gem” ever since Torch got through with it grabs your eye like a motorcycle should. It’s a bonafide beauty with the Shovelhead architecture enhanced by a finish and massive engraving that takes it out of the stock state =like it never was there in the first place. Again, the word from Torch explains a lot while adding considerably to the OMG factor, “It’s a 1966 Harley FL motor that’s been bored and stroked to 93-inches, fully polished and engraved, topped off with split rockers and an SU carb. We used an FXR transmission case and were lucky enough to have the guys at BAKER Drivetrain build us a custom short-shaft six-speed gear set.” In case you’re wondering why the bottom case looks Panheadish and that’s because Harley built the stock 74-inch Shovelhead engine with a Panhead-style generator case from 1966-69 before the Shovel got its own bottom end. Here it’s only a plus for looks and that’s what a cool ride like this is all about.

 

   What is so cool and so unexpected was that the lads at Torch decided to keep the old nasty Shovelhead vibes at bay, especially in this almost 20-cubic-inch larger version. Again, Torch explained what they were up to, “The drive train was rubber-mounted using original Harley FXR pivot blocks and front mount that are attached to hand made frame mounting brackets.” Let’s see if we got this right, a big-inch Shovel hopped up and dressed to kill mounted in a Softailed frame with isolating rubber mounts from an FXR. That’s some pretty cool shit you got going on there guys and I can’t help but respect you’re not afraid of tackling any problem the radical changes might bring about.

 

    Rolling stock consists of classy laced wheels (front and rear) utilizing Harley drum brakes. I may not be a big fan of drums for performance as I remember too well having the lever come back to the bars and the bike s-l-o-w-l-y slowing when I wanted it to STOP, but you gotta admit they look Old School right as only a drum can. Double-stripe thin whitewalls out back make anything look genuinely old, yet cool at the same time. The skinny blackwall front tire sits between Duo Glide-style forks that are chromed out from the beautiful headlight nacelle to the axle. Best fork choice possible for a nostalgic tail dragger like this baby.

 

   The bodywork is essentially simple, but it’s perfect for the idea behind this ride. There’s a lot more work involved in this simplicity than you might think at first glance as Torch explains what’s what. “The fenders, oil tank, dash and seat pan were hand-formed out of aluminum then polished and engraved.” That’s a really simple explanation of something that’s pretty complex to pull of well especially with the engraving around both fender tips. IT all could have gone wrong in a nanosecond, but torch pulled it off to where it looks like that’s the way it should have been done. There’s just the right amount of quiet bling going on that doesn’t end up looking like busy work.

 

   When it came time for paint, Torch added a cool complication to what I first thought was a mono-color base paint. “The paint is multiple basecoat colors faded together with layers of candy over the top to crate the flawless fade from deep teal to black,” said Torch. The fade only comes into play when the light hits it, but when it does it’s bursting with colors and highlights the lines of the bodywork nicely. The finishing touch is a bit of tasteful blue pinstriping that you have to appreciate up close that just gives this paintwork that little bit of pizzazz that good pinstriping should do. All in all, it’s a simple, but absolutely loveable paintjob that compliments the bike instead of fighting for attention.

 

   Actually, that’s the way this whole bike works. Everything there perfectly compliments each and every part without feeling like it’s trying to. There’s a natural style to the whole bike that permeates it from one end to another and everywhere else in-between. Torch Industries has picked up the Old School torch and run with it like a motorcycle building Olympian. I’ll go so far as to predict that there’s plenty of gold in Torch’s future and I hope it just isn’t in awards. They went for the gold on this Shovelhead Softail and came out with a champion.

 

  For more info on Torch Industries, visit http://torchind.com/ or check ‘em out on Facebook.