I realize daily that we are behind schedule on one project or another. So it’s nice to report that we have one book finished on time. The new Advanced Custom Motorcycle Chassis book is off the press and ready to ship from our web site – delivery to the bookstore of your choice will take a little longer.
Advanced Custom
Motorcycle Chassis
As mentioned in an earlier blog, the new book focuses on chassis issues for anyone building a bike from scratch or modifying an existing V-twin motorcycle. Topics include Chassis and Front-End Geometry, Frame styles, Chassis Components, Sheet Metal, and Powertrain options. The last two chapters are dedicated to in-the-shop photo sequences, one is the installation of wheels and drive-train into a Twin Cam Bagger while the second sequence covers the installation of all the drive-train and chassis components into a typical right-side-drive Softail Chassis.
Current Projects
Triumph
Triumph
Triumph
At least one other Wolfgang project is on time, and that is the production of the annual Classic Triumph Calendar. For 2008 we have 12 new (well, not really new) Triumphs for you, including a ‘51 TR5, a very, very nice ‘59 T110, a race triple photographed at Daytona, an exquisite ‘64 Bonnie, and a bathtub Tiger with optional hard saddlebags.
As in years past we also have Linsay Brooke, author of at least three Triumph books of his own, to write captions and monthly factoids about Triumph history. Our goal for the 2008 calendar is to have them off the press buy mid-August, so Randy Baxter and the crew from Baxter Cycle have more time to promote and sell the 2008 Classic Triumph calendar.
More New Staff
Tim Parker
We’ve added another face and another talented personality to the staff at Wolfgang Publications. Formerly Senior V.P. at MBI, Tim Parker is the man who knows more about enthusiast publishing than anyone else I know. Tim started out working for Haynes (the world’s biggest publisher of how to manuals) in England, followed by start-up Osprey Publishing (automobile and motorcycle history) and then came to work for Motorbooks (now part of MBI) 21 years ago. Because Motorbooks is our distributor, I’ve known Tim for years. In fact, I often called him for help or advice with a publishing problem.
Thus I’m very pleased to announce that Tim now works for Wolfgang on a consulting basis. His goals here are two-fold: to help us refine and improve the kinds of books we are best known for, and assist us in the development of new books for new markets.
Upcoming Events
In Minnesota we’re lucky enough to have one of the country’s premier hot rod events in our own backyard. This year’s Back to the 50s celebration takes place on the weekend of June 22 through 24, and though we won’t have a booth, Rick and I will be wandering the grounds in support of the vendors there who carry our books.
Hope to see you on the road, on two wheels or four.
