Jour3710

Interview, pt. 1

bam10987 — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:25:29 +0000

Here, in fragments and unedited, is the first part in a series of interviews with Tank that aim to paint a picture of his past, present and future.

http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=952479931.wma

http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=1095843216.wma

http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=479642312.wma

Busy, thank God

bam10987 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:42:37 +0000

Tank had a surge of customers this week and had spent most of his time at the shop working on different bikes and ATVs. The carnage in his shop was impressive. He had had some time, though, to re-weld the rear fender of his project bike, and coat the fender and gas tank in black paint. He had also found time during the week to start work on the rat rod’s frame: grinding down its prolific rust and cutting off unnecessary mounts. All in all, he had not had as much time to work on the bike and rat rod as he was accustomed to but, afterall, customers means money. And the saga with Alan Jackson finally came to an end- though not as Tank had hoped. He got a motor for the rat rod, as he expected, but it was a high-mileage ‘junker’ that he will have to tear apart and rebuild.

Also, while I was there, Tank’s wife called to tell him the sprotor for the project bike had come in the mail. The next 30 minutes were spent waiting for her to deliver it to the shop. It was a long 30 minutes for Tank. A sprotor, I learned, is a combination brake rotor and chain sprocket. This was something of a mini-Christmas.

Slow progress

bam10987 — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:07:29 +0000

Tank’s primary project bike is coming along slowly but surely- parts from here, pieces from there.

During my last visit, he spent some time mocking up the bike’s chain and estimating the length he would need it to be. Then he moved on to centering the rear wheel. As the bike had been sitting, the rear wheel was slightly skewed, and Tank got to work measuring and cutting the spacer that would be needed to center it. His discovery that a more precise cutting method would be needed for the spacer led him to his favorite metalworks, and another, more encouraging discovery: some of the parts that he is designing for mass production were ready for inspection

Balance

bam10987 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:47:45 +0000

This visit gave me a good sense of Tank’s day and the balance he manages to find between work and logistics, and family. Randy Jackson (yes, he’s heard it all) stopped by to talk about a deal he had worked out with Tank. As it turned out, Randy had restructured his part of the deal and Tank spent some stressful hours after Randy’s visit working on his project bike and rat rod, trying to find another solution. Toward closing time, Tank and Brent got around to a welding job they had lined up. In the meantime, his wife and youngest daughter, Haley, hung out at the shop and minded the counter. Haley has her dad’s eyes.

A stressful day but, for Tank, not unusual.

Progress on the bike

bam10987 — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:58:47 +0000

Tank finally received some parts he was waiting for, so he began mocking up their positions on the bike. Marty Stratton, one of Tank’s regular customers, stopped by to pay for some work Tank did on his motorcycle, and to shoot the breeze. Marty owns a house moving company, and was showing Tank and his wife’s uncle Brent some pictures of one of his recent moves. Tank was joking that Marty must be doing well for himself to have such a nice house.

The Hail Mary

bam10987 — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:42:31 +0000

Tank spent most of my next visit cleaning up the cowl he removed the day before. He cut off the gas filler neck (conveniently, and safely, located right in front of the passengers in the cab) and welded a piece of steel in its place. As looking directly at a welder in action can damage your eyes, I spent most of the day practicing the ‘Hail Mary.’

Sparks abundant

bam10987 — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:54:18 +0000

Not too much going on at Lo-Life this week besides cutting and welding.

The beginning of a rebirth

bam10987 — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:50:15 +0000

I went back this week to Lo-Life Customs, Tank’s motorcycle shop. He had called and told me that he was going to start cutting his 1927 Model A roadster pickup, so I headed over to revel in the destruction. The frame and ‘bucket’ are the only parts of the pickup that he’ll be using in his rat rod (a popular type of hotrod built primarily from parts on-hand, and typically on a very low budget), so he spent some time removing the junk parts. When he finishes the project, he plans to drive it until he finds a buyer, then sell it. Tank likes the process of building more than the finished product, so he is usually willing to sell his projects.

Tank's 1927 Model A roadster mere moments before evisceration.

Tank

bam10987 — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:58:12 +0000

I went to the car show put on by The Varsity on Saturday and met some people. One of the more interesting was Tank Bostic, owner of Lo-Life Customs, who had come to display a pair of his current projects. I began talking to Tank and was struck by the idea of a documentary project following his progress with one or several of these motorcycles. I went out to his shop the next day and learned more about him (former Hell’s Angel, now studying to become a minister), his business (actually his second, having had the first essentially stolen from him by his business partner) and his dreams.

Tank leans on the counter at his shop, Lo-Life Customs, flanked by a large cross. The former Hell's Angel is now preparing to become a minister.

The lobby at Lo-Life Customs.

Tank looks out into the rain as he ruminates on the future of his business.

Some bikes in Lo-Life's showroom await parts. Tank both builds and repairs motorcycles for customers.

Lo-Life is equipped for most motor- and bodywork needs, though Tank is still looking to expand his tool repertoire.