Long before Mike Wolfe took the TV world by storm with History Channel's "American Pickers" program, he was a wheeler and dealer of anything old. We know another guy who dabbles in vintage goods, especially ones that have wheels (or more specifically...tires). Mike and Corky have been friends for quite some time, and they share a great interest in vintage motorcycles. Mike also has a thing for old cars, and recently acquired a 1936 Ford panel truck. The Flathead V8 powered truck had received some hot rod modifications, but the aftermarket parts just didn't seem to jive. After a phone call with Corky to express his concerns, the boys struck up a deal to bring the truck to Chattanooga and give it the Coker and Honest Charley treatment. The goal was to make it GO faster, STOP sooner and make it a little more fun to slide behind the wheel and go for a ride.
[products]
Four years ago, we were introduced to the Motorcycle Cannonball, as it made a pitstop here at Coker Tire in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. At the time, the endurance race was intended for motorcycles built in 1916 or earlier. It was a grueling event that saw participants rebuilding engines, transmissions and more on a regular basis. Although the rules have changed since that original event in 2010, the event is still a torture test for the riders and support crews. The 2014 Motorcycle Cannonball required riders to start in Daytona Beach, Florida, and man-handle their vintage bikes all the way to Tacoma, Washington. Along the way, they stopped here at Coker for an evening of thrashing to get their machines ready for the next day of riding.