This was our first Matchless motorcycle build: "Bomb Thumper." It was completed in 2005, and is basically a 1948 Matchless 500cc single with slight engine, paint and exhaust modifications, and the addition of "le mans" style bars. When we acquired it in 2004, the bike was in original, unrestored condition, and was pretty rough after sitting in a shed on a farm in Oregon for many years. The obsessive-compulsive owner had retained the original owner's manual, spare lights, tool kit and multiple parts, making the bike a rare find. He had driven the motorcycle weekly, around the farm, for many years. He actually acquired the motorcycle in, what at the time was, an "even trade" for his Indian motorcycle. The owner of the Matchless had beaten him in a race in the California desert in 1953. The owner's family sold the bike after the owner, who loved the bike dearly, developed Alzheimer's disease and crashed it into his woodshed. Before his disease progressed to a severe state, he was smart enough to cover most of the vehicle's parts in thick grease, preventing rusting of the parts while the bike was stored in his shed. We felt honored to bring this bike back to life.
Builders of performance vehicles were once treated as outlaws-deviants who preferred to spend their days tucked in engine compartments, inventing new ways to increase horsepower and speed. They were a misunderstood few who chose to follow their inner-calling, rising and falling each day with dreams of performance. They were proud of their ability to design, build and race their own vehicles, and honed their skills in the black markets and underground forums of America-places where they were revered for their talents. 
Today, these men have been obscured by builders who prefer to spend the majority of time concentrating their focus on form, to the detriment of function. You have seen their work. They believe the quality of a vehicle is measured by the amount of chrome under its hood and the size of its rims. They will never see what we see.
Black Market Motors was my reaction to these influences that I believe threaten the very foundation of true performance vehicle fabrication. Welcome to my symphony. It's a place for the outlaws, the miscreants and misunderstood builders of yore. Welcome to the glory days. Where Black Market Motors regin king!
It would be impossible to grow up in the City of Corona without being affected by the strong motorsports influence that pervades the town. No, Corona is nothing like Daytona, Indianapolis or Monterey. But, for a small town, it has a surprisingly rich motorsports heritage. The earliest roots are steeped in Corona's stage as the site of the Corona 300-mile Road Race in the early 1900's. Grand Avenue, which at one time circumscribed the entire town, was the 3-mile track that hosted such legends as Earl Cooper and Terrible Teddy Tetzlaff. The town has grown quite a bit since the early 1900's, but Grand Avenue remains.
After a few high-profile fatalities, because of Grand Avenue's unbanked curves, the race was eventually moved to an alternate location. The April 8, 1916, New York Times quotes, "Bob Burman of Detroit, noted automobile racer; his mechanician, Eric Schroeder of Chicago, and a track guard are dead tonight as a result of the overturning of Burman's car in the Corona road race here today. Five spectators were injured, several seriously."
Because the track was dirt, drivers were required to wear masks that funneled filtered air:
Amazingly, some drivers were able to make the 300 mile race without a single stop:
Several scenes from the Steve McQueen film Grand Prix were shot at the Riverside Raceway:
There was also the "Corona Raceway": home to a tight 1/4 mile dirt track, a 1/2 mile dirt track, a figure 8 dirt track, and an off road coarse that went throughout the whole place. The raceway closed in the mid-1980's. 
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