Travels With Bob

Travels With Bob

From Muroc to museum piece

When you're on an advisory board, you advise, so last year when the curators of the Guggenheim Museum asked what models I thought should be included in their upcoming exhibit, I didn't hesitate: "Any show titled `The Art of the Motorcycle' has to have customs-choppers, cafe-racers, bob-jobs..." "What's a bob-job?"

Pre-WWII, Muroc dry lake was a hotbed of hot-rodding, a vast, flat expanse of dried mud where weekend warriors in souped-up jalopies could try out their latest mods. After the war, Muroc saw a few more speed runs before it was posted off-limits, taken over by Edwards Air Force Base for jet-fighter testing. Bye-bye Flathead Fords, hello F-104 Starfighters.

Somehow, though, the Southern California Timing Association persuaded the powers-that-be to open Muroc for a 50th-anniversary weekend. The bob-job was there, lined up for its shot at the timing lights. Builder Jerry Greer, a wiry old ex-Marine who can still easily zip into his 20-year-old racing leathers (bastard!) was in the saddle.

So, how’d we do? Well, covered in alkali dust, lights taped up, numberplates on its flanks-and a 100.36-mph timing slip in its back pocket-the bobber never looked better.

David Edwards