John Penton Film Project Relaunched!

[mxfiles]

Good morning Poggers (is this a term for you fine folks?)

Thought I would let you all know if you haven't been notified by Kickstarter that our relaunch is live. Please take time to check out the new video and pledge if you can. We have 60 days this time and half as much to raise since we are going for production hard costs to get the story "in the can".

We could also use help in spreading the word. We need some "Evangelists" out there to help push to everyone they know who might care and support.

Thanks again and have a nice weekend!

Best,

Todd

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/toddhuffman/the-john-penton-story-narrated-by-lyle-lovett-rela

[ALB]

Hi fellow Poggers,
This is the second time around for this project. With the changes that were made this is doable and it's time to "git-er done".

I am exited about Todd going over to KTM in Austria to do some of his filming. This is something that is out of the range of our POG volunteers to do and it needs to be done now. The clock is ticking. Al Born, Leroy Winters, Dane Leimbach, Dave Mungenast, Rod Bush, Ted Penton, Bill Penton, Ike Penton, Erik Trunkenpolz and Fritz Dengel are all gone. They all played a role in the John Penton story and thank goodness for Ed Youngblood coming around when he did and wrote the "John Penton and the Off-Road Motorcycle Revolution" book. He was able to capture their stories in print. Now is the time to record the stories on video where we can watch and hear those involved. This is a positive uplifting story that the world needs to see and hear.

I have made my pledge to get this funding going. I know that some of you will not be able help out on this because of financial challenges you are facing in this tough economy. This means that the rest of us will need to dig a little deeper to compensate and I encourage you to do so.


Alan Buehner

[kenbike]

I agree with Al, the goal is much lower and Todd has 60 days this time to hit the mark.  Get the word out to every one you can and make your donation early.  On kickstarter people seem to jump on when they see a project is marching towards it goal.  Maybe some none bikers will help!

[mxfiles]

Thanks Al and Ken!

We're plugging away..."getting traction"as we all say. We had some great discussions with new potential backers at the AMA Hall of Fame Legends event in Las Vegas last weekend. I'm pretty optimistic we'll get there!

Here is the promo card we were passing out during the bike show on Saturday:



Have a nice Thanksgiving all and we look forward to your continued support!

Best,

Todd

[Paul Danik]

87
Backers
$40,580
pledged of $150,000 goal
48
days to go

It looks like the pledge drive to get the John Penton Story funded is gaining traction like a new 450 x 18 Metzler on a tacky MX track.

I have made my pledge and I encourage others to do the same. Pledge amounts start at $ 10.00 and run as high as $ 10,000.00 and two folks have already made $ 10,000.00 pledges.

I am pretty sure that most of you reading this have been around John Penton a time or two.  You know how his enthiesium is infectious and how passionate he is about the history of the Penton Sportcycle and motorcycling in general, do you not agree that it would be awesome to have the Penton story captured in a documentary so others can feel his passion and hear the Penton story?

How many of us have seen John Penton patiently talk with folks and sign autograph after autograph at VMD and many other venues, never turning ANYONE away, ALWAYS making time for others. How many modern so-called heroes would do the same?

  Many folks have mailed John Penton items to sign, gas tanks, number plates, route arrows and many other items, John always makes time to take care of every request. NOW is the time for us to repay John Penton for all he has done for us, starting at only $ 10.00.

I know that meeting John Penton back in 1968 changed my life, and my life is much better for having met John Penton, how about you ?


http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/toddhuffman/the-john-penton-story-narrated-by-lyle-lovett-rela

Please post the information about the fund raising for the John Penton documentary on other websites that you feel would be  appropriate, we need to network through out the vintage community as much as possible, actually, even many of the modern MC websites could also be very beneficial to the cause....

Thank you,
Paul

[mxfiles]

Hi All!

Thanks again for everyone's support! I don't think it matters to everyone but I realized the other day that I can officially be a member of the Penton Owners Group because I have a Penton! (not in perfect condition...yet...check pics below). So today, I filled out the form and sent in 5 years worth of being a Pogger!

I'll feel better now banging on you all to keep pushing on the movie...

More than likely this bike will be put back together and used as a recreation scene prop for the Penton film. I did it though!

Have a good week all!

Best,

Todd

[chicagojerry]

hey todd. please drop me a line at [email protected]    
it concerns part of your production  
 chicago jerry [8D]

[Mike Schulz]

Hi Todd,
Let us be the first to "officially" welcome you to the group and thank you for your efforts to create a film about the Penton's and the Penton brand. We have made our pledge to this important project and are looking forward with anticipation to its completion. We are evangelizing our off road friends to get them to support it (with money!) as well.
It looks like you have an important piece of off road motorcycle history in your possession and you should fill out the "steel tanker questionaire" available through the home page. We feel that this information will be invaluable to many Penton owners and everyone with a steel tanked Penton should fill it out and send it in before the deadline.
Thanks once again - Mike and Karen Schulz

[mxfiles]

Thanks Mike!

Will do...rumor has it from the guy I bought the bike from ($600 on Craigs List. Good deal?) was that the bike belonged to a girl friend of Malcolm Smith...I'll have to ask him about that Hah!

I look forward to getting it going to use a prop for recreation footage in the movie.

Best,

Todd

[Paul Danik]

Hey fellow POGGER Todd,

What is the serial number on your Penton, it can be found on the steering head, it will start off with a V

Thanks,
Paul

[mxfiles]

Paul---just checked V 1134

Is it rare?

[Paul Danik]

Sure is rare, it used to belong to Malclom Smiths girlfriend

All kidding aside, it is a Penton Steel Tanker, that in itself makes it a relatively rare machine.  In general terms it would be considered an early 1969 model, although Penton did not have definitive yearly models, it has the early cast iron cylinder and a number of other items that were found on the earlier machines, as well as not having some later model gussets and brackets. You will start to get your Steel Tanker education as you fill out your Steel Tanker questionnaire that Bill Smith has put together with the help of Doug Wilford and few others.  The information gathered is being analyzed by Bill and will be made available shortly to help tell the Penton Steel Tanker story and provide guidance for folks wanting to ID their machine as well as do "correct" restorations. Thanks in advance for taking the time to fill out the questionnaire.

http://www.pentonusa.org/steeltank/steeltank.pdf

These photos will help you to answer the questions

http://www.pentonusa.org/steeltank/steeltank2.asp


Paul

[mxfiles]

Cool Paul! I'll get on it!

Thx!

[seanguthrie]

Wow, great find Todd!  It seems as though more and more old steal tankers are coming out of the wood work every day.
I just dropped by your kickstarter project this morning and jumped on board.  Pretty excited about seeing your film.

74 250 Hare scramble
2 68 Six Day (projects)

[pketchum]

This is a cause worthy of  our support. I'm in - I challenge all of my friends and acquaintances to contribute as well!

115 backers
44 days left
$42,775 pledged
$150K is the goal


Phil Ketchum
Wichita, KS