Ladies and Gentlemen, Please Welcome Johnny Cash

[Dennis Jones]

Johnny is mostly a 1977 MC5 175 and takes his name from the Johnny Cash song about building a car one piece at time by smuggling parts out of the plant in his lunch box.



While no smuggling was involved Johnny was built one piece at a time with probably no more than three major parts from any one bike. I own and have restored several Pentons but I did not have an MC5. Since I had just done a 77 GS6 ( almost the same as an MC5 ) and had a ton of parts laying around I had the bright idea that if I could just find a frame I could build one. What was I thinking [8]



A post to the POG turned up a frame and swing arm that I picked up from Rocket at Mid-Ohio as a return favor for parts I gave to him. Now what I really wanted to build was a 175 MC5 to race in AHRMA Historic 200, but I didn't have a six fin 175 motor but I was pretty sure if I whined enough my buddy GE would help me out, thanks Gary.



Everything on the bike is new or rebuilt with the goal of building a very nice, very reliable, AHRMA cross country racer. Thanks go out to Al Buehner for lots of misc, Rocket for frame and swing arm, Good Dirt for the impossible to find dual position foot pegs, and of course Gary Ellis for the rebuilt motor, Lectron carb, ridicule and I told you so's and lots of small parts that you don't realise you don't have when you decide to build a bike from scratch.



Some of the part came from:
Tires Michelin S 12's - I used to have a source
Wheels - Ebay
Cables - GE
35mm Forks - GE - but I'm putting on 38's, got an (I told you so) for that
Tank - Clark
Fenders, Side Panels - DC Plastics
Bars - Strickly Hodaka
Seat - Ebay
Air Box - Ebay
Pipe - M/O
Sprockets - Rebel Gears gearing got me an ( I told you so )
All stainless steel hardware - boltdepot.com
Now I just need to get off the dual sport and go to a race



Dennis Jones

[Lew Mayer]

Looks awful perty to be racin'.[8D]
Great job.

Lew Mayer

[firstturn]

Johnny never looked better.  Thanks for the pictures.

Ron Carbaugh

[454MRW]

Lookin' Good! Is that a cut to fit 79 or 80 rear fender with the center rib? I know the front is along that line, but I can't remember if you told me about the rear fender when I saw it. That makes a nice reinforced rear fender. Did you double check the torque specs and the circlips on the forks? He He...Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S

[brian kirby]

Great job! I think you would have to race it in PV 200, it is not Historic legal with that engine.

Brian

'72 Berkshire

[454MRW]

Brian,
Why not? 1977 was the first 7 fin engines. It could have been original. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S

[brian kirby]

OK, I didnt know that, I thought it was a '78 engine. Nevermind.

Brian

'72 Berkshire

[TGTech]

That was the best Penton that I ever rode.

Dane

[crash carden]

Dennis, Nice bike!! Great job and a great story. Crash Carden
                                 Go Penton! [8D]

[rob w]

Very impressive..........wonderful job Dennis.

[Dennis Jones]

Lew, Johnny was born to race Now if we can just get the rider motivated [8]

Mike, Yes both fenders are the ribbed 79 models with the rear cut to fit. I like the way they look better than the stock ones. Forks checked, no need for the wheel barrow on Johnny's maiden run [:I]

Brian, this bike has a 77 six fin motor which is what it would have came with and the whole bike was built around what is allowed in the Historic class. If you were to take a close look in the pits you would find a lot of the vintage Pentons in the Sportsman classes are running up to 79 motors [:0] [}:)]

Dennis Jones

[brian kirby]

quote:Originally posted by Dennis JonesBrian, this bike has a 77 six fin motor which is what it would have came with and the whole bike was built around what is allowed in the Historic class. If you were to take a close look in the pits you would find a lot of the vintage Pentons in the Sportsman classes are running up to 79 motors [:0] [}:)]

Dennis Jones

My mistake, I was not aware the new engine was used in '77. They are not legal for Sportsman, I know that for sure.

Brian

'72 Berkshire

[Dennis Jones]

quote:Originally posted by brian kirby

quote:Originally posted by Dennis JonesBrian, this bike has a 77 six fin motor which is what it would have came with and the whole bike was built around what is allowed in the Historic class. If you were to take a close look in the pits you would find a lot of the vintage Pentons in the Sportsman classes are running up to 79 motors [:0] [}:)]

Dennis Jones

My mistake, I was not aware the new engine was used in '77. They are not legal for Sportsman, I know that for sure.

Brian

'72 Berkshire

You won't see many later 175 motors in the early bikes since they look so much different and it takes a lot of work to make a pipe fit but the 250's and 400's drop right in and look the same.

Dennis Jones

[tooclose racing]

Wow.  What a beautiful bike.  Congrats and I absolutely endorse the notion that "bikes are built to race".  So go racing!  

Oh..and don't ever walk away and leave those Ohlins un-attended. Yee-ow ($$$)!!

[G Ellis]

Well I guess if the owner won't get on this bike, I will have to. The seat cover is mine,;) I also think that the pipe was mine.What I think I have more money in this bike,than you do.[] I did the hard work getting it running.:D:D Just let me break it in for you. Later Gary