Holly Williams
and The ‘58
Holly Williams is a native New Jersian who
found her home to be New Orleans in 2010. She
studied Fine Arts at Mason Gross School of the
Arts at Rutgers University. Holly has a deep passion
for philanthropy and giving back to The Crescent
City. She created the New Orleans chapter of The
Barman’s Fund in 2010 and has done rescue and
recovery work with The National Audubon Society
during the BP oil spill. Williams designs, produces
and markets her own jewelry line, Small Change
Finery, which can be found in her shop on Magazine
Street, Tooth & Nail Trading Co., as well as 25 other
fine stores across the U.S. She also owns and operates
Trampled Rose Ranch Guest House and Animal
Sanctuary in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, where she lives
with her boyfriend and a collection of assorted dogs,
goats, chickens, ducks and geese.
http://www.smallchangefinery.com
http://www.toothandnailtrading.com
Bookings at the ranch are available through airbnb.com
There were only 48 stars on the U.S. Flag when
this bike originally came off the assembly line. The
year was 1958, and it was the first year rear suspension
appeared on the big twins, although it had been
standard on the K Models and Sportsters since 1952.
This Panhead has been through many changes in
almost six decades; losing it’s suspension was just part
of that. The stock swingarm frame was replaced with
an aftermarket rigid long ago, and more recently, the
hydraulic forks made way for an extended springer
front end. A king and queen throne replaced the
original spring seat, removing the last bit of cushion,
but giving the rider a solid connection to the road that
only hardtail riders understand.
In an effort to make the bike lighter, the
original sheet metal was all tossed. The fatbob tanks
were replaced with a smaller one of unknown origin,
vaguely reminiscent of a Sportster tank with squared
off edges. The rear hinged fender was replaced
with a flat trailer fender, while the front fender just
disappeared. There are pegs made from railroad spikes
where floorboards once were.
The engine is bored .020 over, with slightly
higher compression and mildly ported heads, really
12
just a cleanup job. The S&S carb, Accel and Mallory
electronic ignition, and open belt drive all help give
a performance boost and might make kickstarting
just a little bit easier. The 2-into-1 pipe helps with the
sound and the power. Other modern touches include
the Performance Machine front disk brake. That is
just a small single piston caliper, anything else would
be too much for the little 17” front tire, especially
when the springer front end doesn’t hold it in tight
contact with the road. Most of the braking comes from
downshifting and the original rear drum.
The bike has no name, we just call it The
‘58. The humidity of Louisiana has begun taking
a toll, spots of rust are beginning to show through
the chrome, and it is already peeling in some places.
Gravel roads have taken paint chips from the frame
and fender. Soon it will be time for another rebuild,
starting fresh once again. This bike has been a daily
rider and a show winner, I don’t think I will change it
much in the next build. This bike takes some serious
effort to ride, but it’s worth it. How much longer will I
be able to keep it on the road? The graphic on the tank
says “Forever Pan”.
Frosty