Latest tape measure

[Bill Houghton]

A 15 minute drive, half an hour of waiting in line, and this tape measure, and yet another 1" C-clamp, were the total treasure haul today.  Sometimes you get a pot of gold; sometimes you don't.  I take it the hex shape is a reference to nuts and bolts, although, frustratingly, it's not a true symmetrical hex.  Still, it's a sweet little thing, and a neat piece of Bay Area history.

The numeric phone number (no alpha prefix) dates it from somewhere in the late 1950s/early 60s, when the old alpha prefixes went out of use.  But no ZIP code, so I'm thinking maybe early 60s, since, after that, pretty well everyone put the ZIP code on addresses.

I briefly (two months) lived up the street from the dealership, and would go in and leave drool puddles all over the floor, although not for the Harleys: they had a sweet BMW motorcycle there.  I didn't feel bad about the drool puddles, because I figured they probably had to clean up the oil puddles every day anyway...

[EVILDR235]

In 1970 my friend Berry won $11,000 on a keno ticket. We were living in Napa at the time. Dudley Perkins was a hour away from us. Berry had another friend Dennis drive him there on his old school Chopper and he bought a used ex California Highway patrol Harley Davidson motorcycle. 74 inch Panhead V-twin with a  3 speed hand shifter on the left side of the fuel tank and a mouse trap clutch. He left the hand shifter, but converted the clutch to a suicide clutch. He had the Hydra Glide front forks extended 12 inches and replaced the rear shocks with steel bars to make a poor mans ridged frame. He was nice enough to let me ride it a few times after much whining from him and me. He paid $600.00 for it on sale. The dealership was overloaded with recent police trade ins. The bike still had the stock handle bars which made it easier to ride that my friend  Buzzard's Sportster that had a very short set of handle bars and a much too long aftermarket springer front end. Berry sold his bike in 1972 for the same $600.00 he paid for it cause his future and later ex wife said he had to. Dennis and Buzzard both had their bikes stolen from them.

EvilDr235

[lptools]

Hello, Bill. Very cool piece!! I am sure some Harley owners would be standing in their own drool puddle if they saw that one!!! Regards, Lou

[Bill Houghton]

I am sure some Harley owners would be standing in their own drool puddle if they saw that one!!! Regards, Lou

Hmmmm.  All I need to do now is figure out where Harley owners hang out online.

Did find one forum.  Needs more research.

[bonneyman]

I found this interested tape/razor knife combo awhile back but I don't think I posted a pic here. Enjoy!

[papadan]

First combo like that I have seen, very cool.

[bonneyman]

First combo like that I have seen, very cool.

Using the tape measure with the knife body as a handle is slick. But using the knife is, shall we say, a little "hinkey".

[Yadda]

That is a very gizmoish combo.  The odd duck hunter in me wants to bag one of those. 

[bonneyman]

That is a very gizmoish combo.  The odd duck hunter in me wants to bag one of those. 

Well, I've gotta get rid of some tape measures, so keep an eye out in the classifieds. You'll probably like what you see!