Lost a Giant

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Lost a Giant

10 Apr 2023 13:19
#882866
RIP Sandy Kosman.

While I did not know him I talked with him on the phone a couple of times back in 1994 when I was interested in buying a drag race swing arm. He was a very nice guy and actually talked me out of buying one of his because at that time it was a custom job. He mailed me all the literature he had at the time and I ended up copying one of his road race arms from the pictures he sent.



www.roadracingworld.com/news/r-i-p-motor...signer-sandy-kosman/

www.dragbike.com/top-fuel-motorcycle-legend-sanford-kosman/
 
1978 KZ650B2 w 1197cc Z1 engine
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike
The following user(s) said Thank You: riturbo, SWest, Dragbike_Mike, Wookie58

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Re: Lost a Giant

10 Apr 2023 18:42
#882884
Sandy was really something special .We spoke of this last year when it happened .He built my teams two chassis    . One Funnybike with a 8 inch tire and the 2nd  a 12 inch tire frame .Here are a few pictures I had handyRIP Sandy    and Bill Hahn too for that matterDave 

Original owner 78 1000 LTD
Mr Turbo Race Kit, MTC 1075 Turbo pistons by PitStop Performance , Falicon Ultra Lite Super Crank, APE everything. Les Holt @ PDM's Billet Goodies . Frame by Chuck Kurzawa @ Logghe Chassis . Deep sump 5qt oil pan. RIP Bill Hahn

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Re: Lost a Giant

11 Apr 2023 04:09
#882897
He split and widened a original 16 inch rear mag wheel off a kz1000 back in the day, He made it six inches wide for a bigger tire, I still have it. Incredible work. RIP.

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Re: Lost a Giant

11 Apr 2023 05:16 - 11 Apr 2023 05:17
#882905
rivman15 wrote:
He split and widened a original 16 inch rear mag wheel off a kz1000 back in the day, He made it six inches wide for a bigger tire, I still have it. Incredible work. RIP.

 
He was the originator of that technique, he use to sell SUN brand rims that he widened to hold 7" slicks. The best welds I have ever seen!

A extremely smart and talented fabricator.
1978 KZ650B2 w 1197cc Z1 engine
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike
Last edit: 11 Apr 2023 05:17 by Injected.

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Re: Lost a Giant

11 Jul 2023 06:22
#887086
Ugh that’s sad!  I just seen a kosman framed drag bike for sale the other day on Facebook marketplace. I believe it said #001 frame number. I’ll have to go look and see if I can find it. 

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Re: Lost a Giant

11 Jul 2023 06:31 - 11 Jul 2023 06:37
#887087
Our Kosman that i rebuilt a few years ago for the nostalgia drags.
I found no frame numbers on it though..



I'm building a Z1R road bike with the exhaust routeing based on it just to be different.
AIR CORRECTOR JETS FOR VM CARBS AND ETHANOL RESISTANT VITON CHOKE PLUNGER SEAL REPLACMENT FOR ALL CLASSIC AND MODERN MOTORCYCLE CARBURETTORS
www.kzrider.com/23-for-sale/611992-air-c...lide-mikunis?start=0





Last edit: 11 Jul 2023 06:37 by zed1015.
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Re: Lost a Giant

11 Jul 2023 06:35 - 11 Jul 2023 09:15
#887090
Here is the ad. 
Last edit: 11 Jul 2023 09:15 by Street Fighter LTD.

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Re: Lost a Giant

11 Jul 2023 06:37 - 11 Jul 2023 06:41
#887091
zed1015 wrote:
Our Kosman that i rebuilt a few years ago for the nostalgia drags.
I found no frame numbers on it though..

 
He made a lot of that type of frame lay down over the years, each one is probably a little unique on its own even if it was not numbered.
1978 KZ650B2 w 1197cc Z1 engine
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike
Last edit: 11 Jul 2023 06:41 by Injected. Reason: sp

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Re: Lost a Giant

11 Jul 2023 06:41
#887094
Injected wrote:
zed1015 wrote:
Our Kosman that i rebuilt a few years ago for the nostalgia drags.
I found no frame numbers on it though..

 
He made a lot of that type of frame over the years, each one is probably a little unique on its own.
Yes! I've never seen two that are identical.
AIR CORRECTOR JETS FOR VM CARBS AND ETHANOL RESISTANT VITON CHOKE PLUNGER SEAL REPLACMENT FOR ALL CLASSIC AND MODERN MOTORCYCLE CARBURETTORS
www.kzrider.com/23-for-sale/611992-air-c...lide-mikunis?start=0





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Re: Lost a Giant

11 Jul 2023 06:45 - 11 Jul 2023 06:47
#887096
Sandy pioneered back bone and back half conversions of stock frames as well as "club foot" swing arms. Once people started to copy his efforts he started making more frames from scratch.
1978 KZ650B2 w 1197cc Z1 engine
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike
Last edit: 11 Jul 2023 06:47 by Injected. Reason: sp

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Re: Lost a Giant

11 Jul 2023 06:46
#887097
Do you think the pics i posted are really #1 framed kosman?

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Re: Lost a Giant

11 Jul 2023 06:48
#887098
MotorcycleMechanic86 wrote:
Do you think the pics i posted are really #1 framed kosman?
 
Probably not, he would have stamped one in or made a alloy number plate riveted.
1978 KZ650B2 w 1197cc Z1 engine
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike

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