He was always an inspiration for me as an artist, always loved his work! His work in Easyriders and American Rodder was fantastic!
I just met this guy at the AMCA swap meet in Eustis, his name's Tig. He had that very panhead there, it's called Cafe Racer, it's on it's 4th engine. The guy was really cool, he told me he modeled for that painting in 1972 but the bike's from 1968.
During the mid 70's I ETS'd out of the Army, moved to Clearwater and bought a FLH, 77. At that time there was a company called "Wild Country Custom" who Dave Mann did tank art for and was "headed" by Tiny. I left Florida to travel and ended up in Beijing China, still riding Harley's and still checking out cool artwork and the depiction of bikers. I use to go to parties at a big white house which was Tiny's, I suppose, and had great memories. I came across this thread and wondered if anyone knew of the history of Tiny and Dave during the Florida years?
When he was still hangin with the Gooses he was still building his own bikes, he may have stopped when he got older and crippled up. Most folks are not aware that the vast majority if his posters and paintings were inspired by people he knew and events that he witnessed or a combination of the two. I am especially fond of a poster he did of a bearded fella peeling out on an old flathead with a cop car in close pursuit. The story goes that the fella got away.
I believe it was, looked like him in the pictures of a younger "Harlan Brower" only bigger.... and Dave did ride a bike in Florida as he always arrived on a bike at the parties I attended. This would have somewhere after 77'....I can still remember the house ...had a separate building that I think was "Wild Country Custom"
That sounds familiar, but to tell the truth, I was just hanging round Clearwater, riding an FLH....I didnt have enough 'green" in those days to go to customs shops and instead hung out at a back yard shop called "Skip's" and a place called Fred's Farm which was owned by Dresser Fred. I just kind of went along to the parties and it was pointed out to me that that was Dave Mann who is the artist responsible for the "Easyrider" fold outs.....