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Copper Chopper
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Sick Choppers' Copper
Jan Morgan
12/01/2003
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Photography by Cordero Studios/corderostudios.com
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Ready-built frames, off-the-shelf forks, and rigid adherence to the
Harley-Davidson V-twin engine conspire to limit the custom nature of most
choppers. Outside of an innovative tank or fender, the basic plan is to frame a
V-Twin, with individuality confined to the use of chrome, paint and sheet metal.
 When Ted Taormina, proprietor of Sick Choppers, wanted a special performance
chopper, he was prepared to try something very different. First, it had to fit
his 6-foot-plus frame, and it had to have a special look that would distinguish
it from all the choppers that have come before. He also wanted some serious
horsepower in that long wheelbase. One look at the Copper Chopper confirms that
Taormina not only met his objectives, but exceeded them. To see this machine in
a photo is to immediately suspect the work of a talented Photoshop
technician. (Click image to enlarge)
Taormina’s approach was to render his metal sculpture entirely in
copper-plate finish, then install a powerplant that is both traditional and
completely out of the ordinary: the Feuling Motor Company W3 engine, a
45-degree, three-cylinder version of the traditional Harley-Davidson
V-twin.
 The late Jim Feuling was a very special sort of engineer. His designs
ranged from the aerodynamic shape of F1 Ferrari star Michael Schumacher’s helmet
to the Feuling Bonneville streamliner and from high-performance Harley-Davidson
cylinder heads to entire engines of advanced design. His client list covered
just about every automotive and motorcycle manufacturer on this planet— and
perhaps others in far away solar systems. (Click image to enlarge)
Involved in the exotic car
industry since 1988, Taormina met Feuling while working with Al Burtoni at
Milano Imports. He assisted Feuling on his streamliner, and became familiar with
many of his engine projects, including the intriguing W3. In January of 2000,
Feuling offered him the opportunity to ride his new Fueling W3 prototype, and
Taormina’s passion for building exotic choppers was born.
Building a frame
around this unique engine was a challenge. Most choppers are constructed on
ready-made frames designed around the conventional Harley/S&S engine
configuration. Taormina wanted to start out with an Arlen Ness–manufactured
frame and rear suspension to ensure uniform alignment and engine mounting ease,
but there would have to be some changes. “I decided on the Arlen Ness frame
because it could be modified to accept the engine, and because it used the
rubber-engine-mount Dyna Glide system and suspension,” Taormina explains. “The
frame was ordered with an 8-inch rise and 3-inch stretch.”
 Seeing triple. The Feuling W3 Engine in all its sick glory. (Click image to enlarge)
Behind every
chopper is an ace welder/fabricator. In this case, it is Terry Puccio. He cut
the Arlen Ness frame and added a new horseshoe section to accommodate the front
cylinder of the W3. This allowed the frame to retain the desired proportions and
geometry. “Terry is just amazing. If I could think of it, he could make it,”
says Taormina.
Fuel tank shape is always critical to the look and
proportions of a bike, and Taormina was again looking for something different.
“I found a company called Independence that would make me a custom stamping,
longer and wider to fit this frame, in two pieces so that I could make a smooth
seam,” he relates. The fenders were also modified from custom stampings, the
rear gaining some width to cover the fat 250 tire.
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