Shepard Racing

05/11/2026

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04/15/2026

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04/14/2026

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04/03/2026

04/03/2026

03/30/2026

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03/24/2026

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What happens when one small Los Angeles workshop dares to out-engineer the giants of American motorcycling? In 1937, while the industry heavyweights played it safe, Albert Crocker built something outrageous — a V-twin so advanced it embarrassed the establishment and rewrote performance expectations before World War II even began.

The 1937 Crocker V-Twin wasn’t just another American twin. It was a mechanical rebellion.

At its heart sat a 61–62 cubic-inch (roughly 1000cc) air-cooled V-twin featuring hemispherical combustion chambers — yes, true “Hemi” architecture decades before the term became marketing gold. While most production motorcycles of the 1930s relied on flatter, less efficient head designs, Crocker went straight for performance science. The hemispherical chambers allowed larger valves, improved airflow, and cleaner combustion. Translation? More power. Sharper throttle response. Harder acceleration.

And the numbers backed it up.

Depending on configuration, these engines produced between 45 and 55 horsepower — staggering output for the era. To put that into perspective, contemporary American V-twins from Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle struggled to match that performance. On the street, the Crocker didn’t just compete — it dominated. Properly tuned examples were capable of exceeding 100 mph, an almost mythical figure for a production American motorcycle in the late 1930s.

But raw power wasn’t the whole story.

Every engine was essentially hand-built. Cast-aluminum crankcases. Nickel-steel flywheels. A massively overbuilt bottom end designed to survive racing abuse. The beautifully finned hemispherical heads weren’t just functional — they were sculptural. Each combustion chamber was hand-machined. Each rocker assembly carefully fitted. This wasn’t mass production. This was precision craftsmanship.

Even the three-speed gearbox was Crocker-designed and engineered for strength, contributing to the bike’s reputation for brutal durability under hard riding. These machines weren’t delicate exotics — they were street fighters.

And then there was the confidence.

Al Crocker famously guaranteed his motorcycles would beat any Harley in a race — or he’d refund the buyer’s money. None were ever returned.

Let that sink in.

In an era when brand loyalty ran deep and corporate muscle ruled the market, a small West Coast workshop built what many riders considered the finest American motorcycle money could buy. The Crocker became known as the “American superbike” long before that term existed — raw, fast, unapologetically performance-driven.

Today, surviving examples are among the rarest and most coveted American motorcycles ever built. With only a few dozen twins produced, auctions routinely see six-figure results. But the true value goes beyond price tags.

The 1937 Crocker V-Twin Hemi engine represents something larger: proof that innovation doesn’t require a giant factory — just vision, skill, and the refusal to compromise.

One workshop. One bold engineer. One engine decades ahead of its time.

03/21/2026

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He Spent $500,000 and 3 Years to build the Seventh Shelby Cobra in the World
For Paul Martin, owning a Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe was never about money; it was about obsession.

The original Daytona Coupe is one of the most legendary race cars ever built. Designed in the early 1960s by Peter Brock for Carroll Shelby’s racing team, it made history as the first American car to win its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Only six were ever produced. Today, they are worth millions, far beyond the reach of most enthusiasts.

So Paul made a different decision.

If he couldn’t buy one, he would build one.

Friends and family thought he was crazy, and maybe he was. But three and a half years ago, he committed himself to an ambitious goal: to recreate the 1964 Daytona Coupe as accurately as possible, down to the smallest detail.

The journey became a global effort.

For the chassis and body, Paul turned to skilled craftsmen in Poland, working out of a former MiG fighter jet factory. Using original blueprints and archival photographs, they spent around 3,000 hours shaping the car’s structure. Meanwhile, Paul sourced authentic components from across the United States and Europe. When parts couldn’t be found, they were meticulously fabricated from scratch.

Every element had to match the original.

He installed a period-correct 289 Ford racing engine, complete with Weber carburetors, a four-speed transmission, and authentic brake cooling ducts. Even the dashboard switches and lettering were recreated with precision. The only real difference? His version is street legal.

Along the way, Paul documented the entire build on social media, drawing a growing audience fascinated by the project. By the time the car was complete in 2016, it had become more than a personal dream; it was a shared journey.

The unveiling was unforgettable.

At a special event in Beverly Hills, members of a Shelby club gathered to celebrate the finished car. Among the guests were Peter Brock, the original designer, who signed the dashboard, and Allen Grant, a driver who raced the original Daytona Coupe in the 1960s. For Paul, it was a moment that blurred the line between past and present.

The project cost around half a million dollars.

But for Paul, the value goes far beyond that.

He drives the car everywhere through mountain roads, along the coast, to events and gatherings. It’s loud, raw, and powerful, capable of reaching 200 mph. Sitting inside, with the engine roaring, feels like being inside a drum, intense, alive, unforgettable.

His wife calls it noisy, scary, and overwhelming.

Paul calls it something else entirely:

A work of art.

03/03/2026

Truly “The Iron Man”!