Capo's Monster

[Mr Gazza]

I loved that bike! I still do, I have a fascination for it, not an obsession, but a fascination.



I've got a little side project at the moment involving a bit of artwork.. I'll reveal this on here when it's finished, if it's not a disaster! So it came to pass that I decided it needed that woodpecker character on it that Capo had on his (CF) seat cowl, and then nothing else would do. I figured that I would have to have this airbrushed on like Capo did on his, so I paid the local people at AirFX a visit. It turned out to be quite difficult to do it as small as I wanted and to get a decent image to work from.



I came home an started surfing to see if I could get a better image. I had always thought that Capo had based the designs on WW2 nose art, certainly the sharks teeth are from the Warhawks.
I soon had the character identified as Woody Woodpecker, who I remember from my childhood. further searching found a very similar cigar smokin' Woody called speedy Woody and then I dropped onto the perfect image called Mr Horsepower.



So maybe it wasn't nose art but rather a nod to engine tuning, since the character seems to be promoting hot camshafts?
Searching for Mr Horsepower on ebay had me a sheet of stickers from the UK in no time with handed pairs in various sizes.. Sorted..
My interest in Woody Woodpecker affectionately remembered, prompted a read of what Wikipedia had to say; created by Walter Lantz and first appearing in 1940 he was a very popular character. (Somewhat badass!) he did appear on WW2 nose art, so back to that theory.

I wish it was something I had asked Capo about. There was so much to know about that bike. He had got the weight down by some 42 kilos. The frame was alloy and I think made by Pierbon? I'm not very good recalling names, but I'm sure it was the chappie who passed away a year or two ago?
Capo told me how he collected the frame and then took it into the back door of the factory and had some obliging soul, (whom he probably knew) stamp his frame number in it with the factory stamps.
It was (and still is) an absolute work of art and devotion, forged almost entirely from exotic metals and carbon fibre. I started this thread in the hope that folks who have titbits about the bike would post up some details... Looking forward to the stories..