Heaven & Hell Harley-Davidson Panhead
Marko certainly has a love for God, but it was his love for an Australian girl which saw him heading to Australia.
AFTER SERVING four years in the United States Marine Corps, Marko turned his talents to working on motorbikes. His first job was at Brooklyn Harley-Davidson which led him to want to own his own shop. He opened his first shop, Motorcycle Madness, in Brooklyn. Within four years he expanded and opened two other shops, The Biker Store and Brooklyn Biker, also becoming New York’s first and only Panzer dealership. Expanding even further, Mark opened DMS Custom Choppers in Florida.
With his favourite motto. “Talent: On Loan from God,” Marko gives all the glory to God by opening a Christian Bookstore and became a founding member of Christian Motorcyclists Association’s Kings Way Riders Motorcycle Ministry in Fort Myers, Florida.
You’d think life couldn’t get any better—until he met an Australian girl, Karen. They were married on American Independence Day and Mark closed down his existing businesses and relocated to beautiful Brisbane, Australia, but not one to leave his chopped Panhead ‘Heaven & Hell’ behind (which he has owned since 1999), Marko had it shipped to Brisbane.
Heaven & Hell originally started as a Panzer Softail Digger. The 90 ci Panhead engine was built by Accurate Engineering using only the best parts available. The heads are from STD, ported and flowed, with a three-mount flange exhaust port system. The flywheels and engine cases are S&S Super Stock special application: Panhead right-side case; late Shovelhead left-side case. The Crane pushrods run on Andrews cams. The ignition is a Mallory Unilite electronic distributor. The lifter blocks and roller tappets are from Jims Machine. The S&S Shorty Super E series carburettor uses a one-inch extended S&S air filter.
The Paughco, Softail style, straight-leg frame is slightly raked and slightly stretched, with three-degree raked billet triple trees to compliment the four-inch-over fork tubes. The Z-bars are also from Paughco.
The one-off Brooklyn style coffin tank compliments the customised skull headlight and handmade saddlebags.
Special thanks to: Mom, Dad, and Brother Richie, Pastor Ron Favaloro,
John Sr, John Jr, Shifty, Brad, Reno, Jeff Sears, Simon, Dave, Guz, Brett ‘Fish’, Cory, Jeff and Kieren, Jules, and of course, his wife Karen.
Words & pics by Jules @ Top Gun
