This story has a strange, macabre sense to it. It's full of industry connections, criminal indictments, terrible accidents and Laughlin parties. The only thing it lacks is sex, and I'm sure there's some in there someplace, but I get enough heat about mentioning sex that it's best leaving it in the closet.

Jim Dullum began this project with The Shop in Whittier, California, before the proprietor was arrested on a conspiracy charge and hauled off to prison. Jim and Troy Lobe performed the final assembly with the assistance and coaching of Rusty Coones. Rusty had a dream and the heritage of the name Illusion from the Donnie Bitman days. Rusty planned to revitalize the name Illusion with a line of Big Red Machine Bikes and this was a prototype, the 1999 Illusion Hammer. It was the first of its kind. The shop is closed now, its leader is in prison, and production of the line of bikes is at a standstill, but the fantasy lives on. When Rusty returns, so will the drive to make the dream come true.