Story: Green Devil
Images: Mark V
Built-in 2015 by Pat Tozzi, out of Green Devil Garage in Virginia Beach, Va. Green Devil Garage is a veteran-owned and operated custom vehicle shop specializing in custom motorcycles vintage hot rods. The owner Pat is an active-duty member of the US Navy with over 17 years of active-duty service.
The copper chopper came from the idea of wanting to do something big and fully custom. The saying “it takes a village” is very fitting for this motorcycle. Almost every part of this motorcycle has been handmade or modified to fit the bike. The lighting is made from vintage harmonica microphones from the 1940s. The frame and front-end hand made by George of Spartan Frame works and the tins were hand made by Kyle of Yocums Signature Hot Rods. Everything else was made/fabricated by or modified by Pat.
Green Devil Garage was formed in February 2013 by Pat with the idea of opening a shop where others could come to the shop and learn the basics of mechanics and fabrication. Shortly after starting the shop, Pats’ popularity spread. The shop transitioned to a custom shop and Harley Davidson service center.
Pat does like to take on the near-impossible when it comes to building and life in general, but his real motivation came from a conversation with a very big-name builder of custom everything (namely motorcycles, hot rods and firearms). In the beginning phases of Green Devil Garage, Pat asked this builder if he could be a “fly on the wall” and help around the shop for a week or two to see how things worked in this successful shop. Before this interaction, there were nothing but positive interactions between the two. The response he received to this question was, “I have four kids of my own I don’t have time to teach someone how to build motorcycles.” Mind you; this builder has made millions on television series documenting his time spent in other shops learning their skill sets…. In response to this Pat decided to go with a big “FU” if you will.
The build started with a longbike design in Pats head. He then contacted George of Spartan Frame Works. He talked over a long bike idea with five-spoke invader wheels, mechanical rear brake, and a flatside Shovel for the heart of the build. With all the measurements and ideas in the hands of George he then contacted Invader wheel company when it was still around and got the set of five spokes going. All good things take time, after a few months and all necessary parts in his hands he set up a roller and got with Kyle of Yocums Signature Hot rods. Kyle hand made all the copper and brass inlays you see on the bike. He’s an incredible craftsman with limitless talent.
The bike wasn’t built with any other purpose than designing and building something one of a kind. In turn, it allowed Pat to work with some of the best craftsmen in the custom world. Having connections like those are priceless in a world that has seemed to forget what goes into making things by hand and how possible it is to make an idea come to life.
Currently, the Copper Chopper is waiting for its big opportunity. Green Devil Garage does a lot of charity work. The bike has been on the back burner for some time. Being Pat is active military, his schedule is limited in being able to go full steam in areas concerning the shop. Shortly the Copper chopper is going to be raffled in conjunction with a charity. Keep watching Green Devil and see what’s coming!