46 updates

I made some progress on Wayne's 46 last night and this morning.

Oil lines are installed. The feed line and vent line fit up fairly easily, the return line took a bit of massaging, but it is all good.

I finished up the wiring under the seat post. Those are correct 46 and 47 wiring flags that we make. Notice how the positive wire loops up through the clip on the left frame tube and then wraps around the two tail light wires.

Check out all the cool details and contrasts in plating going on in this picture.

I have another set of exhaust to fit up this weekend, then I can get a batch of pipes painted up. It is neat to be working on another batch of three bikes that are red, black and Blue, the last batch were the same colors. HD didn't really offer that many options in these years.

brakes!!!!

I am in brake mode for a while. Here is a pic of a sunnen pin hone arbor for honing out the rear brake pedals for an oversize stud. I used to have to make these studs from scratch, but colony just came out with new standard and oversized pins. This saves soo much time.


Here it is after it is fit to the pedal. I like to have .010 to .015 clearance.



Here are the rear brakes that I am sorting out. I have most of the parts, but need to order springs. I love doing things in batches, it makes life so much easier.

Oil tank repairs.

I welded on a bunch of oil tank brackets this morning. This is Paul's 37 tank. It is an early tank and the bottom goes down farther than mid 38 and later tanks. So you have to section the back bracket.Here is is tacked in place


Here it is welded up.



DRUM ROLL

46 trans

My daddy finished up this 46 transmission, I had to put it in the chassis just to check it out. This is probably my favorite stage of building bikes. The guys that designed these bikes 75 years ago really had a firm grasp on aesthetics. I love knuckleheads and four speed transmissions!

36-----46

This weekend I worked on my favorite motorcycle. I set up the steering dampener. Check out the original 36- 38 handlebar lock plate with the large riveted locking pin. Another interesting thing to note is the extra long shoulder on the handlebar hold down nut. Early 36 head crown nuts did not have a lip on them like all the later ones. Check out the tall headed handlebar pinch bolts these are correct for 36 to 40! They are the first part that I ever had reproduced way back when I was 17!


Here is a pic of the steering dampener installed, this was a n.o.s. piece that my friend Doug bought off of ebay several years ago for 1400! I used it as a sample to make copies so that I could have one for my 36. I think it is one of the classiest looking pieces that harley ever made!

I glued the floorboard mats down too! I used 3m 800 for adhesive, you can use weather strip adhesive as well. They both work just as good. Maybe in 200 years somebody will replace these mats and see my name in the glue, maybe not? I guess I will never know.....

It is vital to squeeze the mats to the boards while the adhesive is setting up!

This morning I threw a 46 motor in a chassis. This is one of the first 200 knuckleheads made in 46. It is going to be black. I know the oil pump plugs and oil line fittings are supposed to be parkerized, I didn't have the right ones when I was putting it together now I do, and they will be switched out by the end of the day!

Early 46 Knucklehead

Here is an early 46 frame, it is for a 46 that we are doing for Jim in Michigan.


Here it is with the centerstand and rear brake backing plate on it.



Here the front end, front fender and handlebars have been installed. These pics are a couple of days old, the bike is on both wheels right now. We just got the rear fender from Larry today, so I will make some more progress on it, and fill you guys in later.