Buddy’s 1947 Knucklehead Restoration

Posted by Highway Classics on February 3, 2013
Posted in: Restorations. Tagged: .

This is Buddy’s 1947 Knucklehead restoration that we completed.  This is one of several motorcycles that we have restored or worked on for Buddy.  We worked on this project for about two years off and on between other projects for Buddy and other customers.  The bike is painted Skyway Blue (one of three original colors offered that year).  We were very pleased with the way it turned out, as was Buddy.

Below is a video of one of the initial tests we did on the engine on our run-stand.

We test ride our bike projects several times before the customer picks it up.

 

 

Dennis O.’s 1946 Indian Restoration

Posted by Highway Classics on January 27, 2013
Posted in: Restorations. Tagged: .

Dennis brought his 1946 Indian to us this last summer for a full restoration.  It was a complete bike but was fully disassembled.  These pictures show some of the process that the bike is currently going through as we begin our restoration.  The frame and finders have been sandblasted in preparation for bodywork and paint.  We have cleaned the frame, removing all non-original pieces, and we have gone though most of the parts to see what is good and what is still needed.  We will post more updates as we continue working on this bike.

1950 Indian Barn Find

Posted by Highway Classics on January 27, 2013
Posted in: Cool Stuff. Tagged: , , .

This 1950 Indian was found in a barn in Pennsylvania.  It was originally brought to us for restoration, but we talked the owner into getting it running and leaving it original after we saw how special this bike was.  1950 was the first year Indians were produced with a telescopic front fork as well as left-hand shift and right-hand throttle.  It was also the first year for the 80 cubic inch motor.  This bike was painted black when it came to us, but we removed the black paint to find the original Indian Red paint.  Original-paint bikes are much more desirable than restored ones, in our opinion.  In order to get it running, we may have to do a top-end on it.  We also anticipate having to rewire and rebuild some components.  This project may take a couple of months.  These pictures may give you an idea of what an original 1950 Indian looks like.

Mike’s 1948 Indian Engine Rebuild

Posted by Highway Classics on December 7, 2012
Posted in: Engine Shop. Tagged: , .

These are pictures that we took in our shop of an Indian engine that we are rebuilding for a customer.  The pictures show a valve job being done on our guide and seat machine.  Also shown are flywheels that are being rebuilt and balanced.  Note the red paint on the flywheels, as per factory.  The flywheels were balanced on a dynamic engine balancer which means you have to true the them twice.  Once without the rods on the crankpin, and then once after you assemble the rods on the flywheel.

 

1936 Koslow Racing Engine

Posted by Highway Classics on November 22, 2012
Posted in: Cool Stuff, Engine Shop. Tagged: .

This is an engine I found beneath a workbench while helping Bob Bamford on a 47 Offenhauser-powered brickyard racer back in the 80’s.

The story I got from him was that it is as highly modified Harley VL engine from 1936. It has special built components by Andy Koslow of Chicago. The left case half was cast by his foundry for extra strength and larger bearings. The cylinders are oversize and was done by the same company that was making the Harley cylinders at the time. The displacement is somewhere around 105 cubic inches. It has dual bombsight alcohol carbs by Tillotson.

In 1936, overhead valves first emerged in HD Knuckleheads, and these appear to be Harley rocker arms with standard ratio, but they are totally exposed with grease zerks on the ends of the rocker shafts.  The side support plates for the rocker arms are also of Koslow design, and are manufactured by him. Although Andy was a famous hill climb enthusiast, he designed and helped bring a few of these engines to production. This engine was used in a race car similar to what’s now known as a midget car. Back then, they were called popsicle racers, I think.

Tony Bettenhausen supposedly won his first professional race sitting behind this very engine. I think it was likely the 1941 race at the Chicago Raceway Park. If anyone knows more about this story, or this engine, I would love to hear it.

Everything aside, this is still an exotic and gorgeous engine. I have the complete toolbox that accompanies the motor, and the special dovetail tools for removing all the nuts. One of these days I’m going to fuel it and fire it up.  It turns over and the mag is hot.  I bet it’s ready and waiting to go. Now where did I leave that run stand…

 

1947 Denny McLain Knuckle

Posted by Highway Classics on October 23, 2012
Posted in: Restorations. Tagged: .

Before and After Slideshow

 

The Tale of a Knucklehead
By Denny McLain
June 15th, 2008 Father’s Day

I hadn’t really thought about writing something like this but early on in the restoration process with the Harley it was strongly suggested by Dave at Highway Choppers. He said getting the bike fixed back up was only half of my responsibility. I owed it to the bike and to the family to write down everything that I could remember about growing up with it. That way, long after I’m gone there’s still a connection to the family. Along the way each member of the family that takes on the responsibility to care for the bike will add their own pages to the story. They’ll add their own pictures and maintain the history.  Continue Reading

1939 Knucklehead

Posted by Highway Classics on October 23, 2012
Posted in: Restorations. Tagged: .

The story of two best friends and a very special1939 Harley-Davidson 61 OHV knucklehead.

Written by Randy D. Lowery, son of Robert Lee Lowery and current 1939 Harley caretaker.

This ’39 Harley started life as a police motorcycle. It was sold to the California highway patrol through Dudley Perkins Co. in San Francisco and was in service until 1946 . After World War II , the highway patrol updated it’s fleet, with the Harley being transferred to the Eureka police department in northern California.

In 1948, Lee Wally Shields Jr. was a motorcycle mechanic working at the local Harley shop that was supplying new bikes to the Eureka police department. He bought the bike in late 1948 in fairly rough condition. With limited funds, he did a custom paint job ( black with yellow scallops), removed the front fender and crash bar, removed the back section of the rear fender, changed the handle bars and relocated the license plate and rear lighting.
Continue Reading