Solid Steel Wheel Option / Accessory

[40 Nuck]

OK, I know I'm overdosing on this site, but it is such a great resource. So I'm catching up on all the questions I haven't had answered with research or elsewhere. Anyway, I have a 1940 EL, and I have a photo of my uncle (30's to 50's racer and HD sales/service manager in Florida) on his 1940 EL, and it has the solid steel wheels. In my few years interest in the Knuckles, I have never seen the solid steel wheels in a swap meet, or anywhere (not even on ebay). These are NOT the thin cosmetic wheel covers that bolt on over the spoked wheels, but the solid (pressed steel?) wheels similar, as I understand it, to the servicar wheels. I have heard that the wheels were different for the solos vs. the servicar . I have only seen these in some of the color photo books. I'm assuming that these are scarce as hen's teeth, and would probably cost $40,000 a set =-) but was wondering if anyone had some general info on them (for example, were they common; did they have problems; are they made of pressed steel; are they only for the 18" wheels, or the 16" wheels too; are their different varieties for the various models; is there a source of info on these; has anyone seen any for sale, and if so, where, and for how much?). Thanks, Vic

[Jerry Wieland]

I think that those solid wheels were probably surplus war items. XA and maybe a few WLA had them. I do not believe that they were available to the public except thru surplus sources.

Jerry

[40 Nuck]

I've found an example of these wheels in Greg Field's "Original Harley Davidson Knucklehead" fitted on a 1939 EL (Blue/White) owned by Eldon Brand. On page 72, there is a nice pic of the wheels, painted the primary body color (blue). My uncle's 1940 EL (per a period photo) had the wheels in chrome.

The photo caption in Fields' book states ... "Eldon Brown's stunning 1939 EL features solid steel wheels , made by Wolf Wheel Company of Akron, Ohio. These are period accessories that have been on the bike since it was new according to Reg Shanks, the Vancouver Island, British Columbia, dealer who originally sold the bike in 1939." A later photo caption (p. 74) states ... "the knucklehead was made extra fancy wit disk wheels and whitewall tires, which were not offered by H-D on new machines that year." I'm not sure if the "not offered that year" applies to the whitewall tires only, or to both the whitewall tires and "disk" wheels.

Did Wolf make the accessories for H-D, and therefore it was an H-D accessory, or was it a period aftermarket piece? I guess I need to find an H-D accessories catalog ... I don't think all the accessories are in the 1941 Spare Parts Catalog.

Vic

[Rubone]

Vic,
Wolfe was an aftermarket company that also were the first guys to make a 16" rim several years before H-D as a viable alternative to the factory 18" wheels. I have a magazine article on them.
They do not appear in any Harley Accessory catalog as they were never sold by H-D. The article appears in the "Motorcyclist", April 1938. In the same issue there is an ad for Wolfe. they were out of Akron, Ohio. In the ad there is a picture of a Knucklehead with the solid disc wheels.
Robbie

[40 Nuck]

Robbie ... Thanks for the info. Looks like the solid wheel is not a viable wheel for a correct knucklehead for show. And anyway, probably not very available or affordable either. I have a few old "Motorcyclist" mags, and I'll look for the April 1938 issue you mentioned ... I really love the look. Also, thanks for the info on Wolfe. I think that's all I need to know. Vic

[Mike Miller]

test test test

[Chris Haynes]

I think that those solid wheels were probably surplus war items. XA and maybe a few WLA had them. I do not believe that they were available to the public except thru surplus sources.

Jerry

The XA and other military bikes with the disc rims were the small 45" type. There were aftermarket companies the took star hubs and 16" rims and made their own disc centers. they were sold on an exchange basis. One such company was called King of the Road. Harley started using that as an advertising slogan years later.