1927 JD Carb. intake cover

[Chris Haynes]

I am unable to find a photo of the carburetor cover on a 1927 JD. The '27 sales brochure shows the previous years intake. The 1927 used a one year only DLX 38 Schebler. This carb had screw flanges for air intake mounting.
Anybody have a photo?

[Chris Haynes]

All the books show a DLX38 as being a 1927 only carburetor. I have a DLX38 and it has four screw flanges for bolting on a cast carb cover. The parts book shows this cover. Yet the factory photos I find of 1927's show the earlier type model H carb with the choke venturi.

[Tommo]

The best illustration I can find is on page 97 of Jerry Hatfield's "Inside Harley-Davidson" and before you all shout but thats on a VL please read the reasons why below.

1925 to 1929 HD parts book issued 1st August 1928 is the first appearence of part # 1229-27 air intake cover, fits 1927 twins and there is no illustration of the part

1926 to 1930 HD parts book issued 1st August 1929 Part # 1229-27 air intake cover fits 1927 twins and there is now an illustration of the part.

1927 to 1931 HD parts book issued 1st August 1930 all the description is the same but it now fits 1927 twins, 1930 VL and DLD and all 1931 twins.

1928 to 1932 HD parts book issued 1st August 1931, everything is the same as above but it now reads, fits 1927 twins, 1930 VL and DLD and first 1931 twins.

Maybe Steve Slocombe can comment on the VL applications as this is out of my field of expertise but with the 1927 application it was basically an alloy cap that fitted to the end of the carb and the carb mouth had two scroll style cutaways to allow the air in. Basically if you put the cap on a carb with a flat intake mouth you would seal the end off.
That being said I have seen quite a few fitted to flat mouth carbs and they have had non standard spacers fitted to allow the air in.
Chris I hope this answers your question.

[Chris Haynes]

Chris I hope this answers your question.

I know the cast cover is seen in issues of the 1927 Enthusiast. And my DLX38 carburetor is designed for it to be mounted on it. But still the factory photos of the '27 show a model H carburetor. It is noted that it a very early '27, the third one made. Perhaps the crates of DLX carbs hadn't been delivered yet. :-)

[Tommo]

In the specifications panel of the 1927 HD Sales Brochure under the twins section and headed carburettor it says:

Quote; "Schebler Model H (Schebler Deluxe optional") Unquote;

From this I would read that either carb would be correct.

Jerry Hatfield on page 53 of his book "Inside Harley-Davidson" comments that the Schebler Deluxe was optional from 1917 on but the Deluxe doesn't appear in any HD parts books until the 1922 to 1926 one that was issued on the 1st August 1925.
The cover photo of the July 1927 issue of "The Harley-Davidson Enthusiast" shows the carb and intake cover in question on a bike with a sidecar fitted.
Please don't ask me to post images as I've long given up on that and maybe I have to admit that there are some things that I'm just too old to learn.
Most 1927 twins that I've seen here in NZ have the Deluxe fitted but if they left the factory that way I don't know.
What carb was on your bike when you got it as surely this would give you a fair indication?

[Chris Haynes]

What carb was on your bike when you got it as surely this would give you a fair indication?

A Linkert M35.

[rwm]

chirs i have this carb cover I will take a photo or two and try sunday night to post i may need to email it to direct or i can take to jefferson in oct

[rwm]

see if this helps

[Chris Haynes]

There is no doubt that is the correct cover for my DLX38. All the books claim the DLX38 was the carburetor for the 27 JD. But the question still is why do I see model H carburetors in the factory photos of 1927's?

[Tommo]

Because Model H was standard fitment and the Deluxe optional.

[rwm]

i was told my 27 jd was police bike i dont belive this to be correct may have read some where dlx 58 for police bike

[Chris Haynes]

Because Model H was standard fitment and the Deluxe optional.

Where can I see that information?

[Tommo]

In a 1927 Sales Brochure

[Chris Haynes]

In a 1927 Sales Brochure

There it is, on the last page. Mystery solved thanks to Tommo.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear All, I have a photo of a 1930 police VL fitted with the cap 1229-27. This is described in the 1926-39 parts book as being fitted to 1927 twins, 1930 VL and DLD, and first 1931 twins. There was a problem with these as described in Shop Dope 58 of 30 June 1930 titled Carburetor Back Fire Deflector:

"Latest VL and DLD model carburetors are fitted with an air intake cap in place of the air intake furnished as original equipment on all models. In connection with this air intake cap on latest machines, a deflector plate is fitted between cap and carburetor so that in case of motor back firing any flame blown out will be directed away from the carburetor body and adjoining parts that may be wet with gasoline.

Some of the first machines equipped with carburetor air intake cap did not have the deflector plate and it would be as well to so equip these machines, as a precaution against possible damage from back firing....We will furnish deflector plates at no charge..."

The 1926-39 parts book also describes the two piece 1930 VL air intake as fitted 1930-32, while later parts books give the one piece trumpet air intake 1406-31A as fitting 1931-34. There is an intermediate part 1406-31 with a cast front section and a tube in the back, sometimes seen on original 1931 bikes and in Riders' Handbooks. By 1939 the history was well airbrushed, with part 1133-29 illustrated by a Linkert carburetor and the 1932-34 air intake for the 1929 small twin, and 1133-25 showing a Linkert carb and the 1931-34 air intake for the 1925-29 big twins.

We can guess that Harley tried to save money on early 1931 models by fitting the 1927 cap in place of the two piece 1930 air intake, had bikes catch fire, retrofitted the deflector cap as a temporary fix, redesigned the air intake twice, then changed the parts books to reflect their revised version of history.