Vintage Pics of the Day

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Mike, not a great picture, so a certain amount of imagination required here. It looks like I-beam forks, 1930-33 mudguards and taillight, short rear chainguard and left hand rear chain, so a Harley VL. They look like the pre-1935 long handlebar spirals with no grips. Those are the pre-1940 rectangular footboards. The round toolbox was used 1930 only on the VL, and the 1930 twin headlamps were often replaced with a single lamp. The flying ball tank decal was current 1936-39 and used to freshen up older bikes. My best guess is therefore a late 1930s or 1940s picture of a 1930 VL with typical owner updating but, as always, I could be wrong. Why didn't people write the engine number and date on the back of the photo?

[JoJo357]

*M.A.D.*

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[BigLakeBob]

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[Jim]

Vintage Pic of the Day - October 8, 2022

Here is one where a member of AMCA's Facebook group is hoping to identify the make, model and year of this bike for a piece he is writing about the man pictured. Can anyone comment?

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Thanks

Mike Love

I'm looking at the St. Bernard Tool box which makes me think it's a Harley and they used those on some of the JD models (not sure of all the years) and 1930VL... same with the rear stand and chain on the left. Square foot boards. Sure other makes had that too.. No Horn, is that the small headlight like on a '29JD or '30VL? The shiney spot just under the tank looks like the air cleaner for the '30VL. BUT... I see that extra rear fender stay/brace just behind the riders hand so this makes me believe it's probably a JD. The headlight looks too small for the 1928 JD. OK, so there is my opinion... for what it's worth.

[Steve Slocombe]

Yes, that round tool box was used on the 1929 JD and the 1930 VL, if it is original to the bike. The canister air cleaner was used 1928-31 so is not definitive. The front brake came out in 1928. The 1930 VLs are the most produced of that model, and also the oldest and most altered. Originally they (and the '29 JD) had the twin Solar headlights and Klaxon 11 horn, often altered later to a single headlamp. The tank decal means the picture could not have been taken before 1936, so plenty of time for owners to make alterations. If those are indeed I-beam forks in the rather poor quality photo, then it must be a VL, and the production numbers make 1930 statistically the safer bet.

[BigLakeBob]

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[ihrescue]

Why didn't people write the engine number and date on the back of the photo?

Steve - excellent observations. Yes, not a great image to work from and then it forces our imagination to fill in the blanks. It's great we have the ability to imagine when evaluating on limited data. Thanks for taking the time to offer your input.

Mike Love

[ihrescue]

OK, so there is my opinion... for what it's worth.

Thanks Jim - some more great observations. I knew the right place to ask this question was the AMCA Forum. Like so many bikes become this bike sounds like a real aggregate of components - almost like Harley-Davidson's Greatest Hits of that transition from 20s and deep into the 30s.

Mike Love

[ihrescue]

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So much to like in this photo and thanks Bob for posting it and the other hundreds to keep the thread going. This bike has some interesting add on components, the front fender guard at the tip and the rear guard. That rear guard looks similar to modern day push bars on vehicles. How about the gal's outfit, maybe a jumpsuit though I was thinking she had a western shirt on based on the pocket flap fastener. A real embellished kidney belt.

Mike Love

[BigLakeBob]

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[BigLakeBob]

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[Jim]

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NJ policeman. Not sure if that is a NJ State Trooper, but he does have NJ on his lapel.

[droptopford]

NJ policeman. Not sure if that is a NJ State Trooper, but he does have NJ on his lapel.

Good eye!... I guess anyway. Looks like Bronson's tank emblem to me

[T. Cotten]

Good eye!... I guess anyway. Looks like Bronson's tank emblem to me

If you right-click on it Folks,...

And then 'inspect',.. usually you can find the name of the file, and most that BLB has posted lately are labeled 'VintagePhotosofMotorcyclesandtheirRidersinNewJers ey.etc'

But its hard to imagine a coyote in New Jersey.

....Cotten
PS: Oh yeah,.. pics..

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[Panhead Ed]

We have them.