old photos

[INLINE4NUT]

Baytown, ThankYou!

[William McClean]

I like the shiny nickel poop deflecter on the rear fender of the Big X.

What is that thing ? An experimental air foil ?

Can anybody find a listing as a period excessory ? A reflector maybe ?

[exeric]

Are you referring to the license plate ?

[Rubone]

Looks like an old porcelain license plate to me!
Robbie

[Chris Haynes]

I like the shiny nickel poop deflecter on the rear fender of the Big X.

What is that thing ? An experimental air foil ?

Can anybody find a listing as a period excessory ? A reflector maybe ?

Ya mean the licence plate?

[William McClean]

I may just be the angel of the photo.

verticle mount, beveled at top and bottom, Ridge running verticle, with a depth of about 1.5 ", standing off the fender. No visable ## s

[Rubone]

Sorry William, but I just don't see it. No bevel, it just looks dirty or chipped, the contour follows all the way to the end. No ridge that I see, just looks rounded to me, which also gives the illusion of depth. Not standing off, just a shadow line along the edge. As far as numbers, it would be hard to see them if the colors were not very drastically different.
That's all I get out of it!
Oh, and no Angels in the photo that I see!
Robbie

[exeric]

Speaking of that Excelsior. Would anyone care to guess the year, and what features make it that year ?

[William McClean]

It IS probably time for me to get new glasses, but I sure do see that as 3 dimensional piece, curved and raised in the middle { only seeing the near side of course } bevels at top and bottom for mounting, rounded at the bottom and top, not a rectangular outer shape.

Maybe what I see as the top of the ridge { center line } is the far side of a flat piece. Still no ## though.

The Angels could have helped with my spelling check.

[Scott Parker]

ready to roar 1912

[bmh]

All right Eric, I'll bite. Don't know much about Excelsiors, but based on the tank I'd say it was later....22-24?? Any one else?

[Tommo]

I'll bite too but like Brian I don't know Excelsiors. How about 1915.

[c.o.]

I'm with Tommo on this one. I too am no expert on Excelsiors but something about that primary points me in the direction of 1915.

[exeric]

1915 is correct. Standout features of a '15 Big X are the exposed Eclipse clutch, and the right side shift handle. I was thinking today, how unique the 1915 Harleys, Indians, and Excelsiors were. They were like nothing before or after which had to be quite an expensive model year for those companies. H-D and Excelsior had major frame changes along with the introduction of a 3 speed transmission. One year later in 1916, Indian introduced the PowerPlus motor, H-D streamlined their tanks and fenders, and Excelsior made engineering changes to much of the Big X. 1915 and 1916 must have been wildly hectic in the engineering departments of those companies.

[Scott Parker]

early merkel