Factory '46 FL pictures?

[felthamw]

Anybody heard from Antique Cycle Supply or able to get thru to them?
Phone line is down.
No web page.
Anyone know how to get a hold of them?

I am looking for a set of factory pictures (or any genuine MOCO pictures) for a '46 FL. Lonnie had a nice CD he sold us that showed LH and RH sides of the '50's era panheads. I wanted to see if they had one for the '40's era (specifically for my next '46 project).

If he doesn't have them or I can't get a hold of him to find out - does anybody have any factory prototype or original/genuine pics available? It is the start of the process to get the bike "right".

Thank you in advance!
Wayne #4329

[fabercycle]

Wayne,

Time to look elsewhere. Antique Cycle is no longer.

[Robert Luland]

Word on the street says they were bought up by Willem Boon. Same owner as NOS Parts. The bullshit here is there shutting down NOS Parts as the can no longer operate in the states according to federal law. As a business man for the last thirty-five years. I've never heard of such a thing. Who the hell knows what's going on. Bob L

[KNUCK]

I some time ago restored a 1946 EL knuck, got 94 points or so. I have a picture 8x10 of a dealer sitting on a 1946 Knuck and it had no plate, so it was new. Only of the Rt side I think. He was the owner of Swim Harley Davidson out of Ill. Tough year to restore because of the many changes and dispute of colors available. Many parts are parkerized but later in the year chrome started to return so if a later model a little more chrome. Mine was skyway blue and sort of a mid year. I am sure Chris will chime in, I remember he screwed with me at a meet on a few petty things. Took max full point deduction for one small item instead of one or two points. But I digress...................

[sirhrmechanic]

Wayne:

I also have a '46 el. My pride and joy... never thought I would own a Knucklehead, but it's mine, all mine!

The best resource I found (and it's not perfect) is the Original Knucklehead book from Classic Motorbooks. There are a lot of good pictures and details of the '41 - '46 bikes. Of course with WW2, few were produced in the middle years.

As KNUCK above says, '46 is tough. Early postwar there were all kinds of changes as strategic materials became available again and as war stocks got used up. Early bikes and late ones will definitely be different. And as the company geared up for Panhead production, the bikes evolved a lot. The '47 Knucklehead, if I remember correctly, was produced in greater numbers than all pre-47 Knuckleheads combined. So the '46 was a bit of a stepchild that met some postwar demand while tiding the company over to the '47 and it's big move, the Pan.

FYI, my EL is a bike that is a basically unrestored survivor of the '50s. It was updated, pimped out, etc. during its early life. But after that, it became a time-warp. So restoring it would totally strip away its identity and its uniqueness as a bike that managed to avoid being chopped and is truly representative of the 'garbage wagon' era of heavy cruisers. So I wasn't out to restore it to factory new, but to preserve it as a fully-loaded dresser.

Anyway, if there are any questions I can answer, I am glad to try. And there are definitely folks here who can give you a ton of good advice.

Cheers,

Sirhr

PS. Get yourself a copy of The Enthusiast from 1945 and 1946. And the Museum probably has some good photos available. They have a brand-new, unrestored '46 in their collection.

[Chris Haynes]

There are no good factory photos of a 1946. I have pictures that are distant shots and close up photos of different areas of the bike. Is there anything in particular you are looking for?

[tomcat1]

this is the best photo I have.


1946FL.jpg

[Chris Haynes]

this is the best photo I have.


[ATTACH=CONFIG]7683[/ATTACH]

That picture looks familiar. I guess because I originally posted it. If I recall correctly the bike was a 1945. She was the wife of a H-D dealer in IL;D

[BPK!!]

46 Knuck pic's!!

DSCN5436.JPGDSCN5418.JPG

Hellooooooooo-heres' pic's of an unrestored original paint 46. Send me a pm(personal email) and I'll send you more pic's of my 46-hopefully they will help-good luck-Thanks, BPK!!

[Matthew N. Olse]

Here are some good wire routing shots that my friend Bill York from aaok took of our bike to show wire routing details. YOu can get a lot of info off of these photos. http://aaok.com/blog/?page_id=153 The bike is 46el397something. it is the low rider configuration, bullneck frame with an inline fork and handles like a dream, well it used too. You can also go to my blog and see a lot of 46 photos, the url is www.oldbikesinsd.blogspot.com If you need any more info, please ask, I love war time knuckles and have a lot of nice detail photos and notes from the last ten years

[felthamw]

I some time ago restored a 1946 EL knuck, got 94 points or so. I have a picture 8x10 of a dealer sitting on a 1946 Knuck and it had no plate, so it was new. Only of the Rt side I think. He was the owner of Swim Harley Davidson out of Ill. Tough year to restore because of the many changes and dispute of colors available. Many parts are parkerized but later in the year chrome started to return so if a later model a little more chrome. Mine was skyway blue and sort of a mid year. I am sure Chris will chime in, I remember he screwed with me at a meet on a few petty things. Took max full point deduction for one small item instead of one or two points. But I digress...................

Knuck,
Thanks for the response. Might I ask do you still have that photo and if so, can you scan it and post it? Or send it to me? I save anything '46 these days and any info regarding the pictures can help develop the timeline of changes/upgrades post war. Mine is early - FL 21xx, making it within the first 1200 or so.
Ya gotta love the judging routine! I went thru the same on another bike and almost (yea, almost - but not quite) gave up. In the end, it was absolutely correct and I was actually happy to have gone thru the process and learned so much. That is why I am asking for pictures - especially early model year '46's. I keep saying I won't do this for judging but..................I bet I will.
Thanks
Wayne #4329

[felthamw]

Wayne:

I also have a '46 el. My pride and joy... never thought I would own a Knucklehead, but it's mine, all mine!

The best resource I found (and it's not perfect) is the Original Knucklehead book from Classic Motorbooks. There are a lot of good pictures and details of the '41 - '46 bikes. Of course with WW2, few were produced in the middle years.

As KNUCK above says, '46 is tough. Early postwar there were all kinds of changes as strategic materials became available again and as war stocks got used up. Early bikes and late ones will definitely be different. And as the company geared up for Panhead production, the bikes evolved a lot. The '47 Knucklehead, if I remember correctly, was produced in greater numbers than all pre-47 Knuckleheads combined. So the '46 was a bit of a stepchild that met some postwar demand while tiding the company over to the '47 and it's big move, the Pan.

FYI, my EL is a bike that is a basically unrestored survivor of the '50s. It was updated, pimped out, etc. during its early life. But after that, it became a time-warp. So restoring it would totally strip away its identity and its uniqueness as a bike that managed to avoid being chopped and is truly representative of the 'garbage wagon' era of heavy cruisers. So I wasn't out to restore it to factory new, but to preserve it as a fully-loaded dresser.

Anyway, if there are any questions I can answer, I am glad to try. And there are definitely folks here who can give you a ton of good advice.

Cheers,

Sirhr

PS. Get yourself a copy of The Enthusiast from 1945 and 1946. And the Museum probably has some good photos available. They have a brand-new, unrestored '46 in their collection.

Sirhr,
I appreciate that book tip and will find and purchase one today. Call that an early "me to me" Christmas present!
My FL is early. The belly case numbers are correct, all date codes correct, 29 degree neck, in line springer, tins are original/correct (except rear fender is a good repop). I have the critical bits that "make" an early '46 real. Plastic grips, bakelite H-D kick pedal, black spirals, brown seat and '45 brown bags. I am getting there!
That is very interesting about the Museum having an unrestored '46. Worth the trip to Milwaukee, I am sure.
Thanks for the offer of help. I just may be picking your brain as I head further down this road............
Wayne #4329

[felthamw]

There are no good factory photos of a 1946. I have pictures that are distant shots and close up photos of different areas of the bike. Is there anything in particular you are looking for?

Hello Chris
In particular? Collaberation on black being a factory color early on! On page 459 and 572 of Bruce Palmers book he shows pictures of 46FL1080. I so want that bike to be black. It appears to be but the B&W photography could be fooling me. I want to paint mine black. A good looking black Plain Jane! Question is, why would it be so early and be black? Those are H-D pictures, maybe you do have the originals now. Any confirmation/denial will help me decide on my paint scheme. Would you dock me 6 points for incorrect paint if I did black?

Also, if you do have the originals of those pictures - looked like the one on page 572 got cropped. (He made reference to a name plate that isn't really there). I am asking about this because I need detail on the mud flap. Looks like leather? Brown leather?

Thanks Chris
Wayne #4329

[felthamw]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]7684[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]7685[/ATTACH]

Hellooooooooo-heres' pic's of an unrestored original paint 46. Send me a pm(personal email) and I'll send you more pic's of my 46-hopefully they will help-good luck-Thanks, BPK!!

BPK!
Thank you! I will PM you.
Wayne #4329

[felthamw]

Here are some good wire routing shots that my friend Bill York from aaok took of our bike to show wire routing details. YOu can get a lot of info off of these photos. http://aaok.com/blog/?page_id=153 The bike is 46el397something. it is the low rider configuration, bullneck frame with an inline fork and handles like a dream, well it used too. You can also go to my blog and see a lot of 46 photos, the url is www.oldbikesinsd.blogspot.com If you need any more info, please ask, I love war time knuckles and have a lot of nice detail photos and notes from the last ten years

Hi Matt
I had already gone to you and your dad's web site and "picked" what I could. That's not plagiarism, is it? THANK YOU very much for those blog address's. Talk about getting lost! I kept looking and looking and reading and reading and lost my initial thought/quest. Tons of good info. Thanks again! I am headed back to look further!
Wayne #4329