Austin's Bobber Build

[knuckcrazy]

Good Weekend

Hello All,
Sorry for not posting Pics for a while but it has been to hot in the shop to work. Last winter I asked wife for some of those fancy tube type heaters because it was alot of work keeping the shop heated with the wood burner and she said ok. A couple weeks ago I asked her for air conditioning and her response was and walked away mumbling about men...... guess that meant no???
Anyway back to the bikes.
Please keep in mind what this project was for when looking at pics. By Austin for Austin. If you have any advice (on bikes not Air conditioners) please post them, he checks the forum daily. I am no expert on all things WLA so if you see anything he can improve on let him know.
We are working hard to make Davenport but its gonna be close.
I was supposed to drop off my 39EL frame to Matt Olsen for repairs in Davenport but I dont think I will make it due to this build. Respect to Matt and all the members that helped with the give away bike. this is alot of work!!! Deadlines and a highly motivated boss (kid), this is kinda like a job!!








while he had his tools out I figured he could fix the chair his oversized friends broke!!

your 13 year old ever get brave and wave wrench at you? ill knock the taste otta his mouth

[knuckcrazy]

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No respect for paint, get the damn chain off the paint



Hillbilly chain breaker

[knuckcrazy]

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I have a 62 pan with a sidecar and his mom said she would like to have her own 3 wheeler some day so I showed up with this one day. Might explain Airconditioner reaction...........

Thought we were lookin good until....


have to cut off tank mounts and move tanks. If you can afford to buy a press, make a die to stamp out parts why I ask why cant you find a frame to jig up your parts before you ship them to customers.

[knuckcrazy]

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More later!!

[rwm]

that's not all that wont fit. your dash base will need so much cutting and grinding. i got the same tanks for my 45. i wanted bomber nose art on my tanks so i bought new ones thinking it would be better then butting a lot of work into old ones. boy was i wrong. i should have fixed the oem tanks. who ever sales the tanks drills and taps the oil fitting in house. when my tanks came in the mail they had a note that i should use cream to hold the metal shavings in place. that was the last v twin part i ever bought!

[BigLakeBob]

Austin, you look like a young Dennis Hopper sitting on that golf cart, same pose as the poster behind you, but glad to see you didn't have the same finger posture. Bike is looking great! Bob

[knuckcrazy]

that's not all that wont fit. your dash base will need so much cutting and grinding. i got the same tanks for my 45. i wanted bomber nose art on my tanks so i bought new ones thinking it would be better then butting a lot of work into old ones. boy was i wrong. i should have fixed the oem tanks. who ever sales the tanks drills and taps the oil fitting in house. when my tanks came in the mail they had a note that i should use cream to hold the metal shavings in place. that was the last v twin part i ever bought!

Well ain't you a breath of fresh air....
Just kidding, thanks for the heads up on dash. I didn't see that one coming. Should have though, everything else we have touched not from MoCo has been reworked. Austin wants to get it together now and hit meets next summer correcting what he dosnt like. Got news for him about sheet metal he is on his own to finance oem ( lotsa grass mowing)
He is cutting the tank tabs off tonight, will post pics in morning.

[knuckcrazy]

Austin, you look like a young Dennis Hopper sitting on that golf cart, same pose as the poster behind you, but glad to see you didn't have the same finger posture. Bike is looking great! Bob

Hope it didn't offend anyone but I am who I am much to my wife's displeasure at times
Both Austin and his mother roll eyes at me sometimes and say "ya gotta look over him".
So look over it!! ( these little smiley things are kinda cool)

[DanM]

The 45 is a great bike to get into the hobby with. They can be taken ionto so many directions. Parts availability is strong. Restored has a classic look, bobbed, etc. Very durable, and regardless of what some have said very usable. I rode mine Massachusetts to Davenport.

I have one example- when I got it it was running and I rode it, but when I went into the engine, the intake lifter were switched position front to rear, which turned the rollers 90 degrees to the cam. They had worn small dips into the nose of the cams. I had Leinwebber regrind the cams and it ran great.

You and Austin are doing a great job.

[knuckcrazy]

Not Made in U.S.A to remade in U.S.A

Last night we attacked the tank problem. Even warned of pain and suffering to my body while sleeping by my wife I let Austin have a go at the cutoff wheel.
I only had a shade 5 lens face shield on hand so we will say that is the reason for example 1 and 2. Thought about gloves but it is like he is working with boxing mits on so we went bare handed, testing fate with the wife I call it.

I watched him chase the tank around for a while then realized I should be doing something. No more action shots, I had to hold tank.

1st try and I get to pratice welding holes.

2nd try and the holes are getting smaller.

3rd is the charm and he is a certified professional......kinda

Cleaning up the tabs.

Mock up of tabs.

We decided to install dash base due to comments here so we fitted it up lined up tank with curve in neck casting and suprise suprise forks dont hit when against stops!!

Think I'll let him try tack welding tabs on with wire feed tonight after I fix holes and pressure test tank. Hope Mom dont find out!!

[petri]

41 WL with sidecar

Here are a couple of pics of a '41 WL with a Goulding Package Sidecar. I just took these pics 2 weeks ago while on an antique car tour in Iowa. This bike is in the National Antique Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, IA. So I guess they put sidecars on WL's. I'm sorry the pics don't show better how the package car is attached.

I had a 42 Harley 45 way back in the 60's. It was a bobber but not very pretty. I got married and away the bike went. You'll never regret restoring these old machines and you'll never be bored. I just finished an old 1932 Packard which took 12 years. An old bike is next on the agenda.

Have fun,
Howard

IMG_5252_1.JPGIMG_5253_2.JPG

[knuckcrazy]

The 45 is a great bike to get into the hobby with. They can be taken ionto so many directions. Parts availability is strong. Restored has a classic look, bobbed, etc. Very durable, and regardless of what some have said very usable. I rode mine Massachusetts to Davenport.

I have one example- when I got it it was running and I rode it, but when I went into the engine, the intake lifter were switched position front to rear, which turned the rollers 90 degrees to the cam. They had worn small dips into the nose of the cams. I had Leinwebber regrind the cams and it ran great.

You and Austin are doing a great job.

A 45 is an awesome bike to start with. I actually someday dream of owning a 47 knuck. I have seen them at meets and have come to like them alot. Thanks for checking out the thread.
Austin

[knuckcrazy]

Austin, you look like a young Dennis Hopper sitting on that golf cart, same pose as the poster behind you, but glad to see you didn't have the same finger posture. Bike is looking great! Bob

Thanks Bob it would be cool to have his panhead though. Sometimes you have to look over my dad.
Austin

[knuckcrazy]

that's not all that wont fit. your dash base will need so much cutting and grinding. i got the same tanks for my 45. i wanted bomber nose art on my tanks so i bought new ones thinking it would be better then butting a lot of work into old ones. boy was i wrong. i should have fixed the oem tanks. who ever sales the tanks drills and taps the oil fitting in house. when my tanks came in the mail they had a note that i should use cream to hold the metal shavings in place. that was the last v twin part i ever bought!

You was right we tried to place the dash and it did not work the way I hoped that it would. We have to get the tanks finished first. Another thing that I noticed was that the dash didn't lay on the tanks properly so I'm sure we will have to work on that some. Did you have to cut and grind on the dash cover or the dash base?
Thanks, Austin

[rwm]

You was right we tried to place the dash and it did not work the way I hoped that it would. We have to get the tanks finished first. Another thing that I noticed was that the dash didn't lay on the tanks properly so I'm sure we will have to work on that some. Did you have to cut and grind on the dash cover or the dash base?
Thanks, Austin

i cut off the lower corners on the base. plus i shimmed the tank mounts. that made the dash opening wider. i try to get some photos this weekend. i think i cut so much off the base i bought a second one thinking the first one must not be right. the second was just as bad