The Liberator - Harley's WLA

[Jim]

Very Nice!!!

[Rollo]

What is up with the muffler mounting with the fin down as opposed to up? Was that they way they were mounted on those models? Not picking just curious. Those look fantastic!! Someone is extremely lucky to have such rare bikes and in that condition.

Tom(Rollo) Hardy
AMCA #12766

[Rubone]

The mufflers were mounted upside down to prevent the exhaust from kicking up a trail of dust. For the same reason the fishtail is chopped on WLA mufflers and XA are upswept.

[cdndewey]

The mufflers were mounted upside down to prevent the exhaust from kicking up a trail of dust. For the same reason the fishtail is chopped on WLA mufflers and XA are upswept.

Yea you'd never see a trail of dust from a bike travelling down a gravel road at 40 mph....lol

[Peter Cooke]

Can anyone tell me anymore about the ELC's?
For instance does the engine start with 42ELC10XX or similar?
I ask because a couple of years ago my Uncle told me about a friend of his who found a very cheap knucklehead on Ebay in a car yard in Canada. He called them and they told him someone had traded it in on a car and they didn't really want it so put it on Ebay to get rid of it. The guy had got the distinct impression that they didn't realise what they had which was why it was so cheap. I'm pretty sure he said by the time he got it shipped to Australia it still only cost him about 20k. I also remember being told that he had assumed it had left the factory as a sidecar model because it has reverse gear.
I'd like to be able to send the info to my Uncle to pass to his friend as I suspect if it is an ELC he may not be aware of what it is and how few of them were made.

Thanks

[ricmoran]

How rare are the WLA original mufflers?

[Rubone]

There are several basic styles of overlength springers. WLC is not one of them!
'40-'41 WLA Longer legs with 7/16ths holes for standard 45 rockers, 7/8ths inch stem
XA Longer legs with 7/16ths rocker holes, 1 inch stem
ELC Longer legs, 1/2 inch rocker holes for BT rockers, 1inch stem
TA Longer legs, 1/2 inch rocker holes, 1 inch stem, extended handlebar riser tubes
A '41 WLA fork next to a standard 45.

[AFJ]

Can anyone tell me anymore about the ELC's?
For instance does the engine start with 42ELC10XX or similar?
I ask because a couple of years ago my Uncle told me about a friend of his who found a very cheap knucklehead on Ebay in a car yard in Canada. He called them and they told him someone had traded it in on a car and they didn't really want it so put it on Ebay to get rid of it. The guy had got the distinct impression that they didn't realise what they had which was why it was so cheap. I'm pretty sure he said by the time he got it shipped to Australia it still only cost him about 20k. I also remember being told that he had assumed it had left the factory as a sidecar model because it has reverse gear.
I'd like to be able to send the info to my Uncle to pass to his friend as I suspect if it is an ELC he may not be aware of what it is and how few of them were made.

Thanks

Peter,

The 42ELC motorcycles were in the motor number range from 42xxx1400 to 42xxx1600 and were built in 2 batches of 24 and 20 bikes in this number range. there also appears to have been a 45th 42ELC retained by the factory. The other bikes in the 1400-1600 range were other 61 and 74 ohv models.
So a genuine ELC would be engine numbered "42ELC" and in the 1400-1600 range.
Bruce Palmer's book "How to restore your Military H-D 1932-52" gives many details of the exact ELC specification and equipment.

Al Johnson

[Peter Cooke]

Thanks Al, very much appreciated.
I'll pass that info on and see what comes of it.