1936 el- value?

[Rollo]

Chris,

I was aware to the compression ratio difference between E and EL models but was the paint difference so that they were readily able to be differentiated without having to check the vin to see? Was this a 36 only thing or was it used on other models and years?

Tom (Rollo) Hardy
AMCA#12766

[Rubone]

Tom, no paint difference. All 36s use the same paint schemes. I believe Chris meant all "E" series in his original post. That means E, EL, and ES.

[Rollo]

Robbie,
Ok now I'm really confused, which is not hard to believe. I made the comment that all the 36EL's I have seen either in person or in literature show the tanks being painted in two tone but the bike shown and discussed is monochrome with just decals and pinstripes. Chris says all E models were this way. Then the comment about the compression ratios of which I am well aware. I agree with your statement but Chris's doesn't seem to say the same thing. He says they are one color and only the fenders are two tone. I'm not trying to pick a fight here but both statements seem to contradict themselves. Are they one color or are they two tone? Like I say all the examples I have seen are two tone including more that a few OP examples. The bike being discussed is definitely shown with Nile Green only on the tanks. If this is OP or being represented as correct then wouldn't the tanks be Nike Green and Maroon? Like I say not trying to pick a fight here but just trying to answer questions and help the poster determine if the bike in question is actually 99% as the seller is telling him. If I am not posing the right question could someone please explain. Thanks!

Tom (Rollo) Hardy
AMCA#12766

[Chris Haynes]

Chris,

I was aware to the compression ratio difference between E and EL models but was the paint difference so that they were readily able to be differentiated without having to check the vin to see? Was this a 36 only thing or was it used on other models and years?

Tom (Rollo) Hardy
AMCA#12766

There is no paint difference. All E Series Models had solid color tanks with a transfer and a pinstripe.

[harleytoprock]

The 1936 Harley models had two tone fenders and the tanks were one color with a decal and a pinstripe. Two tone tanks for 1936 was not standard.

[Rollo]

Okay I hear you guys. Just looked back at the cover of the club mag back a couple of years ago shot at Wauseon with all the 36's and all of those are as you say. Told you I wasn't an expert but now I am one step closer! Were two tone tanks an option at all in 36 from the statements above I assume no.

Tom (Rollo) Hardy
ANCA#12766

[36 knuck man]

here's a shot of my rider a few yrs ago at Eustis

[HarleyCreation]

The motor number model designation (in this case E or EL) was not reflected in any chassis feature. Those letter differences only described variations inside the engine as Chris suggested. Chassis and gearing differences were reflected in the MODEL letter designation on the order blank. Usually this was the same as the motor number letter designation--but not always! (There was a MODEL ES, but no motors were stamped ES). For those reasons, the classic H-D numbering system are not true VINs (Vehicle Identification Numbers). They are "MINs"--Motor Identification Numbers. Big difference.

Sort of a wacky system but that's how they did it.

[Chris Haynes]

Rollo,
All '36 OHV models had a solid color tank with a transfer and a pinstripe. No Standard color was Two Toned. Special orders for some Police departments may have been two toned.
Note that when a bike is submitted for AMCA Fine Point Judging and it is not a Standard color you must be able to supply documentation that it left the MoCo with a Special order color. Otherwise you take a huge hit and will never attain a Senior First Award.

[Rollo]

Chris and all,

Thanks for educating me on the paint issue. I was aware of the differences in the engine specs between E and EL and for some reason (unknown) I kept thinking the tanks were two tone. Like I said I looked back at the club mag of a few years ago when they had all the 36's on the cover and it was the featured bike at Wauseon. Plain as day. It is like when you have a song in you head and you can't get rid of it but I hit forward on the player and we are on track now! That is why we discuss things on a forum such as this. Sorry for confusing the issue!

Tom (Rollo) Hardy
AMCA#12766

[Chris Haynes]

Information is free. Parts cost money. :-)

[silentgreyfello]

Tom, the side valve models had two-tone paint on the tank in '36. Ohv did not.

[harleytoprock]

The 1936 Harley side valve model gas tanks were a single color with a very wide stripe that ran around the decal. I really wouldn't call the stripe a second tone.

[silentgreyfello]

The 1936 Harley side valve model gas tanks were a single color with a very wide stripe that ran around the decal. I really wouldn't call the stripe a second tone.

I think it was too wide to stripe with a brush. If I were to paint it, I would mask it off and spray it, and my guess is that they did the same back in the day. The "stripe" is wide enough that you can see it easily from 100 feet away. Not a pinstripe!

[harleytoprock]

Yes, it is a wide stripe and it's edged with a pin stripe. It's about as wide as the stripes used on pre '33 Harley tanks. I would also mask and spray but Harley used a brush. Would you say that your 1915 Silent Grey Fellow tanks, with it's wide stripes, was two toned? I wouldn't
Harley-Davidson-1936-VL-JD-7.jpg