Uncle Frank's Q & A Books

[Steve Swan]

What years did Uncle Frank's books begin and end?

[exeric]

I don't know much about 'Uncle Frank', but he was ever present in the first half of the 20th century of motorcycles, and was a fixture on the Harley-Davidson, Enthusiast. I believe his real name Howard K. Jameson, but also known as Hap Jameson, Jamie, Hap Hayes, and Uncle Frank. I don't know if he was a motorcycle genius, or a gifted collector of useful information. His Q&A books are a must have for anyone noodling with old motorcycles.

[Steve Swan]

I don't know much about 'Uncle Frank', but he was ever present in the first half of the 20th century of motorcycles, and was a fixture on the Harley-Davidson, Enthusiast. I believe his real name Howard K. Jameson, but also known as Hap Jameson, Jamie, Hap Hayes, and Uncle Frank. I don't know if he was a motorcycle genius, or a gifted collector of useful information. His Q&A books are a must have for anyone noodling with old motorcycles.

Thank you Eric for your reply; nice information to know. the reason i ask is i am wondering if Howard's earlier Q&A books had JD information in them. i have a revised 53 edition, and it goes back to the 1930's, but no earlier.

[Steve Swan]

Great information piece on Hap Jameson found at the following link to Ed Youngblood's MotoHistory, I think the original source article was written by Herb Wagner for the AMCA mag.

Scroll down to about the third info piece on the page...
http://www.motohistory.net/news2010/news-dec10.html

On a side note, my grandfather's Badger Derby score cards have Hap's handwritten initials (HEJ) in them as he was the official starter and referee for the event.

Thanks badger34 for that great link! So, the first Q&A book by Uncle Frank was 1937; i'd appreciate of anybody with a copy could share if there is information on the pre-1930 bikes!?

ps - you have some wonderful heirlooms of your family working fort he factory!

[Steve Swan]

I knew I had a Q & A book in g'pa's collection, found the copy I have and it's dated a 1938 copyright. I flipped through it briefly and there is limited info included for pre-1930 cycles, for example timing, tappet clearance, oiling and clutch setup. I noticed the year 1925 mentioned and even the year 1915 for tappet clearance. Not much else specific to the J model.

Thanks for the kind mention of my family's history & heirlooms, I consider myself fortunate. It's led to some great discoveries for me over the past 10 years.

Thanks for the info of what you found in the 1938 book; i was hoping there might be more info, but makes sense as the knucklehead eclipsed the antiquated IoE pocket valve models. Boy. i'll bet the IOE models could be bought for little to nothing after WW II, and probably all the way through the later 60's; they probably held their value a little bit through the war years but i'm sure the "blue wrench" claimed many of them during the metal drives.

[Chris Haynes]

Here is "Uncle Frank" hard at work giving dictation in his office. Notice he has a large library of reference material.

[Steve Swan]

Thanks for that wonderful picture Chris! Any comment on who "Steno" is in the picture?

[Chris Haynes]

Thanks for that wonderful picture Chris! Any comment on who "Steno" is in the picture?

No idea. It looks like he is going to offer her a shot though.

[Chris Haynes]

I have heard of several Kilborn family members working for the MoCo. H-D's Finance division was Kilborn Finance. I am not familiar with the Kilbert family.

[Steve Swan]

Steve, while in the club's Vintage Motorcycle Library last evening I noticed there is a 1937 Q & A book available among the Indian literature.

Thank you!