61 OHV in 1935 Harley Dealers' Convention Photo

[HarleyCreation]

In the newest club mag (Winter, p.54), this photo of the 1935 Harley-Davidson Dealers' Convention in Milwaukee got accidently cut off on top. That clipped off part of the 61 OHV Knucklehead that is up on stage way in the background.

This photo first appeared in the January, 1936 issue of the Harley-Davidson Enthusiast magazine. There was no other mention of the new model in that issue. I have often wondered if Harley realized the new 61 Overhead model was in that photo and were giving sharp-eyed readers a tantalizing glimpse of the future or if it was merely by chance.

First here's the entire photo. Beer was flowing in Milwaukee again, the economy was picking up, and the Dealers finally had something new to celebrate! What a party that must have been, eh?

[HarleyCreation]

Here I've cropped and expanded the 61 OHV so you can see it up close. Since this was in November of 1935 this machine is probably one of the "35E" stamped bikes that were produced. Obviously this would have been a clean pristine example and not one they were road testing and putting over the hurdles. To my knowledge none of the "35E" models have survived. Anybody know any differently?

[Dkgoz]

Herb,

Thanks for posting this. The caption in the magazine makes a lot more sense now. I was squinting at the photo, thinking "Huh? Where is it?"

Dave

[HarleyCreation]

Glad the clarification helped.

I can identify a few dealers in these photos. In the first (larger) photo the couple close up to the camera wearing white look like Earl and Dot Robinson from Michigan. I think the second bald guy on the left is Rich Budelier from California. Farther back in the crowd are Mel Krueger and his wife from Wausau, Wis.

Down in the very front the two crazy looking young guys are brothers from Kenosha, Wis. The guy on the left who looks like Zoolander is "C.D." and the guy on the right who looks like Beevis is "Uke." C.D. had the Waukegan dealership and Uke had the Kenosha dealership starting in 1930. Their brother Pete worked at the factory in Milwaukee.

Many years ago (early 70s) I remember C.D. when he worked for Uke as a mechanic, but unfortunately I never talked to him. Uke I got to know in his final years and I also talked to Pete. They are all gone now. Uke always had a reputation for being somewhat -- shall we say -- "eccentric" and boy was he ever! But a real character and super hardcore Harley enthusiast through thick and thin with many good stories....

Any other dealers in that photo anybody can identify or even a guess????

[exeric]

What a great photo. When you speculate on the collective stories and inside info those dealers had about H-D, it's a bit mind blowing. I would imagine many of them went way back with the motor company. I know you shared much of that with us in your book covering the VL and early knucklehead era Herb. It would make an interesting book that looked at motorcycle history through the experiences of dealers and riders of the period. Unfortunately, many of those people are gone or close to it. I think it would be great if more of our members would write about the experiences of family members and motorcycles.

I recall going to the post office on my '51 FL. As I was leaving this old woman commented that she liked my 1951 Harley. I asked her how she knew it was a '51 and she said that her husband had been a dealer in Indiana and that she worked with him at the dealership. Now there was a excellent opportunity to hear a wealth of motorcycle stories but I didn't follow up on it.

Again, I think it would be most valuable if our club would act as a collector of this oral history.

[Jerry Hatfield]

At The Creation

Hey, Herb,

I want to buy your book "At The Creation". Can you give me the price and your address?

[HarleyCreation]

Re: At The Creation

Originally posted by Jerry Hatfield
Hey, Herb,

I want to buy your book "At The Creation". Can you give me the price and your address?

Hi Jerry,

Yes, I have a few copies here. I'll send the details to the email address on your profile.

Thanks!

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by exeric
What a great photo. When you speculate on the collective stories and inside info those dealers had about H-D, it's a bit mind blowing. I would imagine many of them went way back with the motor company. I know you shared much of that with us in your book covering the VL and early knucklehead era Herb. It would make an interesting book that looked at motorcycle history through the experiences of dealers and riders of the period. Unfortunately, many of those people are gone or close to it. I think it would be great if more of our members would write about the experiences of family members and motorcycles.

I recall going to the post office on my '51 FL. As I was leaving this old woman commented that she liked my 1951 Harley. I asked her how she knew it was a '51 and she said that her husband had been a dealer in Indiana and that she worked with him at the dealership. Now there was a excellent opportunity to hear a wealth of motorcycle stories but I didn't follow up on it.

Again, I think it would be most valuable if our club would act as a collector of this oral history.

I agree totally about that oral history. Old timers have a lot of knowledge that can be tapped into. And of course one thing leads to another. Just mentioning an Indiana dealer's wife reminds me of Ralph Moore from Indiana who was one of the first guys to adapt 21 OHV heads to the Two-Cam bottom in 1927 for a Harley Homebrew 45 OHV hillclimb engine. I gotta wonder: Was that his wife you spoke to???

Re: the '35 Convention photo: Wouldn't you just love to step back into time and into that picture? It is staggering to think of who all those guys were and what their collective knowledge about motorcycles consisted of! Some of those guys still active in '35-36 would have gone back to the very earliest years. And it's interesting to wonder who in 1935 was the oldest Harley dealer at that time?

Yes, a book of Old Timer interviews would be a good one. I have that material.

[HarleyCreation]

Oh, I forgot to add.

In the second, close-up cropped photo of the 61 OHV, I think the guy standing off to the left is John ("Jack") Balmer. I believe he was in the Sales Dept.

[HarleyCreation]

Here I've cropped and expanded the three guys standing up near the stage in the Green Room of the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee where the 1935 Dealers' Convention took place. Until now I have not tried to identify them.

Anybody want to take a first crack at it?

[c.o.]

Hey Herb, I'm following along on Jerry's coattails here, but if you've got a few extras could I possibly purchase one from you too?

[HarleyCreation]

c.o.

Do you have an email address so I can send you the details?

Thanks

[c.o.]

Hey Herb,

I sent you an e-mail...........just figured I'd check if you got it........

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by c.o.
Hey Herb,

I sent you an e-mail...........just figured I'd check if you got it........

Thanks for the heads up. I just sent you a reply now...

[Chopperdave]

book!

I would love to get a copy of your book as well!

Its all about the "oral" history, that is the stuff that when gone, is truly gone.

thank you!

dave