Recognize a1949 Panhead with a Springer front end

[eongaro75]

Hi guys, First of all, thank you for the support you can offer me

I need your help identifying this 1949 Panhead. The engine number indicates a ’49 Year, but it actually has a Springer fork installed
The gearbox is marked K8, and the heads are also stamped 48 – K8, but the engine number is a 49E…..
The engine number 8124 seems too high to be an early series (though I might be wrong), and I haven't found any “P” to understand whether it was originally a sidecar.

The frame has the horn mounts, in the frame and shows XE-35F number 17.

My question is: could this be one of the Panhead produced using leftover parts from the factory?
Or was the Springer fork added later over the years?
Are there other ways to figure out if this ’49 Panhead came from the factory with a Springer front end?

Kind regards
Enry

[KNUCK]

This is what makes Harley Davidson fun to work on, so many parts are interchangeable from year to year. The part that is not fun is that a bike can easily loose it's originality quickly. You need to get the book from Bruce Palmer, How to restore your Harley Davidson. You can find it on eBay or at AMCA swap meets, or from other members here who sell.

[exeric]

Excellent observation, Knuck, but one of my delusional conspiracy theories is; our well researched and "restored" H-Ds and Indians (sorry to p.o. Cotten) may get so cheap that it could be financially viable to CHOP them again.

On a more respectful note; Bruce Palmer made experts out of almost everyone when it comes to OHV, and 45 Harley-Davidsons. I know there are many brilliant historians and H-D lovers out there that can quote Bible and verse about the most arcane H-D details, but they didn't write a book. . . . Bruce gave all of us the most valuable tool for a single marque motorcycle that exists. If there are others, they copied Bruce. I've known Bruce for many years and as much as he has enlightened me on Harley-Davidsons, I only wish he had given a fraction of his brilliance to Hendersons, and Excelsiors I don't mean to fawn over this, but Bruce Palmer is a treasure to this hobby, the AMCA, and gave back far more than anyone I can think of in this great obsession we all share.

[eongaro75]

Thanks guys. Over the years, I think I’ve spent more money on books than on motorcycles. What Eric says is very true: the Palmer has turned us all into experts, but it’s not the Bible; some things are debatable, especially when switching from one end-of-line model to another.

I’m convinced that at first you simply have to like a bike and enjoy riding it, but when the purchase price is very high, you understandably want to be sure you’re making a good investment so you don’t throw your money away.

In the world of old Harleys and Indians, I’ve seen so many “puzzles” put together, and thousands of dollars wasted on something people believed was original but that, in reality, had no real value.

I believe the real strength lies in sharing all our experiences and information, so we can help others make the right deals.


Enry