AMF/H-D: "Confederate Edition"

[TMarony]

Perry,

*Take 1936 as an example, 36 Knuckle was $380 new.
36 Servi was $425-$495 depending on what was included.

Exactly my point! Where do you think they got the cash to
finish the Knuckle ?? The Servi was first introduced in
33, before the Knuckle was even available. Second, HD was
selling very few bikes, I believe they had laid off most of their
production workers. Servi was designed by the founders
(1931-32) as alast ditch attempt to keep the company
afloat till the knuckle was ready and the depression eased.

It was the revenue from the Servi and, are your ready for this,
the sale of the rights, patterns, production process of the 45
flathead to the JAPANESE that gave HD the cash to finish the
Knnuckle. By the way the Japanese passed on the Knuckle
rights...... So next time you hear some uneducated HD owner
bad mouthing Jap bikes, remind him that if not for the Rika (not
sure of the spelling) his\her treasured harley would not exist!

[VPH-D]

I was thinking it was the VL tooling that was sold to Japan? Maybe not ...
I think, [again] only the Sportster was available in the Confed Edition, one year only '77. I seem to remember that this was somehow tied to Jimmy Carter being elected President.
VPH-D

[HarleyCreation]

It would be interesting to know how much profit Harley made on each Servi-Car. Seems to me the dealers made more profit on them than solo machines so the Factory probably did too.

It was priced higher, yes, but it also cost more to build a Servi-Car. Just look at that ultra complex (and expensive) rear-end compared to the simple sprocket and chain of the regular solo models.

Selling the VL design (and Joe Ryan) to the Japanese was a much needed cash infusion. So was cutting back to the bone. Arthur went around turning off lights during lunch time to save on the power bill. Those guys were Scotch.

I've heard that the Confederate Edition also including Big Twins, but photos only seem to indicate Sportsters to this point.

Jimmy Carter was elected in 1976. That's an interesting connection. Could be urban myth, but maybe not. The south of the Mason-Dixon Line marketing plan is another interesting point. One thing is sure, H-D, Inc. ain't talking. I wonder if they have a Confederate Edition in their Archives bike collection?

Even if they do, it's questionable whether it would be put on display in the new museum which I believe is opening next year.

[schmittm]

I have to agree Perry, I think the overhead valves and art deco paint paint jobs were the two biggest reasons they survived the depression.

The Confederate edition is neat but my favorite limited edition model was the Miller Lite scheme, are any of those still in circulation?

mike

[jke]

Originally posted by 23JDCA 808
Gray paint on a Harley?!

Gray paint dates way back to the Silent Gray Fellow days Yes? No?
JKE

[INLINE4NUT]

schmittm, I sold one to Barnett HD when they there the rage, bet if you look hard enough you can find one!Check E-Bay from time to time. That said I think we are getting to new and off topic here!

[23JDCA 808]

Originally posted by jke
Gray paint dates way back to the Silent Gray Fellow days Yes? No?
JKE

Yes; I was trying to be funny. ...bill (the silent gray fellow)

[Perry Ruiter]

Originally posted by TMarony
Perry,

*Take 1936 as an example, 36 Knuckle was $380 new.
36 Servi was $425-$495 depending on what was included.

Exactly my point! Where do you think they got the cash to
finish the Knuckle ?? The Servi was first introduced in
33, before the Knuckle was even available. Second, HD was
selling very few bikes, I believe they had laid off most of their
production workers. Servi was designed by the founders
(1931-32) as a last ditch attempt to keep the company
afloat till the knuckle was ready and the depression eased.

1933 was the leanest year so let's look at it's production. According to the DL homepage 182 Servicars were produced in 1933. Jerry Hatfield's Inside Harley-Davidson lists total production for 1933 as 3700 units. So Servicars accounted for almost exactly 5% of production. Even if they were obscenely overpriced and bringing in huge profits (which they weren't, since Indian's Dispatch Tow meant they had to be price competitive in the market) it's not a big enough chunk to keep the other 95% of the company afloat ... Perry

[rashd]

Excellent thread...^5 to TM for adding "chromosexual" flare (that's one for the vocab bank)

Many good points raised...I have seen the Confed sportsters, too, don't know about BT's, though.
I used to fantasize about riding in "impression" to re-enactments on a bike like that...
(weird....how could one tote a 3-band Enfield on a bike...something like a flag pole)...it's pro'ly been done

One thing, for sure, HD shuns them...($$$)...if there is one in the production collection,
I doubt it would ever make the floor for any exhibition. Image is everything....chromosexual or not....

[VPH-D]

I could not find any reference to Confed Edition in any parts books other than my Sportster book. Excepting this thread, I probably haven't thought about the Confed Edition in thirty years, kinda like the 77 XLT or the 77 FLH special edition that came in a caramel brown color.
VPH-D

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by VPH-D
I could not find any reference to Confed Edition in any parts books other than my Sportster book. Excepting this thread, I probably haven't thought about the Confed Edition in thirty years, kinda like the 77 XLT or the 77 FLH special edition that came in a caramel brown color.
VPH-D

Which Sportster book lists the Confederate Edition?

Can you quote the book and tell what it says about them?

In the mag "Iron Horse" #134 June 1995 (anyone else remember that rather wild publication?) in a story called: "Rebel Soul" (p.26) it talked about the Confederate Edition and admitted that info is lacking, but that literature showed an attractive woman wearing a cowboy hat with the Confederate flag on it standing next to a C.E. Sportster (1977?)

It also says that about 600 C.E. Super Glides & 600 C.E. Sportsters" were built and that more complete numbers had been published in "Old Bike Journal," Feb. 1995.

Whether or not these figures are accurate I can't say, but they don't add up to 600 each but more like 600 total:

228 FXE
44 FLH
226 XL
15 XLT
45 XLCH

[Perry Ruiter]

My 1982 FX parts book lists a left and right "Confederate Edition" gas tank trim decal as applying to all 1977 models except FXS. My 1984 FL parts book lists the same left and right decals as applying to 1977 FLH only (with the notation that only the left was still available) ... Perry

[Spike]

If you go to www.shovelhead.us they have a Confederate Edition as one of their feature bikes. Spike

[VPH-D]

I had a better look at my parts books and found some more information.

99456-77 Supplement for use with -76 FL/FLH FX/FXE parts book
No mention of CE

99456-78 Supplement for use with -76 .............same......
No mention of CE

99451-78 Supplement for use with -76 Sportster XLH/XLCH 1000
59100-77 CE decal, frt. fender
61650-77 CE trim gas tank, right
61651-77 CE trim gas tank, left

99456-79 Supplement 41-79 ....... FL/FLH FXFXE
No mention of CE

99456-82 Supplement 41-82......... FL models
61650-77 CE trim
61651-77 CE trim

Odd how the manuals of the time don't mention th CE, but the later ones do.

VPH-D

[Chuck#1848]

77 FXE Confederate edition

Receiving my latest news letter from a local HD dealer who just celerbrated their 60th year in business it has a photo of the service area with a restored 31VL next to it is a 35VL all original bike painted blue and silver owned by the dealership's family since it was new,after that a 46WL a 47FL and a guy that brought a 65 pan and 66 shovelhead.
article goes on to say that there also was a"very rare" 1977 FXE Confederate Edition model.

Now I was there and saw all of the above bikes and then some but I didn't see the 77 shovel there.

If you go to gowanda harley's web site there is a spot that you can sign up for the "E" news letter there isn't a photo of it but there is a shot of the above bikes in the service area on lifts.