Tweet
Member Bike Build Thread Follows Progress as
AMCA Member in England Rescues a 1920 Harley-Davidson F
By Mike Love
Photos by Bike Builder John Brookes
Like so many AMCA members John Brookes from England would be more thrilled by the challenge of building a basket case, antique motorcycle than to do anything else. But if you read John’s Member Build Thread (in the AMCA on-line Forum) – 1920 Harley Model F he seems pretty casual toward this project. John has considerable experience with antique bikes including the restoration of a 1939 Triumph and had another project ready to go when the 1920 F fell into place. The 1920 H-D was a pretty complete project but had received no attention since some early organizing work by the previous owner in 1988. The previous owner took many photographs, made extensive notes and disassembled the bike only to leave it untouched for decades in a shed where a leaking roof introduced rain and significant rusting. The bike had also been parked from 1936 until the previous owner to John bought it in 1988. John commented, “The only bits missing were some spokes, the rear cylinder top mounting bracket, the bracket for the ignition advance on the rear cylinder and the carburetor control sleeve.”
[IMG]file:////Users/michaellove/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image001.jpg[/IMG]
Figure 1 1988 photo by previous owner - 1920 F Harley Davidson as purchased.
John saw something in the rusty 1920 F Harley-Davidson and committed to 100% restoration of the bike commenting in a recent email that due to its appearance “it wasn’t worthy of preservation. However due to lessons learnt on my Triumph I decided to get it 100% complete before I did anything cosmetic.” As work progressed, he began to change his thinking, “Over time the bike, as it is (which is mainly rust) has really grown on me and I am leaving it the way it is. After I am gone, if someone wants to paint it then that would be up to them.”
[IMG]file:////Users/michaellove/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image002.png[/IMG]
Figure 2 1920 F Harley Davidson basket case after initial disassembly by previous owner.
This vision led from a bunch of non-functioning parts to a complete running antique motorcycle.
Early on he was able to assemble the bike and he said, “I had it all together and it ran but the engine clearly was unhealthy.”
[IMG]file:////Users/michaellove/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image003.jpg[/IMG]
Figure 3 Early on John assembled the 1920 and got it started but found it needed engine work.
John indicated that the engine work that had been completed on it did not prevent a robust smoke screen from what John called “knackered bores.” As with so many of our projects life can intervene and delay progress but it appears John is near completion. John says “In theory it just needs the carb and tanks re-installing and then a few adjustments and I am hoping it will then be rideable.”
For AMCA Forum members that follow the Member Bike Builds the 1920 F has provided a couple of years’ worth reading of the ups and downs, active and inactive time related to project work typical of antique motorcycles. John gives us the opportunity to follow his journey with excellent comments and photos that continue even now with on-going tweaks and more detailed repairs noted by John throughout the project. You can benefit from the details and visual evidence of John’s 1920 F project by following this link to the AMCA Forum 1920 F Model Harley-Davidson Project.
The AMCA Forum provides members an opportunity to not only share their antique motorcycling experiences but to gain the support and counsel from hundreds of other members when we need it the most. The Forum also stands as a searchable archive with thousands of on-line conversations over its years of operation. I find the Member Bike Builds as the most interesting on-line commentary. John’s build thread was the first antique motorcycling build thread I followed. John’s commentary and the discussion from members as they asked follow up questions and often provided insight they had was pretty interesting and teaching. The first thing I saw on John’s thread was a photo not unlike an exploded parts view in a factory service manual (see Figure 2 above), parts laid out neatly in the sun. It was clear from this one photo the exact state of the machine and how far the project would need to go to get to John’s end state a safe and dependable antique bike. I find reading these member build threads motivate me to get back on track with my projects. I’m not sure of the psychology there but it works and I’m not questioning it.
[IMG]file:////Users/michaellove/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image004.jpg[/IMG]
Figure 4 photo of post assembly results with a few details left to complete. Engine work has been completed.
I encourage members of AMCA – join us on the forum and share your build with others. Your experiences will help and inspire others as they work on their projects. It may even get someone interested in purchasing a “project” just to share their experience. I thank John Brookes for his comments in several emails and taking the time to send me many photo images by uploading them to an on-line DropBox account.
AMCA Member in England Rescues a 1920 Harley-Davidson F
By Mike Love
Photos by Bike Builder John Brookes
Like so many AMCA members John Brookes from England would be more thrilled by the challenge of building a basket case, antique motorcycle than to do anything else. But if you read John’s Member Build Thread (in the AMCA on-line Forum) – 1920 Harley Model F he seems pretty casual toward this project. John has considerable experience with antique bikes including the restoration of a 1939 Triumph and had another project ready to go when the 1920 F fell into place. The 1920 H-D was a pretty complete project but had received no attention since some early organizing work by the previous owner in 1988. The previous owner took many photographs, made extensive notes and disassembled the bike only to leave it untouched for decades in a shed where a leaking roof introduced rain and significant rusting. The bike had also been parked from 1936 until the previous owner to John bought it in 1988. John commented, “The only bits missing were some spokes, the rear cylinder top mounting bracket, the bracket for the ignition advance on the rear cylinder and the carburetor control sleeve.”
[IMG]file:////Users/michaellove/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image001.jpg[/IMG]
Figure 1 1988 photo by previous owner - 1920 F Harley Davidson as purchased.
John saw something in the rusty 1920 F Harley-Davidson and committed to 100% restoration of the bike commenting in a recent email that due to its appearance “it wasn’t worthy of preservation. However due to lessons learnt on my Triumph I decided to get it 100% complete before I did anything cosmetic.” As work progressed, he began to change his thinking, “Over time the bike, as it is (which is mainly rust) has really grown on me and I am leaving it the way it is. After I am gone, if someone wants to paint it then that would be up to them.”
[IMG]file:////Users/michaellove/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image002.png[/IMG]
Figure 2 1920 F Harley Davidson basket case after initial disassembly by previous owner.
This vision led from a bunch of non-functioning parts to a complete running antique motorcycle.
Early on he was able to assemble the bike and he said, “I had it all together and it ran but the engine clearly was unhealthy.”
[IMG]file:////Users/michaellove/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image003.jpg[/IMG]
Figure 3 Early on John assembled the 1920 and got it started but found it needed engine work.
John indicated that the engine work that had been completed on it did not prevent a robust smoke screen from what John called “knackered bores.” As with so many of our projects life can intervene and delay progress but it appears John is near completion. John says “In theory it just needs the carb and tanks re-installing and then a few adjustments and I am hoping it will then be rideable.”
For AMCA Forum members that follow the Member Bike Builds the 1920 F has provided a couple of years’ worth reading of the ups and downs, active and inactive time related to project work typical of antique motorcycles. John gives us the opportunity to follow his journey with excellent comments and photos that continue even now with on-going tweaks and more detailed repairs noted by John throughout the project. You can benefit from the details and visual evidence of John’s 1920 F project by following this link to the AMCA Forum 1920 F Model Harley-Davidson Project.
The AMCA Forum provides members an opportunity to not only share their antique motorcycling experiences but to gain the support and counsel from hundreds of other members when we need it the most. The Forum also stands as a searchable archive with thousands of on-line conversations over its years of operation. I find the Member Bike Builds as the most interesting on-line commentary. John’s build thread was the first antique motorcycling build thread I followed. John’s commentary and the discussion from members as they asked follow up questions and often provided insight they had was pretty interesting and teaching. The first thing I saw on John’s thread was a photo not unlike an exploded parts view in a factory service manual (see Figure 2 above), parts laid out neatly in the sun. It was clear from this one photo the exact state of the machine and how far the project would need to go to get to John’s end state a safe and dependable antique bike. I find reading these member build threads motivate me to get back on track with my projects. I’m not sure of the psychology there but it works and I’m not questioning it.
[IMG]file:////Users/michaellove/Library/Group%20Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/TemporaryItems/msohtmlclip/clip_image004.jpg[/IMG]
Figure 4 photo of post assembly results with a few details left to complete. Engine work has been completed.
I encourage members of AMCA – join us on the forum and share your build with others. Your experiences will help and inspire others as they work on their projects. It may even get someone interested in purchasing a “project” just to share their experience. I thank John Brookes for his comments in several emails and taking the time to send me many photo images by uploading them to an on-line DropBox account.
Comment