New member, old rider, finishing a '37 UL at the moment

[37ul]

Good morning!
My good friend Matt Olsen talked me into joining the AMCA. I have been riding for roughly 25 years and love all kinds of old bikes. Currently i am trying to finish a '37 UL that was blown up and left for dead. I got a whole bike, but only the motor and frame were worth keeping, but even the motor needed a lot of work as they stuck a rear piston and blew the cylinder completely off the motor!
I sold all the late model parts off the bike and had my motor guru here in Long Beach, Smokey, go through the motor. I did a lot of work on the relieved barrels i found to even them out and hunted many parts for this old gal. I am not restoring the bike by any stretch, but am trying to put something together with an early feel that fits my budget. The best part about this build has been learning and getting educated on this early stuff and finding out all the unique things about 1937s.
I have found '37 tanks, '37 oil tank, stepped hubs, a '37 speedo face, an XA springer or an old Buchanons job that's XA length, running 19" and 18" early rims, have only found a panhead fender for the rear until i luck out on the right fender, and so on. Hope to have it on the road soon!
the frame and frontend both took many hours to fix. The seat tube was bashed in, brake stay cut off, extra tabs and stuff welded to the frame, the springer had hex stock for front legs and the left rear leg was bent, etc, etc.
I also have a '48 Pan, a '67 Shovel project, and a '78 shovel.
Thanks, i look forward to learning a lot from the AMCA.
Grant
1937 Ul done-sm.JPG
37 ul build.JPG
iphone- 2219.jpg

[len dowe]

Welcome to the AMCA Grant. Nice project and i'll help in whatever i can.
Len #765
P.s. are you on the CC or the JJ?

[Robert Luland]

Wecome to the club Grant. Theres lots of good folks here and an encyclopedia of info for the picking. I'm also restoring a 37ULH. Bob L

[c.o.]

Welcome aboard Grant! Ya gotta like those Big Twin flatties. If you can, keep us posted on your progress.

[37ul]

thanks guys! I will keep you posted on the progress. i was "this close" to having it on the road for the old motorcycle show i put on at the end of june, but a few things kept fighting me and i finally threw in the towel and took care of other business for the time being. I figured the bike would still be there when that was over with!
Actually, all i really need to do is get the early fuel strainer because i am using the '37 tanks and OE fuel lines, Matt Olsen sent me a prototype right side petcock. With the fuel strainer the fuel system should be done. Then all i have to do is wire it and tighten up a few things and make a headlight mount and it's on the road!

When i find and can afford i will swap out the panhead rear fender for a knuckle/flathead one...any leads are welcome
iphone- 2371.jpgiphone- 1485.jpgiphone- 1886.jpg

[37ul]

here's what i started with:
photo4-sm.jpgUL flathead sm.JPG

[HD48FL]

Good to see you here Grant.

[Rubone]

Great looking project Grant! Good to have you here. Not an XA fork though, the leg reinforcement is different.
Robbie

[37ul]

Thanks Robbie, i know the rear leg reinforcement is different than a stock XA which is why i said it could be a Buchanons job, but it is 2 3/8" over, had a 7/8" stem, and war era center zerk bosses...who knows what it started out as, maybe just a 45 springer. All i know is it was affordable at the time, needed work i could do, and i'm not much for stock, short frontends so it was perfect for the UL.

[37ul]

Just put an offset springer and finally a proper rear fender on my '37. I like where its going.
i-phone-10.3.12- 046.jpgi-phone-10.3.12- 043.jpg

[c.o.]

Lookin' Good!!!

[vph-d]

Didn't the 41WLA use that type of fork?
VPH-D

[Rubone]

Didn't the 41WLA use that type of fork?

Yes, and '40 as well, that is one in the picture. The XA fork is similar but 1" stem with 45 rockers. The ELC is 1" stem and Big Twin Rockers.

Back to the bike in the thread, not sure how handling could be affected with an early frame and offset fork, but I do know that if you attempted to do that with a stock front fender it will just touch the sidecar loops. The short rake frame and offset fork create an odd rake /trail ratio.
Robbie

[vph-d]

I agree that a short rake frame and an offset fork would have some dubious handling qualities. However, in one of the first photos the frame looks to have a neck lock casting, which would indicate a 30 degree frame. Woulnn't that frame with an offset fork handle like later 46 and 47 set up?
VPH-D

[Rubone]

Woulnn't that frame with an offset fork handle like later 46 and 47 set up?

It would indeed. I had not looked at that photo and thought he had the original frame. The pictured frame is odd though, as it appears to have a late head casting and a Knuckle top motor mount. I suspect it is pieced together.
Robbie