Hi. After trawling the forum as a guest over the last year, and gaining some very useful information, I decided to do the right thing and join up. Hope I can put something back in at some stage. I am currently restoring what was a near basket case J Model Harley Davidson, in fact a 21F magneto model. The bike was rescued by an uncle - now deceased - from under a shelter belt of trees on a farm. He used to travel rural areas in the 1960s, repairing home appliances, and always kept his eyes out for abandoned machinery. He was one step ahead of the scrap metal merchants who were sending ship-loads of scrap steel to Japan at the time. When he became ill at an early age, he passed the bike, as well as the bones of a 23F and boxes of assorted rusty miscellaneous parts, over to me. I didn't do much with it in his lifetime but, over the last decade, and particularly in the last couple of years of partial retirement, some progress has been made. I will get it done for him!
A couple of pictures are attached. The 21F frame is on a makeshift stand, with a spare (L20T) crankcase and cylinder temporarily installed to check chain alignment. Steering head, gearbox, wheel hubs and main sheet metal parts are restored (though the primary chain guard is a repro). I'm waiting for spokes from Buchanan's so the wheel builder can drill and dimple the blank clincher rims before I paint them. The original motor is on the bench, having a trial fit after the cylinders came back from the nickel platers. The bottom end has been rebuilt. All the valve housings, seats and guides are now done, and the cylinders bored 020 oversize. Sharp eyed members may note some Competition Distributing parts, and that the inlet valve rockers have incorrect (for 1921) alemite grease fittings. They will be fixed. Though the condition of the bike was pretty dire, I was very fortunate that it was 95% complete. All the control rods, linkages etc are packed away in the shop cupboards.
A photo of the 23F "kitset" is also attached. The motor is seized but looks unmolested. The frame hasn't a number (the plate soldered under the tank is missing) but it has the reinforced steering head, the obvious join in the frame rails behind the seat, and the pre-24 muffler brackets. But it, and the rear fender, appear to be olive, rather than Brewster green. I can send some more photos later if anyone is interested.
So for now, thanks for letting me come aboard.
MikeW
Harley 4 006.jpgHarley 5 003.jpgHarley 4 002.jpg
A couple of pictures are attached. The 21F frame is on a makeshift stand, with a spare (L20T) crankcase and cylinder temporarily installed to check chain alignment. Steering head, gearbox, wheel hubs and main sheet metal parts are restored (though the primary chain guard is a repro). I'm waiting for spokes from Buchanan's so the wheel builder can drill and dimple the blank clincher rims before I paint them. The original motor is on the bench, having a trial fit after the cylinders came back from the nickel platers. The bottom end has been rebuilt. All the valve housings, seats and guides are now done, and the cylinders bored 020 oversize. Sharp eyed members may note some Competition Distributing parts, and that the inlet valve rockers have incorrect (for 1921) alemite grease fittings. They will be fixed. Though the condition of the bike was pretty dire, I was very fortunate that it was 95% complete. All the control rods, linkages etc are packed away in the shop cupboards.
A photo of the 23F "kitset" is also attached. The motor is seized but looks unmolested. The frame hasn't a number (the plate soldered under the tank is missing) but it has the reinforced steering head, the obvious join in the frame rails behind the seat, and the pre-24 muffler brackets. But it, and the rear fender, appear to be olive, rather than Brewster green. I can send some more photos later if anyone is interested.
So for now, thanks for letting me come aboard.
MikeW
Harley 4 006.jpgHarley 5 003.jpgHarley 4 002.jpg
Comment