rogers harley sidecar 1951

[jorrow]

Where would the tag be located in the tub of an early to mid 50's rogers sidecar? What information does it contain? Im aware of the frame ID but haven't seen anything in the tub. jeff

[exeric]

The I.D. tag is riveted to the axel hump, just under the front of the seat. Harley-Davidson made their own sidecars starting in the mid-teens. Rogers sidecars were made for Harley-Davidson up to 1914 (I think). You could still get a Rogers sidecar for a Harley after 1914 but it was considered aftermarket. I think Rogers was done by 1920.

[c.o.]

For a minute there after reading the title I thought the 1951 was meant to be 1915... Was there possibly another manufacturer by that name later on? Got me....

[jorrow]

Thanks for the info, sorry was under the impression that rogers built the sidecars for Harley up to 1960's, my mistake.

[duffeycycles]

Go to the HD museum website for manufacturer

[exeric]

To my knowledge, H-D has made their own sidecar since 1914 to the present. There were more than a few aftermarket sidecars for Harleys in the teens, and 20s, but I can only think of aftermarket Goulding sidecars that were designed for 50s vintage H-Ds.

[duffeycycles]

Harley built the fiberglass at Thomahawk ,Rogers made the '14...Harley design came out in '15...not built in house..not national .??? the HD site changed ,it showed the builder last time I looked.Built in Milwalkee.I have a '15 catalog ,1st HD sidecar catalog..HD archives did not have one last I knew............................

[Sargehere]

Isn't Abresh Body Company the name of the Milwaukee outfit that built Harley's metal sidecar and Servi-Car bodies for most of that stretch?

[exeric]

Good call Sarge. I did a seach of the abresch name and it listed this site ' http://www.coachbuilt.com/ ' . Lots of great information and many thing I didn't know. Thanks.

[Sargehere]

And Merry Christmas, Eric! I missed the Germanic "C" in Abresch. That's a little jewel of a website. I didn't know, tho it's logical, that Abresch in Milwaukee also built Goulding's bodies. The end of the company came when The MoCo decided to go with "modern" streamlined fiberglass sidecar bodies in 1966. 'Never did like the "fiberglass egg" that they stuck with through 2009; and that was all she wrote for factory Harley-Davidson sidecars. The glass bodies had to be entirely shaped in compound curves to take advantage of the rigidity that curves in two directions impart to the fiber glass.

You realize, of course, there are no compound curves at all in the 'Dutch Shoe' steel sidecar body. The cowl has a little peak on it, but even that was done with a simple curve, too. Ol' Merle Wolfe has got it right. He captured the exact lines of the 1936-'66 sidecar body.
I'm guilty! I just think the Harley steel sidecar body was one of the classic iconic examples of Twentieth Century industrial design.

And a curse forever upon the prop master of the old Hogan's Heroes TV series! He painted a German WWII b&w cross on the side of a HAARLEY sidecar, that careened through a camp gate riding Wehrmacht soldiers in the introduction of that show, for years! I'm plagued by people coming up and asking "Is that a German sidecar?" And that's how that heritage got all crossed up! Heh heh Merry Christmas!.

[exeric]

I agree with you Sarge regarding the fiberglass H-D car from '66 on. The design didn't compliment the motorcycle, and to go further, didn't match the design lineage of the H-D big twin. Considering it was made at a boat plant, I have to believe it was designed by a boat guy. I've worked in manufacturing for my whole career and I have always been amazed at how many products get on the market because a powerful moron has the final say.

My personal list of sidecars goes: Indian's sidecar from 1940 on, the Flexi, the Rogers that was generic on Excelsiors, and Harleys in the mid-teens, the classic H-D steel car from '36 to '65, and Indian's Princess car. There are a few others, but only American as I think European sidecars were always over done.

[jorrow]

Ok so this is my dilemma, wanting to restore my Harley 54 sidecar that I purchased, but there is some significant panel rust behind the seat on the tub floor and sides. The rest of the tub is very good. I just wanted to be sure this is a Harley tub and not a repop, but I cannot find any markings, no tag, etc. The frame, windshield, spare tire carrier, and trim are all factory so, Im hoping the tub is too, before I spend a great deal doing paint and body work. I know L&L made some tubs but theirs were stamped, at least the ones I have seen. Does anyone have a factory tub with no markings as well?

[Rubone]

I've never seen a '36-'66 tub with markings other than the screwed in plate which is easily removed or lost. Especially where it was mounted behind the seat base in a rust prone area...

[Chuck#1848]

Ok so this is my dilemma, wanting to restore my Harley 54 sidecar that I purchased, but there is some significant panel rust behind the seat on the tub floor and sides. The rest of the tub is very good. I just wanted to be sure this is a Harley tub and not a repop, but I cannot find any markings, no tag, etc. The frame, windshield, spare tire carrier, and trim are all factory so, Im hoping the tub is too, before I spend a great deal doing paint and body work. I know L&L made some tubs but theirs were stamped, at least the ones I have seen. Does anyone have a factory tub with no markings as well?

Pictures would be helpful..

[jorrow]

Unfortunately, the tub is at the sandblasters.