Restoring a 38 sidecar.

[len dowe]

Just picked up a 38 sidecar that I'm going to restore and thought there was a file section here for manuals and the sorts.
Particularly a service manual. I have the parts manual.
I thought I had that little setup manual but I seem to have misplaced it.
It's a matching tub and frame and doesn't need much but one thing I'm looking for is the top rear stainless trim piece if anyone is so inclined to sell one.
Have some patterns for the backrest, seat, aprons and tonneau but any help or recommendation on a quality experienced shop to make and upholster them would be helpful.

[Rubone]

Nice score Len. Cool that it has the '38 deluxe trim on it. Is your email still the same? tried contacting you a couple times in the last year and no response.

[PaulCDF]

"thought there was a file section here for manuals and the sorts"

Len Congratulations on the Nice Sidecar.

Perhaps you are looking for the AMCA Library?

Directions to AMCA Library:

-Go to AMCA Home Page (Not the Forum)

-RIGHT Upper Corner of your screen is "MEMBER LOGIN"

-LOG IN
[This is the 'tricky part':
You will need to create a user name and password.
The Home Page and the Forum each require log in User Name and Passwords.]

(Some particularly lazy people use the same info on both sites )

-ONCE Logged in hover mouse over Golden Word "FEATURES" in upper RIGHT corner.

-VINTAGE M/C LIBRARY is fourth option from top of menu. Click that.

-You will see on your LEFT in BLUE characters and underlined the words:
"Vintage Motorcycle Library AMCA Member Access Link" Click That.

-Search Box appears RIGHT upper corner: For Simple Search Enter: "1938" "Harley".

ENJOY! It is really a GREAT asset.

Also once logged into Home Page you can access digital copies of past magazine issues and perhaps
you will find a 38 HD sidecare among the archived issues.

[len dowe]

Nice score Len. Cool that it has the '38 deluxe trim on it. Is your email still the same? tried contacting you a couple times in the last year and no response.

Thanks Robbie. Still the same. Good to hear from you.

[len dowe]

"thought there was a file section here for manuals and the sorts"

Len Congratulations on the Nice Sidecar.

Perhaps you are looking for the AMCA Library?

Directions to AMCA Library:

-Go to AMCA Home Page (Not the Forum)

-RIGHT Upper Corner of your screen is "MEMBER LOGIN"

-LOG IN
[This is the 'tricky part':
You will need to create a user name and password.
The Home Page and the Forum each require log in User Name and Passwords.]

(Some particularly lazy people use the same info on both sites )

-ONCE Logged in hover mouse over Golden Word "FEATURES" in upper RIGHT corner.

-VINTAGE M/C LIBRARY is fourth option from top of menu. Click that.

-You will see on your LEFT in BLUE characters and underlined the words:
"Vintage Motorcycle Library AMCA Member Access Link" Click That.

-Search Box appears RIGHT upper corner: For Simple Search Enter: "1938" "Harley".

ENJOY! It is really a GREAT asset.

Also once logged into Home Page you can access digital copies of past magazine issues and perhaps
you will find a 38 HD sidecare among the archived issues.

Thank you Paul. It's been awhile since I have been on here.

[len dowe]

Thanks again Paul. Out of luck. The sidecar setup manual was not listed. I'll keep looking in all my junk.
Good news is I got with Lee Armitage to get some stepped hubs done(my last 2. He's not taking anymore work on and I talked with him almost a year ago and he said he would. Feel very fortunate that he still agreed to do them.
Just like most nowadays that it's time to call it quits and sad to say that more and more are. You think you have time but it goes by so fast.
More to follow on this special to me sidecar.

[exeric]

That is a beauty, Len. I restored a sidecar for my '51FL after a bad MC accident with a dip-s**t in a car. I found one locally, but it had been a Boston police SC and the floor was gone. I learned a lot about body work, welding, painting, and lifting with knees I'll bet you've had a SC in the past, Len so I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know. I love sidecars and was amazed at how many friends I had, and that me, and the SC were as popular as Santa Claus with kids. The only problem is they make your motorcycle as big as a Volkswagen and that makes for fewer motorcycles.

51hdsc.jpg

[Rubone]

Len,
Does your '38 Knuckle have deluxe trim?
Robbie

[len dowe]

That is a beauty, Len. I restored a sidecar for my '51FL after a bad MC accident with a dip-s**t in a car. I found one locally, but it had been a Boston police SC and the floor was gone. I learned a lot about body work, welding, painting, and lifting with knees I'll bet you've had a SC in the past, Len so I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know. I love sidecars and was amazed at how many friends I had, and that me, and the SC were as popular as Santa Claus with kids. The only problem is they make your motorcycle as big as a Volkswagen and that makes for fewer motorcycles.

51hdsc.jpg

That is a sweet setup Eric and I agree on the amount of room they take up. And yes, I had 4 at one time but never hooked up to a bike. I sold 2 of them and was down to my 42 until I found this one and I do my own tin and paint work as well.
This is so cool to connect with you and Robbie and some of the other people again on here. I didn't realize on how much I missed the AMCA forum till the other day when I logged on again after a few years.

[len dowe]

Len,
Does your '38 Knuckle have deluxe trim?
Robbie

Hi Robbie,
It does not as well as my 38UH. That would be cool though.
I still have a qt of Venetion Blue for it from John Pierce. John is friggin awesome. After over a decade, he still helped me out on tech advice.
Also my long time friend Mr. Dave Clemons reached out to me and has the top rear trim. Now that is way awesome. Thank you so much Dave.
As mentioned with Eric, it sure is nice to connect with you guys again.

[len dowe]

The 42 that I was extremely fortunate to purchase from my good friend Rolland Mouser.

[exeric]

I'm glad you're back, Len. You always have something interesting going on !

[len dowe]

Have some slack time between jobs so I tore it apart today. Couple hiccups to tend to and I knew the ball stud set screws and ball studs were going to be a bear..
I think Bob Rice showed me a cool puller several years ago but I forget.

[Rubone]

I still have a qt of Venetion Blue for it from John Pierce. John is friggin awesome. After over a decade, he still helped me out on tech advice.

And that is why a source like him was so valuable and shame on those too cheap to support the ones who put so much time and effort into the hobby.

[Rubone]

Len, call me when you can, but not too late!