Original factory fenders or not?

[Jet Doc]

I'm wondering if the 45 I just bought has the original fenders on it? Are there any tell tale signs to indicate either way? I'm going to restore this bike and just don't want to invest a bunch of time repairing repro fenders. Thanks!

[dommi7]

The rear looks like OEM, the hinge has 2 large and 3 small loops. Is it correct for your bike? Depends on what year bike. I don't know about the front, if you post a pick of the fender strap, it may help, particularly the rivets at the 2 ends of the axle plate.

[Jet Doc]

The bike is a WL47.

[Rubone]

Neither of your fenders are correct. The rear is a later model ('50-'52) and the front is not 45! The rear should be of three piece construction (skirts spot welded to the center blade), and the front is likely Big Twin fender or Servi-Car as your forks and wheel are not correct for a solo model.
Robbie

[Jet Doc]

Another picture

Here's a picture of the bike before the previous owner had painted it black. The front and rear fenders are of 3 piece construction spot welded together???? What are the front forks and fender?

[Rubone]

Jet Doc,
As I said the forks are Servi-Car or WLC, not civilian 45 solo forks. They use a Big Twin rocker/wheel/brake set-up. The stock 45 wheel assembly and rockers are different than yours, with the wheel being a half hub affair and the rockers mounting on the inside of the legs. The green tanks in the before picture are '51-'53 type. That may be what is on your bike under the black! The muffler in that picture is WLC, so you may have had a WLC donor bike in your past! It appears that your bike was assembled from mis-matched bits, which will make the restoration more difficult. The front fender is probably H-D, however it is not 45.
Robbie

[harleytoprock]

Is the only difference between 45 and big twin front fenders just the braces?

[Rubone]

Is the only difference between 45 and big twin front fenders just the braces?

Yes it is from '40 up. The earlier 45 fenders for I-beam forks are different.
Robbie

[Jet Doc]

So if I wanted to replace the wheels, what would I use? Thanks for the info!

[Rubone]

The rear wheel in your pictures is correct for '47 except for the finish. And in your picture it is in the frame backwards! The front wheel would be a half drum hub laced to a 45 specific 16" rim. The rims are a little difficult to find OEM but they are repopped. You would also need all the other brake related parts as none of what is there converts to the stock 45 brake, along with fork rockers and axle. You would also need to bush the ends of the fork legs for the 45 rockers. You could also just leave the front end as is however no '47WL ever came that way, so it could never be considered "right"!
Robbie