Flathead Handlebar?

[wideglide38]

Merry Christmas everyone!
I picked up this handlebar set yesterday with some '30 V parts and am having trouble ID'ing this set. Both cables exit on top of the bars and the left side has what looks like a mount for a brake lever. There are two holed flanges under each bend. Any ideas folks?
Thanks,
William (#10035)

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear William, those have been around the block a few times judging by the flats from where they've been pounded in and out. They look like 1935/6 VL bars or 1935-39 RL/WL bars with the shorter grips. I can see the 1926 and up horn button holes on the left, but not the 1929 and up dip switch holes on the right, so they could be JD bars cut down and heavily altered. I guess the flanges with holes are to fit the accessory light bar, to make them Hollywood bars or 'racing' bars. Someone put a lot of work into bobbing them when VL bars were cheap, that's for sure.

[wideglide38]

Thank you Steve! The right side of the bar has only one small threaded hole left on the bottom side (see small bolt below the bar in the 2nd photo) - no other holes on right near the spiral. The left side has two sets of holes (horn and light?), one top and one bottom. Your "racing bars" comment makes sense since the gentleman I picked these up from said he bought the third and last flathead from a older gentleman who use to race years ago. I hope you can shed some light regarding the spark control and throttle cable exiting the topside of the bar (at first bend) compared to most photos I've seen of VL's that show these cables exiting the bottom of the bar at the second bend. Was this a year or model change?
Thanks,
William

[fabercycle]

I handle hundreds of sets of peoples bar repairs every year, and I must say those are unique. I disagree that it might be for any kind of racing, because they are heavy, and have too many button holes. I think they are something specifically utilitarian, and I don't see any signs that they were modified in an amatuer way. Since the horn and toggle button are both on the left, and grips are short, I would guess 36-39, maybe some kind of special needs servi-car or commercial special purpose rig, I think the cables exit on the top, because the brackets are there to hold something bulky that would interfere with their regular routing....but then, ..........that's just my opinion.

[wideglide38]

Very good points Tom, thanks. All the welds for the brackets are very clean, appear professionally done and are under (what looks like) original paint(?).

I must say I do like a good mystery!! I failed to include photos of the odd brake lever that came on the bar. I had cut the head off the hex head bolt (no CP markings & previously rounded off) and set the lever aside. See attached. Hope this helps.

[exeric]

I agree with Tom, the bars are custom from the J, or V era. They look very well done and would look good on a period modified J or V series Harley. There was some real talent in the trades back in the days when those bars were customized.