WLA New in Crate on eBay?

[sirhrmechanic]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-ORIGINAL...c97dcb&vxp=mtr


Seriously? Perhaps if it was a "let's send these to Russia in Pieces" lend lease crated bike. But this just looks like most of the parts collected to build a WLA? Am I missing something?

Cheers,

Sirhr

[c.o.]

I've seen a few Indian Scouts still in the crate. They weren't fetching the kind of money he's asking though. It could be legit but it looks like he tore into the crate like it was Christmas!

[frichie68]

So cheap and missing only a few parts.....
I'd take 1/3 of that for my running rider some folks don't like because it's no longer green.
Rich

[c.o.]

Rich, I used to have a civilianized '42 WLA. It was painted the color most often associated with Harleys.. Green or not, they are awesome bikes! Anybody besides me notice that a box of NOS was spilled all over that ad?

[Sargehere]

No integrity to "it." "It" is only a collection of unrelated parts that someone collected together but never assembled. A dream unfulfilled by someone who actually knew so little that he thought "WLAs are all the same," I'm guessing.

Most may be NOS, but from different models of WLA, so, basically, no big deal, and for shore not worth anything near thirty long.

[sirhrmechanic]

OK... you guys are confirming my instincts. There was a longshot idea in my head that some bikes shipped overseas on Lend Lease might have been done in 'smaller' components than just 'standard' crating. But my first thought was 'pile of parts' and that the paint shades didn't even come close to matching... much less the parts.

I really want another one of these someday... But other stuff keeps following me home.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Peter Cooke]

WLACrateLeft.jpgWLACrateRight.jpg
Here's what they looked like crated. I think Sarge is right, it's just someones long term collection of parts. The long description does kinda suggest that also.

[sirhrmechanic]

Peter:

That's what I've seen before, though not those pictures in particular. BTW... I'd be REALLY happy to find one like that.

Used to be when I was a young'un... there were lots of rumors of hundreds of them being buried here or there... on military bases or off. Always one of those 'I heard from a guy, who heard from his uncle who was in the Army in 1946 that they buried all these bikes near..." Bet you've all heard the stories.

Ok... so has anyone EVER heard of such a 'cache' actually being found? Did such a thing ever really happen?

BTW, I can attest that such things were not unknown. Nearby us is an old (now closed) CCC camp from the 1930's. Closed in 1941 and all the trucks and equipment (about a half-dozen, trucks and a couple of earth movers) were pushed into a hole and buried. They're still there. The cavities are full of snakes. When I was a kid, the barracks were still standing and we used to deer hunt up there. Now all rotted and just a few remnants. So it "is" plausible. But IMHO pretty unlikely it ever happened to WLA's.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[John Henry]

I guess it could be possible. I spent 36 years in the Army and I saw a lot of things abandoned when troops moved out. The Cam Ranh Bay depot comes to mind when we left Vietnam, it was full of vehicles of all types and all conditions. We gave entire Combat Support Hospitals to countries in the former Soviet Union in the 80s. I lost a new M4K (4000 lb rough terrain) forklift to the government of Somalia when "we" were still trying to be friends with that crap hole. The Russians left a lot of vehicles and weapons in both Somalia and Afghanistan when they pulled out of those countries. I was in a long neglected warehouse at Red River Depot, TX when a 45 motor was "found" in the crate. I saw hundreds of surplus WLA motors and transmissions still in the crates at the old Triangle building in Chicago in 1971. They had some complete bikes too, but I didn't see any "in the crate". I was told by a pretty dependable source that a bunch of 45s and Jeeps were buried in Belgium at the end of WWII. However, I think the parts listed in the e-bay ad are an accumulation...after all, why would someone get rid of the crate. The crate might be worth more then the bike. LOL!
Regards,
John Henry

[frichie68]

I see the price has now dropped to $25K....
Rich

[sirhrmechanic]

I guess it could be possible. I spent 36 years in the Army and I saw a lot of things abandoned when troops moved out. The Cam Ranh Bay depot comes to mind when we left Vietnam, it was full of vehicles of all types and all conditions. We gave entire Combat Support Hospitals to countries in the former Soviet Union in the 80s. I lost a new M4K (4000 lb rough terrain) forklift to the government of Somalia when "we" were still trying to be friends with that crap hole. The Russians left a lot of vehicles and weapons in both Somalia and Afghanistan when they pulled out of those countries. I was in a long neglected warehouse at Red River Depot, TX when a 45 motor was "found" in the crate. I saw hundreds of surplus WLA motors and transmissions still in the crates at the old Triangle building in Chicago in 1971. They had some complete bikes too, but I didn't see any "in the crate". I was told by a pretty dependable source that a bunch of 45s and Jeeps were buried in Belgium at the end of WWII. However, I think the parts listed in the e-bay ad are an accumulation...after all, why would someone get rid of the crate. The crate might be worth more then the bike. LOL!
Regards,
John Henry

Your mention of Vietnam reminded me about an awesome photo montage that I saw a few months ago. I can't believe I didn't post it here.

It's from a motorcycle trip along the Ho Chi Minh trail. And the pictures of the detritus of war (and how the people have used it), are just amazing. Well worth a few minutes to scroll through.

http://www.laosgpsmap.com/ho-chi-minh-trail-laos/

Cheers,

Sirhr

[frichie68]

Better hurry-auction ends in 3 hours, price is down again to $23k, still no takers.
In case you missed it, mine's still for sale for a whole lot less!
Rich
.....Update: Didn't sell, relisted for another 29 days......