Questions on Sport and Utility Solo Groups on WL

[clanky]

Hello all. My name is Karl and this is my first post to this forum. I am in the process of putting together a '49 WL that I bought in boxes and I have a couple of questions on the Sport and Utility Solo groups. Thanks much to Chris Haynes for posting the 1949 Dealer Order Blank on his web site.
I am trying to make this bike as correct as possible and need to clarify a few things:
Sport Solo Group
Were the footboards chrome? I didn't see any mention of it, just want to know for sure.
Colored shift ball - What color or is this the dice shift knob?
Was the hand shift lever itself chrome?
Stainless foot lever - Is that the brake or clutch they are referring to?
Are the short and long brake levers supposed to be cad or parkerized or?
Fork springs finish?
I know it came with chrome rims but what finish on the spokes?
What color should the rear brake drum be?
Utility Solo Group
I see that they came with black rims, but were the spokes black as well?
Brakes, hub, everything black?
Was the trim ring around the head light black too?
Fork springs finish?
Were the shift gate and lever black or chrome?
All primary cover inspections plates are black?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've looked online for photos of original '49s but man, without knowing I don't know what to look for to make this bike correct. Does anyone have a '49 brochure or accessory catalog that I could get a copy of?
Thanks much,
Karl

[Rubone]

Hello all. My name is Karl and this is my first post to this forum. I am in the process of putting together a '49 WL that I bought in boxes and I have a couple of questions on the Sport and Utility Solo groups. Thanks much to Chris Haynes for posting the 1949 Dealer Order Blank on his web site.
I am trying to make this bike as correct as possible and need to clarify a few things:
Sport Solo Group
Were the footboards chrome? I didn't see any mention of it, just want to know for sure.
Colored shift ball - What color or is this the dice shift knob?
Was the hand shift lever itself chrome?
Stainless foot lever - Is that the brake or clutch they are referring to?
Are the short and long brake levers supposed to be cad or parkerized or?
Fork springs finish?
I know it came with chrome rims but what finish on the spokes?
What color should the rear brake drum be?
Utility Solo Group
I see that they came with black rims, but were the spokes black as well?
Brakes, hub, everything black?
Was the trim ring around the head light black too?
Fork springs finish?
Were the shift gate and lever black or chrome?
All primary cover inspections plates are black?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've looked online for photos of original '49s but man, without knowing I don't know what to look for to make this bike correct. Does anyone have a '49 brochure or accessory catalog that I could get a copy of?
Thanks much,
Karl


Fork springs finish?
Were the shift gate and lever black or chrome?
All primary cover inspections plates are black?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've looked online for photos of original '49s but man, without knowing I don't know what to look for to make this bike correct. Does anyone have a '49 brochure or accessory catalog that I could get a copy of?
Thanks much,
Karl [/QUOTE]

Every one of those questions is answered in Bruce Palmer's restoration guide Karl, you need one!!

Footboards were NEVER chrome in any group.
Colored shift ball was plastic, and not dice.
Shift lever is chrome
Stainless foot lever is referring to the clutch pivot cover
Brake levers are parkerized.
Spokes are Cad, always in '49 on all models.
Brake drums are always black.

Black rims used Cad spokes
Yes
No, it was chrome on 45s in 49 in all groups.
Fork springs are parkerized
Inspection covers black in utility group.

[ammorest]

Karl, it would probably help you a lot if you got a copy of Bruce Palmer's book; How To Restore Your Harley-Davidson.

[clanky]

Thanks much for the info. I do have a Palmer book, but I was in AZ and saw an ad for NOS parts, turned out it was NOS Tedd's Cycle.
I do have another question that I can't find an answer to in the Palmer book. 1947-'50 tank emblems, the Palmer book says a red circle but it doesn't say letter colors. I always thought they were black but I've been seeing some of these emblems on eBay labeled as original that have red letters. I have my original emblems although the circles were painted black at some point and I want to correct it and figured I'd check on the lettering too, mine are black. Were they black or?
Thanks much,
Karl

[Rubone]

OEM are only black. And the stamping differs considerably from the repops. All OEM are marked FOX on the back. One thing I can tell you Karl is slow down and educate yourself, you are posting on every site and spinning like a meth freak. You will make lots of mistakes (Some could be costly) with this approach. Learn first, buy later....

[clanky]

Thanks, Robbie. I'll type slower next time.

[duffeycycles]

OEM are only black?

[Rubone]

My bad Duffy, I guess I am the one who needs to type slower. Lettering on OEM is only red, aftermarket are black as well as the occasional odd color.

[Chris Haynes]

I know, Sidecars for a 45" weren't available in '49. I guess this one was for a special police dept.

[1950Panhead]

Thanks much for the info. I do have a Palmer book, but I was in AZ and saw an ad for NOS parts, turned out it was NOS Tedd's Cycle.
I do have another question that I can't find an answer to in the Palmer book. 1947-'50 tank emblems, the Palmer book says a red circle but it doesn't say letter colors. I always thought they were black but I've been seeing some of these emblems on eBay labeled as original that have red letters. I have my original emblems although the circles were painted black at some point and I want to correct it and figured I'd check on the lettering too, mine are black. Were they black or?
Thanks much,

Original badge, red letters, red circle,crisp letters,fox,click to enlarge

47badge.jpg

[1950Panhead]

Reproduction badge
47badge-repo.jpg

[41craig]

Back and front view of OEM badge. Third pic is OEM on top and touched up repop on bottom.CIMG0957.JPGCIMG0958.JPGCIMG0959.JPG

[clanky]

Thanks for the photos. I have the original pair although the lettering and the circle were painted black some years ago and flakes off real easy. I think I'll just remove the black and leave them blank, would look better than brand new red on old emblems seems to me. I am assuming the originals were screen printed so probably a very thin layer of ink in the first place. Is there a way to re-do the red without it looking cheesy?

[41craig]

The red over black on the repop was done by a friend of mine. He used a very small brush and a rag ( to wipe away any miscues ). It was tedious work, but in the end it made a Taiwan badge look more presentable. Also, he being a former sign painter didn't hurt either.
Craig

[Rubone]

I've always used model airplane paint to do them, it isn't very shiny. Pinstiping paint will flow well too. The red is lighter than the red used in that era for paint on sheetmetal.