VL Period Modified

[Chuck#1848]

When it comes to the VL years what was done to the bikes to modify or customize them my 30 already has the top fork clamp "altered" what about front fender ornimates? things like that anybody have any photos?

[exeric]

One thing I have noticed in many old photos of VLs is, the owners tried to make their bikes look newer by adding later decals and paint. This seems to be particularly common with '30-'33 VLs.

[Steve Slocombe]

Check out Herbert Wagner's book on 1930-41 Harleys and you'll see well accessorised bikes with saddlebags, front fender ornaments and non-standard chrome. Also sporty VLs with the front fender removed, rear cut down, and lights removed. Plus, as Eric says, on the Club scene you'll find bikes only a few years old repainted to look newer. The 1934 Flying Diamond and 1936 Flying Ball tank decals and a paint job were often used to freshen up older machines. This is seen also in those panoramic photos of Police departments, where quite a few of the bikes are not as new as they look.

[Chris Haynes]

Look at the updates on this one.

[Chuck#1848]

LOL Chris,I am not a 100% sure cause mines a 30,but..............I do believe I could make that work with mine

[Chuck#1848]

Thanks for the replys Eric and Steve,
for the paint I am leaning towards black with gold stripes and red side panels on the tanks
I was trying to come up with an older car hood ornament by going toa some car swapmeets and as for the fenders I won't cut the front cause it is in pretty good shape the back fender is pitted pretty good and needs a hinge and the bracket arms for the hinged portion that I have been considering adjusting a bit.
As I mentioned the fork clamps for the lights have been cut removing the light brackets and the bike came with what I believe may be a car head light the one saddle bag that came with it also is pretty much junk.........now if I could only find that one updated modification in chris photo,all leads on that one item are appreciated

[William McClean]

I have seen a front fender ornament made of aluminum, about 4" tall and very thin, the profile of a horned devil, thumbing his nose. This may have been a bicycle accessory adapted to motor cycle.

There were made some 3 dimensional ornaments for front fenders looking like a winged eagle sitting atop a globe. This is not the Case tractor logo, but a rather crude cast by comparison. These were floating around the AMCA back in th 70's. Dad picked one up at Davenport. The story is that they were cast using the aluminum from old Henderson oil sump pans.

[Chuck#1848]

Thanks william that was along the lines of what I was thinking with the fender ornaments what got me going was seeing things like that in photos and reciently the photo of I believe Flat happys bike with the cast 48 star flag idealy I would like something from the 30's or early 40's

[flat-happy]

i still haven't found the source of that flag----maybe chris has a pic in one of his accessory catalogs. the base of it is flat. that's why i was thinking boat. i was working on it today toward getting it running and was going to put the rest of the parts of the ride control back on when i discovered that he turned the lower horn mount around backward to make room for the flag and that is why the ride control was disassembled. since i like the flag much better than the ride control the flag stays for now. i'm just glad the guy didn't drill new holes in the fender. pretty smart. hope to ride it around wauseon in a couple of weeks

[exeric]

Look at the updates on this one.

I've seen this picture before and I have to say, that woman is movie star gorgeous. What a babe! She deserves no less than a '36EL.

[Perry Ruiter]

When it comes to the VL years what was done to the bikes to modify or customize them my 30 already has the top fork clamp "altered" what about front fender ornimates? things like that anybody have any photos?

One thing I have noticed in many old photos of VLs is, the owners tried to make their bikes look newer by adding later decals and paint. This seems to be particularly common with '30-'33 VLs.

Plus, as Eric says, on the Club scene you'll find bikes only a few years old repainted to look newer. The 1934 Flying Diamond and 1936 Flying Ball tank decals and a paint job were often used to freshen up older machines.

Here's a photo of a pretty heavily used/abused/modified/updated VL. I think it was a 32 at birth. This was emailed to me a few years ago by a fellow asking a few questions about it. Apparently it was his father's and the photo was taken at a remote BC logging camp. We think those are some telephone (or possibly blasting) batteries installed ... Perry

[c.o.]

That's a pretty cool photo Perry! It's neat to see a cool old B.C. bike!

[Chuck#1848]

Perry

thanks,
Do you know what ever became of that bike?

[Perry Ruiter]

Perry

thanks,
Do you know what ever became of that bike?

No idea. Might still be out in the bush somewhere. I know my step father had a Model A in the 50s. When I asked him what happened to it he said he just drove it out into the bush and left it there after he bought a newer car. That's what people did up north. I remember in the early 70s, we had a 57 Oldsmobile and needed something for the motor (push rods as I recall). My step father knew where there was an abandoned car with the same engine and we snowshoed out, popped the hood and took what we needed ... Perry

[c.o.]

No idea. Might still be out in the bush somewhere. I know my step father had a Model A in the 50s. When I asked him what happened to it he said he just drove it out into the bush and left it there after he bought a newer car. That's what people did up north. I remember in the early 70s, we had a 57 Oldsmobile and needed something for the motor (push rods as I recall). My step father knew where there was an abandoned car with the same engine and we snowshoed out, popped the hood and took what we needed ... Perry

Wouldn't that be something if a guy tripped over that bike? Makes one believe they are still out there. That whole Caribou area of the province reeks of old. I remember as a kid heading south and stopping somewhere between Quesnel and 100 Mile-House for fuel. A guy rolled in to the gas station on (from what I can gather from memory anyway) an Indian Powerplus. He said he was heading for Kamloops. That was another nail in the coffin of my life's destiny!

I spend quite of bit of time in the bush and have tripped over many an old car but am still waiting to stumble on a bike!!!

Oh, and your Olds story brings back memories of needing parts for my '50 Dodge pickup as a teenager. I just trucked down the mountain to an old car dump and scrounged up what I needed and went home and put the parts on!!!