1929 Jdl

[sswaney]

JDL's

What I can't figure out is why there seems to be no specific mention of the JDL prefix in the 1928 published literature but rather JDXL? My literature from the period is limited but everything I have seen only shows a JXL or JDXL. Can anyone shed some light on this?

[23JDCA 808]

Maybe the X was for experimental, which was removed in 1929 ...as their 'imporvements' worked out? ...bill

[sswaney]

Bill
I would like to know if they were ever stamped with the X on the motor. Maybe it was a sales ploy (experimental), Who Hoo! And they were just stamped JDL?

[23JDCA 808]

I am a newbie to all this; but I have not seen an X serial in the two years that I have been watching them on eBay. ...bill

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by Fiskis
A buddy found a clean 1928 JDL motor maybe 10 years ago in Russia. I did not know of that "L" back then and was sure there was a JDH coming up. I was so disappointed that I did not buy it for a sum less than what you have to pay for a cylinder today. He said he sold it to the States.
Fiskis

Amazing where the old JD's ended up, ain't it?

[HarleyCreation]

Re: JDL's

Originally posted by sswaney
What I can't figure out is why there seems to be no specific mention of the JDL prefix in the 1928 published literature but rather JDXL? My literature from the period is limited but everything I have seen only shows a JXL or JDXL. Can anyone shed some light on this?

That's a very good point and shows how nutty H-D model number/letter system was back then and still remains poorly understood today.

There was a 1928 JDXL MODEL but NOT a 1928 JDL MODEL. BUT (and it's a big BUTT), the MOTOR number/letter for the JDXL MODEL was stamped on as JDL (with no X). So you might have a JDXL model, but the motor will be stamped JDL.

I told you it was nutty....

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by 23JDCA 808
I am a newbie to all this; but I have not seen an X serial in the two years that I have been watching them on eBay. ...bill

I don't think any motors were stamped with the "X" (see previous post), even if they were a JDXL Model.

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by sswaney
Bill
I would like to know if they were ever stamped with the X on the motor. Maybe it was a sales ploy (experimental), Who Hoo! And they were just stamped JDL?

No, they weren't stamped "X" on the motor, because JDXL was a MODEL not a MOTOR number and they could be different even referring to the same bike. You guessed right that they were stamped JDL (hands out prize).

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by sswaney
Mrs Lug

What makes you believe this motor is a factory racer?

Glide

Not a racer at all, but 74 ci regular production with "Dow Metal" pistons....

[sswaney]

JDL's

My first Prize ever!
HC, any idea if these motors originally used the H motors inlet setup? Also did you happen to see the "chicago" cylinder on ebay a few weeks back? It did not bring much considering its significance.

Scott

[HarleyCreation]

Re: JDL's

Originally posted by sswaney
My first Prize ever!
HC, any idea if these motors originally used the H motors inlet setup? Also did you happen to see the "chicago" cylinder on ebay a few weeks back? It did not bring much considering its significance.

Scott

No, I don't know about the inlet setup, sorry. Didn't see the "Chicago" cylinder on eBay either. I'll check and see if that was a Factory term.

[23JDCA 808]

No, I don't know about the inlet setup, sorry. Didn't see the "Chicago" cylinder on eBay either. I'll check and see if that was a Factory term.

From the J/JD site I'd offer " . . . the spark plug was moved into the combustion chamber itself for more performance. This
was done in 1915 for engines racing in a Chicago, Illinois race. They were fast, but the sparkplugs overheated, and so the idea was dropped." eBay offering was
http://cgi.ebay.com/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi...m=300194814419
Pg.25 of Jerry Hatfield's book Inside Harley-Davidson shows one. ...bill

[sveger]

Where to find J motors

I see Fiskis refer to a J motor found in Russia and that it amaze Harley Creation.
A guy I know swapped a car load of old chain saw`s for old Harley and Indian stuff in Romania like 15 years ago.
Among those parts there was a very clean 1928 JD engine, as well as the carb i use on my 1927 JD was picked from the same lot.
Truly the old Harleys where spread all over :-)

[Fiskis]

The other day a buddy mailed me and asked if I knew what is a JDF?. I initially recalled the 28JDL found in Russia. This is a late 28 #28JDF15000+. I have not seen this "F" on Pocketvalves other than in the form 28F or 28FD for magneto models. It could be "F" for Foreign like the 30BAF is the export model of the 30BA Single. According to the pix the number is genuine and the bike has all the electric equipment. The cylinders are swapped to the smaller 61 cylinders. Othervise all parts seem to be standard JD.

It was imported to Finland from Estonia 12 years ago. Of course somebody can have ripped off eventual JDX cylinders, slim gas tanks and short bar.

So the Harleys were spread all over the world in those good ol' days. Anybody has a clue for the funny JDF.

Regards Fiskis

[milw.pirates]

1929 jdl

Hello Fiskis,
Good to here from you again, Hows your single projects coming?