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Can someone explain the different shift gates for J/VL series. My 28 JD has the gate with two complete holes and two externally threaded bungs on the left tank. Today I seen a J tank with one and a half holes on a tank with only the gas fill threaded. What's up with that?
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On the late JDs, 1925-29, you have two complete holes in the shifter gate and two big threaded nuts over the left tank fillers. For the 1930 VL there is the same shifter gate but only one big nut at the rear holding it down, as the oil tank filler is not externally threaded. The three speed VL continued with the same shifter gate to 1936, changing finish from nickel to chrome around 1930, then adding a safety bullet at the rear of the gate around 1935 to stop you snagging your greatcoat when straddling the bike. The 1931-36 reverse and the 1936 VL four speed shifter gates are of course different. Meanwhile, the 1929-36 Harley small twins used a similar 3-speed shifter gate to the late JD/VL one, but with only half a hole at the front. The position of the gear shifter notches changed a couple of times as the small twin gearbox was redesigned. I'm guessing you may have seen a 1929-36 small twin tank, or a JD one using a small twin shifter gate.
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