Help with a Harley 1915-29 Pocket Valve book please

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear All, I need help with a forthcoming book on these bikes.

Bruce Linsday has asked me to write an identification and restoration guide to the 1915-29 pocket valve Harleys and I'm perhaps a third through it. We are still waiting for Mark Masa's definitive workshop manual, so this is an interim effort of perhaps 150 pages aimed to be out in the middle of this year. You will know that AMCA members have written detailed 1929-64 Harley manuals, but nothing earlier, and the experts are getting older while the judging statistics show the average member is interested in later bikes. There's no money in it, but the time is right to get that knowledge out in print.

The layout is spiral bound landscape pages to allow full page bike pictures. We have a printer and an ISBN. The first third of the book is an overview of the business environment, production numbers and models, engine number examples and summarised technical changes. Then two full page photos per year of good restored or unrestored bikes, with more technical detail of changes from the sales brochures etc. Then each major assembly such as forks, gearboxes, engines is treated in more detail, with pictures of key items and restoration tips. I've Emailed Mark Masa and Jon Neuman for assistance, and have had great input from Tom Feeser, Terry Marsh, Bruce Linsday, Pete Reeves, and Dutch members Johan Wijers and .Jan van der Werff who all have enviable collections and technical knowledge. Bill Wood has assisted with Cannonball Run photos and AMCA calendar pictures.

For the main central section I'm looking for two full page photos per model year, plus four on the back cover and two on the front - presumably 1915 and 1929 - meaning I'm looking for pictures of 36 restored and unrestored machines that might qualify for our Winners Circle. If you think your machine qualifies, and you'd like to see it in print, please contact me. All contributions will be credited. Likewise for any pictures of tanks, toolboxes, chainguards, forks, engine numbers, generators, gearboxes, headlamps, mudguards, striping details etc that illustrate particular changes, or restoration tips for others to benefit from.

If you would like to contribute to any particular year discussion, or major assembly description, please let me know and I'll Email you a draft section for comment. Likewise, if you know of other people or other bikes, please contact the owners and see if they would like to be involved.

Best regards, Steve Slocombe, vlheaven@aol.com

[exeric]

Long overdue, Steve, and thanks to you, Bruce, Mark, Tom, Terry, Pete, Johan, Jan for expert information. The entire F, J, JD (and the rest of that alphabet series) are so individual, and year particular that it makes for a colossal undertaking. The whole J series are my personal favorite Harley-Davidsons because of their yearly individuality, but also because the J era made Harley-Davidson the iconic brand that it is today. I know that could be debated ad infinitum, but I believe the J series was made when the founders were in their stride, and they honestly tried to use the best materials (for the time) and the best engineering in that post pioneer era. I think the J series is what made Harley-Davidson a household phrase for motorcycles. Please keep us posted on when this publication comes available. . . . Again, Thank You.

[Steve Swan]

Long overdue, Steve, and thanks to you, Bruce, Mark, Tom, Terry, Pete, Johan, Jan for expert information. The entire F, J, JD (and the rest of that alphabet series) are so individual, and year particular that it makes for a colossal undertaking. The whole J series are my personal favorite Harley-Davidsons because of their yearly individuality, but also because the J era made Harley-Davidson the iconic brand that it is today. I know that could be debated ad infinitum, but I believe the J series was made when the founders were in their stride, and they honestly tried to use the best materials (for the time) and the best engineering in that post pioneer era. I think the J series is what made Harley-Davidson a household phrase for motorcycles. Please keep us posted on when this publication comes available. . . . Again, Thank You.

Bravissimo, Eric! Could not have said it better!

Thank you Steve for taking on this project. I will buy one of your books when they are finished and i know at least two other solid buyers who will also buy them!

[Steve Slocombe]

Thanks for the nice words Eric and Steve, and how about some photos and technical info first, or we wont see this vanity project completed...

[Steve Swan]

Thanks for the nice words Eric and Steve, and how about some photos and technical info first, or we wont see this vanity project completed...

Here's some clutch arm and transmission shifter parts unique to '27

[Steve Slocombe]

Thanks Steve and we all like one-year-only parts, but what does the V shaped bracket do?

[aumick10]

The V shaped bracket is a clutch arm stop. Pt no 2429-26. The 26& 27 tranny didn't have any type of clutch quadrant as later models. There fore the clutch arm could travel too far forward and possibly hit the clutch bearing fork internally against the mainshaft. This bracket was installed to limit the forward clutch arm travel.

20210303_082428.jpg

[Steve Slocombe]

Ah, thank you Steve! I've had a couple of those clutch arms with no interlock feature, so that's where they come from. With that part number, does that mean the V-bracket/stop was only used in 1926, because it would be more or less redundant in '27?

[Steve Swan]

That stop was first fitted to transmissions in 1926, and is seen in the 1926 parts book as pn 2429-26.

Additionally, first seen in the 1928 parts book as a new part number, a "kit" of sorts consisting of the plunger screw, locating pin, spring for the locating pin and included the sliding stop with it's cover.

This 2239-27 "kit" did not include the locating plunger nor the plunger spring nor the 2429-26 stop. The 28 book calls for this "kit" to be fitted to 26-28 twins and likely first appeared on the assembly line as the late-1927 twins were being built.

[aumick10]

The picture i posted is from my 26, with the stop. My books show the 2429-26 part used for 26/27 only. It still needs to be used with the 2239-27 "kit", as the kit still does not provide a stop limit for the arm, just a detent lock for the sliding gear. If the arm goes too far forward, it could release the detent lock pin.

[Steve Swan]

The picture i posted is from my 26, with the stop. My books show the 2429-26 part used for 26/27 only. It still needs to be used with the 2239-27 "kit", as the kit still does not provide a stop limit for the arm, just a detent lock for the sliding gear. If the arm goes too far forward, it could release the detent lock pin.

Thanks Mick, for clarifying that the 2429-26 stop is seen in the 26 parts book and fitted to 1926 transmissions. I edited my post to correct what I incorrectly stated about 2429-26.

[aumick10]

Cheers Steve. As you well know, there is some conflicting information out there.

[Steve Slocombe]

Thanks guys that's a big help. This book is more of a project than I thought, but we need to get the info out there from the older guys to help the young 'uns with their next project. I'm still looking for good pictures of 1917, 1918 and 1922 bikes if you know of any. And a full on restoration in the Brewster Green would look good too.

[Steve Swan]

Steve, I resoundingly laud your efforts to author this book. Although i finished my '27 restoration in 2017, it is still teaching me the finer details of distinctions such as the clutch arm stop.

[Steve Swan]

Ah, thank you Steve! I've had a couple of those clutch arms with no interlock feature, so that's where they come from. With that part number, does that mean the V-bracket/stop was only used in 1926, because it would be more or less redundant in '27?

Steve, that V-stop was fitted 1926 and 1927. The goofy 2239-27 plunger "kit" is not seen in the 1927 parts book but is seen in the 1928 parts book. I can only assume this "kit" may have been seen on later 27 models and was "retrofitted" to 26 and early 27 models.

By 1928, the factory went back to a locking system design same as seen on pre-26 bikes, but the parts were different.

I'm certain you know 1927 was the first year for wasted spark, the cap for the 27 timer was a unique one year only item. The factory produced a sort of "retrofit kit" to convert distributor ignitions to wasted spark. I would need to look in my parts books to see if that "kit" was first seen in the 27 book or if it was not until 28.

It sure is nice to have some conversation on the IoE twins because things have been nearly dead; the preponderance of posts on IoE twins is largely from Mick and myself.