Help with a Harley 1915-29 Pocket Valve book please

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear All, if you have unsigned copies of the JD book I should beat Oley Stand 28 this weekend to sign them for you.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear All, I picked up the new JD book from the printers yesterday and it looks good! 220 pages with 130 in colour, including 39 full page pictures of good restored and unrestored 1915-29 Harley twins. Replicant Metals are distributing in the USA and Canada, with VL Heaven for the rest of the world. Get those orders in soon! Thanks to the 25 other AMCA members who provided technical info and photos.

[aumick10]

Steve,
I have information on the different changes made to transmissions during the twenties, if you need it.
Cheers

[exeric]

Thanks for all of your efforts, Steve. Herculean comes to mind, but we all know the J series has been skipped over by most historians because there is so much there (possibly too much.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear All, Eric was right when he said this was a big undertaking. The book is now about 260 pages and we are about three-quarters through. I'm still looking for pictures of a good 1917 bike, but contributions of pictures or info from 25 other AMCA members means we are nearly at the finishing straight. Thanks to all. We are still on for a mid-year completion, and I'll let you all know when it's ready.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear All, Matt at Wheels Through Time is stepping in with some good 1917 and 1918 bike pictures, so that leaves only 1922. Are there any good 1922 pocket valve twins out there where the owner can supply pictures? If so, many thanks, and all contributions will be acknowledged.

[Steve Slocombe]

Thanks to everybody who has helped, and we are now about half way through. I'm still looking for pictures of good 1917, 1918 and 1922 bikes if you know of any. Email vlheaven@aol.com if you would like to involved.

[exeric]

Steve, this is a picture of a 1916 pedal block H-D P.N. EG-662. One year only, and this particular pedal is NOS, courtesy of Tommo. I probably won't use it as it is hard as a rock, and wouldn't take much abuse. I just love looking at it

pedal 16.JPG

[Steve Slocombe]

Thank you Mick, the reference is much appreciated.

[aumick10]

20210308_070821.jpg

Steve, this is one of the reference parts books i use.

[Steve Slocombe]

Guys, I didn't realise how little I knew about the JDs compared with the VLs, and there were many changes over the 15 model years we are looking at. I've restored a 1918 and a 1928 as riders, but 'points bikes' for judging are a different ball game. I don't want to copy a fragile original parts book, but could do with a recommendation for a reprint earlier than the 1922-26 one I have. You know how Harley airbrushed out some technical change by superseding parts and retrofitting them in the newer parts books.

The book breaks down into three sections. First mostly text about the business environment, models and production numbers, and general buying and restoration advice. I'm OK with this. Next two full page photos per model year plus major changes from the sales brochures. Some pictures are missing or poor quality, but the text is probably pretty close now. The third section runs through major assemblies roughly in part number order, with more technical detail and color photos of each part changed, and here's where I'm struggling. I can't even write a list of changes for many of the sections, and could use help here. Email me at vlheaven@aol.com if you'd like to contribute, and then I can search out the photos and write text around them.

It's more work than I thought but will be good when finished. It's 30 years since Jerry Hatfield wrote Inside Harley-Davidson, and the pictures are all black and white and from a technical writer rather than a Harley restorer. All my coffee table books with JD pictures in them are 20 years old, and feature restored bikes that may not pass muster today with AMCA judges.

If you have any contacts on social media, perhaps you can ask them, but in the mean time any help is much appreciated.

[Eric]

I can help with some JDH inside pictures

[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.

[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 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.