1950 Panhead transmission side cover

[jwl]

I have a 1950 Panhead that seems to have been together all its life but who really knows? It has the pig snout kicker cover that Palmer says was introduced in 51. Can anyone verify this info to be true? My bike is in the 5000 serial number range. I have no reson to doubt Palmer's statement and the factory photos seem to back him up. I'm just wondering if perhaps the pigsnout cover came out a little earlier. Anyone have a 50 Pan they know to be unmolested that could have a look and help me out? Thanks!

[Chris Haynes]

Actually the Pig Snout or more correctly Pork Belly kicker cover first appeared in my factory photos on the 1951 models. But I am sure the late 1950's most likely had it. It isn't like they waited for the first 1951 before they started putting them on.
If you get real bored you can look through 1950 Enthusiast magazines to see when they first appear.
My 1950 Panhead # 10XXX also has the Pork Belly kicker cover. But, kicker covers were known to break and get replaced. We will only know for sure if somebody finds the factory blueprint.

PS I always thought the Pig Snout was the cover over the 1934-1938 tail lamps. ;-)

[bmh]

Of the original bikes I have looked at it would appear that the first half years production, or perhaps a little more from 1951 still had the earlier style cover. I took photos of 51FL68XX at a meet the other year. It was very original and had only clocked 48,000 miles. It has the earlier cover. Granted they did crack and get replaced, but usually with a new one not a used one. I would imagine that the slump in sales that year would've caused an overstock of old parts while the prototypes were constructed with new stock. Also you must remember that a part change did not occur all at once in most cases, there was usually an overlap poeriod untill all the old stock was purged.

[Chris Haynes]

[QUOTE=bmh;70426]Of the original bikes I have looked at it would appear that the first half years production, or perhaps a little more from 1951 still had the earlier style cover.

Then how do you explain the photos in the September 1950 Enthusuast of 1951 bikes with the Pork Belly covers?

[bmh]

Don't know but this does not appear to have ever been apart so how do you explain it? As a matter of fact none of the 3 original looking 51's we saw at Oley this spring had a pig snout cover on it..... The Sept 50 issue of the Enthusiast is one I am still missing so I can't speak of the picture you refer too.

[Chris Haynes]

Antique Cycle Supply has reprints of the new model introduction issues.

[vph-d]

My 51FL26** has the earlier kick cover, cam cover, and M74 carb. It was chopped back in the 70s, so I don't know that it is all original.
VPH-D