Actually, I think this thread is very closely related to the "ole trucks".
Consider the similarities and symbiotic (nice word, eh) relationships between
my '50 EL panhead and my '53 Chevy 1/2 ton:
1) I have to kick both to get them started
2) Both lose parts as you drive down the road, although it is easier to use the
truck to pick up the pieces of the cycle rather than the other way around.
3) One or the other is running, but never both at the same time
4) If I park my broken '50 EL pan head in the bed of my broken'53 Advance
Design,I can get both of them in the garage at the same time
5) Both drip oil like Old Faithful spouts water
6) Both require copious amounts of time, money and wifely understanding
Jon Elerath
jelerath@us.ibm.com
Ryan Border <rborder@fcxena.fc.hp.com> on 05/11/99 03:56:41 PM
Please respond to Ryan Border <rborder@fcxena.fc.hp.com>
To: "'Alan Gingles'" <agingles@nucleus.com>
cc: "'oletrucks@autox.team.net'" <oletrucks@autox.team.net> (bcc: Jon
Elerath/San Jose/IBM)
Subject: RE: [oletrucks] agnostic behavior and ritualized combat in the fa mily
Varanoidae
Hate to perpetuate this thread but:
FL Panhead introduced in '49, with a springer front end. Basically,
a knuckle-head with a new engine.
In '50, the "Hydra-Glide" was introduced, with new hydraulic
forks. The horn which was previously located on the springer
forks got moved to the frame, so there's a new wishbone frame
to accomodate it here. Actually, I'm not sure if '49 springer
pans have wishbone frames or not... Springer fork still
available as an option for several years.
'51-'54, lots of small refinements, but no major changes.
In '55 another new frame. Commonly called a "straight-leg",
because the down-tubes aren't wishbone shaped :-). Goes along
with a new engine mounted horn. "FLH Supersport" also introduced
in '55. "H" being the high performance version of the FL. Guys
found the extra power helped with a loaded bike, and a lot of
FLH's became touring bikes. Harley eventually evolved the model
in that direction; though it was initally a sport version designed
to compete against the Vincent's of the day.
'57 is the last year for the pan's with no rear suspension. Harley
quite busy introducing the Sportster this year, so '57 pans are
pretty much '56's with new paint jobs.
'58 introduction of the "duo-glide" swing-arm frame. These bikes
are still kick- start only, but have a rear suspension. All pans
up to this year have what's commonly called a "rigid" frame (no
rear suspension). Some people will call these "hard-tails" too.
Electra-Glide introduced in (I think) '64. Basically a duo-glide
with an electric starter, and a new 12V electrical system to
accomodate it. These bikes had kick-starts too.
Electra-glide pan-heads were only around a couple of years, before
the introduction of the shovel-head engine which replaced them.
BTW, a "soft-tail" is a modern harley designed with a hidden rear
suspension, made to emulate the looks of the early rigid (hard-tail) frames.
Ryan.
'55 2nd 3100 <- current project
'56 FLH (stock, lean & mean) :-) <- last project
-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Gingles [mailto:agingles@nucleus.com]
Sent: Friday, May 07, 1999 6:20 PM
To: oletrucks@autox.team.net; jelerath@us.ibm.com
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] agnostic behavior and ritualized combat in the
family Varanoidae
jelerath@us.ibm.com wrote:
>
> A "panhead" is a Harley Davidson motorcycly built from 1949-1957 (it
think).
> The rocker covers looked like pans. They were all rigid frames (no rear
> suspension). I have a 1950 panhead.
>
> Jon Elerath
> jelerath@us.ibm.com
Jon,
The "Panhead" was built until '64 or '65, when Harley introduced the
"Shovelhead". They also introduced their "Electraglide" swingarm frame
in '58, if I'm not mistaken.
Alan Gingles
1948 Chevy 1314
http://www.nucleus.com/~agingles
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