Hi all thought Id post a few pics of my last project, a 1942 mdl 45 cubic inch (or 750 cc) WLA Harley Davidson "Civilianized" my way. It was bought as a complete basket case some 25 years ago when soon after I got married and that shelved it for some 23 years. The G/box plus motor has been completely rebuilt by myself, fitting and grinding bearings aswell as I tried my hand at balancing an engine. It runs extremely sweet after fist kick and loves to cruise all day at 55,60 mph.The paint work was also done by me and its come up pretty nice. Took me over 2 years to choose a color, I new it just had to be red but what shade! I also loved those fat 5 inch chrome rims with white wall tyres which also help cushion the ride some what.Causes great interest where ever I ride it and is also a multiple trophy winner from bike shows. Would love a dollar for every photo taken of it! regards FOXY

Dang, that sure is a nice old Harley.

I think if I was ever going to pay money for an HD, it would have to be a nice mid 40s model, maybe even up to early 50s, but that's it.

You really did a great job on that build.

What an old beauty. It reminds me of one that had been civilianized by the Sacramento Harley dealer many years ago.

Thanks grandpaul & cookie. Im not familiar with the Sacramento Harley but I must admit to looking at numerous photos of other jobs done and you learn an incredible amount as to what looks good and....dreadful! I tried to pay alot attention to detail, corect positioning of front fender light, wiring looms, cad & stainless nuts bolts, G/box covers etc etc. I finished it of with the stainless fender trims as this was a must have to complete the look I was after, something special!

Regards FOXY

Very nice Indeed!

I'm in the process of lapping the rod bearing races on my HD; do you have any tips on how to prevent bell-mouthing?

Again, very nice bike. I appreciate your efforts on correctness.

Thanks,

Jason

not my style, but that's a nice bike!...

Foxy, What a wonderful old bike and the standards you have achieved are a credit to your time and effort. When I was a teenager here in Hong Kong in the early 70s, there was an elderly Chinese gent (he was probably as old as I am now!) who rode one of these daily and parked it in the Central business district where I also parked from time to time. I had a DT 250 Yamaha trail bike, but I got friendly with him and he told me he had ridden it from Shanghai to Hong Kong just after the war. he loved the bike to bits and would never part with it - I wonder what eventually happened to it?

The human-interest side of old vehicles always fascinates me, a friend has a 1912 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost that was the factory demonstrator model for India, we did a 3,000 mile tour of Scotland in it in 2007 and it was a wonderful experience visiting all of the places where the original Silver Ghost 'AX 201' performed those motoring feats that were to cement the Rolls Royce reputation exactly 100 years before.