Ok Guys I need some help Identifying two bikes.


First is my Dad on his Sportster. This is a few years before I was born. I was also his only Harley ever as he switched to imports after this. Has to be pre-75, but lets see if we can nail it down.

Next and hardest is my grand father. He died in his mid thirties(a little younger than I am now!) around 1962. This picture is probably in Huntington, WV.

The Pic must be from the fifties and I know the car is a clue but I have no idea what model it is. I also notice the bike has a chrome front end and the accessories are pretty snazzy too. I would suspect being a roofer with three kids he would have not bought the bike new.

So lets see if we can narrow it down to an exact year, and any additional comments about non stock items are very welcome.
If nothing else they are pretty cool pics.

One day I will build replicas of both these bikes. I always dreamed about finding that knuckle, but that is likely slim to impossible.

Thanks in advance!

 

Starting with the Sportster, since it's newer, it's either a '71 or '72 and assuming it's fairly stock, it's probably an XLH.


The only thing I can tell about the Knucklehead, besides being a really cool pic, is that it's a 1940 or newer (to 1947).

 

I'm going to guess '70-'72 on the XLH and '41 on the Knuckle.

 

I was thinking the same on the sportster.
But I cant find a good source of info on the knucklehead to help me ID it through minor changes and etc. Obviously it was customized with chrome I cant make out what it is under the headlight, an aftermarket horn I guess.


ETA: Chrome hub covers also not stock.


Anyone able to ID the car?

 

1960 Plymouth.

 

The Sporty tank decal was only used on '70-'71 models I believe and the oil bag mounting makes it an XLH model

 

If the Knuck has stock parts, that emblem was used '40-46. Ribbed cam cover came in with the FL in '41. Very few civilian bikes '42-45. More '46s than '41s made. Hard to say from the picture, but the springer looks offset. This was a late '46 running change. I think I've changed my mind. More likely it's a '46.

 

This is good stuff...


Any thoughts on what is mounted on the forks? I believe I can make out the horn, so I wonder what the other large round item is...


ETA: actually what I thought was the horn is the other fog light...so I guess the mystery cylinder may be a horn.

 

41 to 46 Fl and in the Sportster pix a 7-72 Fx is in the back ground
WUZFUZ

 

So what was the difference between the EL and the FL?

Edit: Never mind, I see it is displacement.