Good catch on the right side drive.

 

Cool old picture man. Would make a good thread to have old photos of ancestors on their harleys. I got one of my grandpa in Germany right after the surrender riding a old military harley with sidecar.

 

Hard to tell in my picture, but on it, looks like a chain guard on the left side. ???

 

Yep, I think you are right. The primary cover gives it away as well. I'm no expert but that would make it a 74 cu. in. big flathead. I was comparing it to the 1938 UL model. Good comparison pic below on the linked site.


http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1938-h...vidson-ul1.htm


Danny, did you see this thread posted yesterday? https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...2-u-model.html Beautiful bike!

 

Chain is on the left side, and the "long" primary cover makes this a "big twin". Could be a 74" flathead, or even a 61" or 74" OHV. I can't make out enough detail of the motor to be sure. the "speedball" tank emblem and springer forks make it a '47 or '48. If an OHV, it's either a last year knucklehad or first year panhead.

 

I had ruled out a knucklehead or panhead because of the lack of a double downtube.

EDIT: Scratch that bit of misinformation above; it looks like the big flathead UL and the knuckleheads used the same frame. It just doesn't show in the photo, I guess.

 

45" WL with the aluminum heads. Here's one with iron heads of about the same vintage.

 

It's not the same bike. The frame on this one loops all the way to the bottom in a gentle curve, indicating that it's a big twin. Look at the one in the original picture and the rear part juts straight to the rear, as in a WL or WLA (which it is). Also, the primary cover in this one is the big twin (so called) Diamond primary.

 

Thanks for the info guys!! And yes, I did see that other thread! Beautiful bike!! Here's another pic of Dad and my sister on the bike. Might make out a little more detail. BTW, what the hell are those loops thingys by the rear fender????