1947 Harley-Davidson Servi-Car Carries Unique Cargo
Extra carrying capacity on this motorcycle comes from an unlikely source.
Harley trikes are nothing new. From 1932 to 1973, Harley-Davidson built and sold the Servi-Car, a three-wheeled utility motorcycle frequently used by dealerships to deliver parts around town. They were also popular with police departments.
Designed during the Great Depression, they helped to expand Harley-Davidson’s market share and provide economical light-duty transport to small businesses all over America. They also served well as roving advertising for those same businesses.
Once a relatively common sight on America’s roadways, few remain today, and are much sought-after by collectors. This 1947 example will be offered by Mecum Auctions in their upcoming Monterey 2018 sale, which runs from August 23rd through August 25th.
This particular Servi-Car is a little different from most. Servi-Cars came standard with a rear cargo box made by the Chas. Abresch Company in Milwaukee, near the Harley-Davidson factory and company headquarters. This one, however, utilizes a modified 1926 Ford Model T pickup box.
It’s surprising to see the Ford lettering on the tailgate, as the box seems to fit perfectly on the Servi-Car. In addition to some careful sectioning, it should also be noted that the Servi-Car was designed with a wheelbase specifically engineered to be similar to most cars. This would allow it to use tracks and trails made by cars when the roads got a little rougher.
The restoration was carried out by Sanders Antique Auto Restoration in Rockford, Illinois, also responsible for the excellent pickup bed modification. Mechanical work was carried out by Knucklehead Motorworks in New Berlin, Wisconsin.
With a fresh restoration and a few shows under its belt, this 1947 Harley-Davidson Servi-Car is ready to run errand around town in style. At least, that’s what we’d use it for. Would you keep this in the garage as a showpiece, or put it to work?
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