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As a fellow '46 owner, I like the narrow brace fenders. Not sure why but it makes the bike a lot sleeker and in to my eye looks older. The wide braces just look clunking to me.
I have always been a no chrome guy, so I embraced the no chrome look.
When I had Bordas do my speedometer for my '46, I sent him a roached out outer speedometer cable. He installed a new core and away I went. On my ride to California this year the only thing that went bad was the plastic gear in the speedometer drive. It had been in there for years working, lasted about 300 miles from home and was done. While messing with replacing my motor I had time and a lift so I pulled the drive and pressed on a new plastic gear that I had brought with me. That one lasted 2k miles and is still going.
As a fellow '46 owner, I like the narrow brace fenders. Not sure why but it makes the bike a lot sleeker and in to my eye looks older. The wide braces just look clunking to me.
I have always been a no chrome guy, so I embraced the no chrome look.
When I had Bordas do my speedometer for my '46, I sent him a roached out outer speedometer cable. He installed a new core and away I went. On my ride to California this year the only thing that went bad was the plastic gear in the speedometer drive. It had been in there for years working, lasted about 300 miles from home and was done. While messing with replacing my motor I had time and a lift so I pulled the drive and pressed on a new plastic gear that I had brought with me. That one lasted 2k miles and is still going.
Carry on, great work as always.
I like the narrow braces as well and the lack of chrome but it's not meant to be. Everything is pointing to it having some chrome at this point in 46, just not all decked out.
I am ALWAYS amazed as I follow along on these deep-dive rebuilds. I learn a LOT and yes, a picture is worth at least a thousand words to a visual person like me. I realize there is a LOT of time (and tribal knowledge) tied up in restoring one of these old bikes. Even more so when you care enough to share it all online.
Many of you have forgotten more than I'll ever know, but you're building up my knowledge base for hopefully one day when I can call one of these beauties my own. Thanks for that!
I am ALWAYS amazed as I follow along on these deep-dive rebuilds. I learn a LOT and yes, a picture is worth at least a thousand words to a visual person like me. I realize there is a LOT of time (and tribal knowledge) tied up in restoring one of these old bikes. Even more so when you care enough to share it all online.
Many of you have forgotten more than I'll ever know, but you're building up my knowledge base for hopefully one day when I can call one of these beauties my own. Thanks for that!
Im happy to share hoping someone else will benefit from it or at least enjoy the read, I think thats what a forum should be all about. By posting I learn from it as well because of input from others so I benefit and I make friends along the way. I enjoy the research part of the builds very much, I find it very interesting and rewarding to see the bikes come together after all the digging for info and parts, learning the processes and hopefully getting it right.
On the process subject Im experimenting on a tank emblem after stripping an original one. There's no question the paint was applied to the brass lettering and spears before chroming. Something I hadn't considered until I got looking hard at one of my emblems. I discussed it with the chrome shop and they believe it should work. The paint will stick to the brass better than to the chrome and it makes finishing the letting much easier. I'll post pics of the finished emblem in the next couple of weeks.
I epoxy primed the emblems, gloss black then the lettering after that.
This turned out much better than I thought. It has a few pits in it but I can live with that, makes it real and not one of Tedds.
The 2 rivets at the bottom of the ring holding the tabs on should be parkerized but Im going to look past that. Ignore the finger prints, the chrome is perfect.
Tried a different powder coater, a kid pretty much, probably have tee shirts older than him and the work he does is crazy good. Too good to be correct actually but Im not going to have him redo them and tell him to do them poorly.
I had the conversation with my painted years ago doing a bobbed rear fender on the Flathead, painters do not understand not buffing and leaving the orange peel. But he matched it pretty good, it all worked out.
I had the conversation with my painted years ago doing a bobbed rear fender on the Flathead, painters do not understand not buffing and leaving the orange peel. But he matched it pretty good, it all worked out.
Fortunately I know a variety of painters ranging from never again to how is that humanly possible? The ones that think they're good but really aren't are the ones I seek out when I need a factory finish haha.
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Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
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