Daily Slideshow: 1926 Racer is Fit for Battle

Closing Down Sale

This classic Harley-Davidson is alive and running today thanks to Buzz Kanter, Editor-in-Chief of American Iron Magazine. Kanter picked up this 1926 Harley model J racer from a bar owner who had some display bikes. The bar owner purchased the bike around a decade ago and was told the bike was a totally standard and complete 1926 model J. However, a closer inspection would reveal it wasn't.

The Real Deal

The model J was no knockoff, but it certainly wasn't a completely original 1926 Harley-Davidson model J. To start, it had a front brake, which Harley didn't offer until 1928. Next, there was the British muffler and accessory to hold a British tax disc in the toolbox. There had also been some DIY work done on the model J, like the exhaust headers and ignition, which had externally mounted condensers and two coils inside the battery box. Finally, there were the 1930s Harley VL tank decals. So, while this model J was a great find, it definitely wasn't completely original.

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Getting it Running

Kanter got the model J down to his buddies Dale and Matt Walksler at Wheels Through Time. After sitting for more than ten years, there was no telling how difficult it would be to get the model J started. For Dale, however, it wasn't a problem and he had it running in less than half an hour. After a short ride around the car park, the model J was back in the shop to have its carbs cleaned out and a change of spark plugs. Then, it was time to take it out on the street, where it quickly became obvious that handling was an issue.

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Feeling Twitchy

After feeling how twitchy the model J was on the open road, Kanter suspected the frame might have been bent somewhere in the bikes 92-year life. A closer inspection at the workshop revealed that the head bearings were loose and dry. So the guys got the front end off and cleaned and inspected the races. Then, they added some fresh grease and reinstalled the loose balls and front end. After this, Kanter got back on the road and had the bike up to 50 mph and, according to him, the bike handled great after this minor work.

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A Privateer Racer

One of the last things that Kanter did to the model J was to rebuild the front wheel hub with new races, bearings, and grease. Finally, all the fittings were greased and the guys were satisfied that the bike was strong and dependable. The guys at Wheels Through Time set about making it a privateer Racer. This meant anything that wasn't necessary had to come off, including the headlight, front fender, toolbox, luggage rack, taillight and rear section of the rear fender. Once this was done, mounting plates were hand fabricated along with a set of race plates and the bike was done. According to Kanter, "We took it for a test ride and ran it hard for several miles. It handled great and looked right." Believe it or not, all this work took Kanter and the guys at Wheels Through Time less than three days.

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