Bruce Palmer's Comments on the Restored UDF (SA) Bike

Hi

I have been in contact with Deborah Palmer Publications to try and obtain a copy of Bruce Palmer III's book "How To Restore Your Military Harley-Davidson".  The book is out of print, but Bruce is apparently busy with a revision of the book and the book should be available again soon.

In our communications I mentioned that I wanted to restore my Harley-Davidson to the SAUDF example shown in my previous post.

A day or so later, Bruce send me the following e-mail:

Hello Jacques,

A Restored Harley-Davidson in UDF (SA) Colours

From what I can see in the photograph (the resolution is very low), the SAUDF 41 H-D is close.  I cannot verify the origin of the blackout shield on the headlamp.  H-D did not provide those on UDF bikes.  The seat is WLA and not UDF.  Added extras by the current owner is the canteen, fire extinguisher, and the canvas bags.  When the bikes were delivered new, they were lustreless olive drab and not sand, including the wheel hubs.

It is correct in that it has iron heads, 16” wheels, civilian exhaust, fender plates (front & rear), civilian lights, and a front guard.  There are two types, early & late, with the late having both guards and a long fork like the one in the photo; and an early type with a front guard and short fork.  Ride control and horn is correct.  Front stand is correct, Type of front wheel hub is correct.  Appears to have the correct luggage rack.  Does not appear to have the correct tool box mount (1941 is to the rear more with a different one-year-only mount).  Should have a dry mesh air cleaner.

The military restoration book is a companion book to the How to Restore Your H-D, Second Edition.  Where if you know everything needed for motors, transmissions, wheels, brakes, electrics, chassis, and accessories, you may not need the larger book.  However if you don’t know these details, you should have the non-military book to understand the differences in non-military parts that are used on the military models, especially when there are multiple versions of specific parts. The military book focuses on specific details of each military motorcycle (finishes, model differences, etc.) and it explains many of the differences of military specific parts.

Regards,

Bruce