My Last To-Do List

Hi.

I'm nearly, nearly finished with the restoration of the Harley-Davidson WL.  Over the next 3 weekends I have to :

• Make a small adjustment to the exhaust pipe to ensure a proper fit of the rear cylinder exhaust port - completed;
• This will require that I touch up the spray painting of the exhaust - completed;
• Fit the exhaust - completed;
• Fit the two handlebar pinch bolts - another one bites the dust;
• Fit the 3rd headlight mounting bolt and nut - and another one gone;

Tanks and Seat Back On

Afternoon

I have managed to fit the tanks, as well as, all three oil lines. I must admit that I battled with the one oil line - the line must align perfectly with the connector otherwise the nut does not want to screw onto the connector. But I eventually managed to get the line fastened.

Oil Tank Rinsed

Hi

Doepie tells a story about a WL that he restored a while back, where the oil tank had about 3 inches of sand in the oil tank. He said that when he looked into the oil tank, the oil had cut a pathway through the sand to the oil pipe.

But what was more amazing was that when he opened up the motor, the entire inside of the motor was coated with sand. Despite all of the sand in the motor, the motor was actually running before he started with the restoration!

Because a large number of the WL's were used by the Union Defence Force of South Africa in the Western Sahara desert during WW2, they did pick up a lot of sand in the oil tanks.

I really don't want sand in the newly rebuilt motor and have rinsed the oil tank:
1. I started by pouring about 1/2 litre of thinners into the tank (obviously after blocking all of the outlets) and I then swirled the thinners around the tank. After about 2 minutes I poured the black gunk into an old container.
2. I repeated this process again, using thinners again.
3. I then switched to petrol and rinsed the tank again.
4. I repeated the process again, using petrol.
5. To prevent the tank from rusting I poured a bit of oil in the tank and swirled the oil around, which I poured out.

Next, I want to fit the oil and fuel tanks and connect all of the fuel and oil lines.

Spark Plugs Connected

Hi.

I've connected the spark plugs, using the old style copper connectors with cooling fins.

If you zoom in to the spark plug on the left you will notice that even the spark plugs are vintage original Harley-Davidson branded spark plugs. 

Distributor Control Cable Bracket

Hi.

The distributor control cable is used to retard the ignition timing to around top dead centre, to enable the rider to kick start the motor.

Once the motor is running, the rider can advance the ignition timing to the required degree before top dead centre.

Without this control it would be very difficult to kick start a 45 cubic inch (750 cc) motor.

The bracket just keeps the cable in the correct position.

Carb Support Bracket

Hi.

To fit the carburettor support bracket I had to take off the carburettor. There are just 3 screws to loosen.

I then fitted the carburettor support bracket to the carburettor. This bracket just keeps the weight of the carburettor off the 3 mounting screws.

The bracket rests on the engine block between the two sleeves - in the middle of the V.

Another job on the To-Do list completed. 

Cylinder Heads

By way of background - when the motor was rebuild I had the head nuts and bolts on order. This arrived after I got the rebuild motor back. Consequently Doepie only put two of the head nuts on. I've fitted the nuts just hand tight when I received the package. But they were not properly fastened. 

OK.  Here goes.  First off is the seat T-bar. 

What I want to do This Weekend

Morning.

I'm nearly, nearly finished with the restoration work on the vintage Harley. So. The plan for this weekend is to:
1. Remove the dashboard cover, both tanks and the seat T-bar so that I can remove the two cylinder heads.
2. Then I have to put copper gasket sealant on the one copper head gasket, put the head back on and torque the head bolts to the specified torque.
3. Do the same with the other cylinder head.
4. Fit the carburettor support bracket.
5. Fit the distributor control cable bracket.
6. I can then fit the tanks properly.
7. After that I can fit the various fuel and oil pipes.
8. Then the seat T-bar can be fitted properly.

Wish me all the best for this last push.

Tool Bag Fixed

Afternoon

When I bought the vintage Harley in November 2014, the motorcycle came with a rather beat up canvas bag that had some holes in it, the straps were ripped off and it was full of oil.

The canvas bag has a 1945 manufacturing date stamped on it.

I took this bag and asked Faik to fix the canvas bag for me. Which he did.

Front Tyre Fitted

Hi

This afternoon I had the front tyre fitted - I took some photos in the fitment centre. 

Front Wheel Respoked

Morning

Grant - the guy that is respoking the front wheel for me - called yesterday afternoon to say that he has finished the respoking of the front wheel. He was supposed to have the wheel respoked last week, but came down with a really bad bout of flu. He will deliver the wheel to me during the course of the day.

I have actually brought the tyre with me and I intend to stop at a motorcycle fitment centre on the way home to have the tyre fitted.

If all things go according to plan, I should be able to fit the front wheel this evening. But things have not been running to plan - Murphy has been rather active.

Rear Wheel Fitted

Good afternoon.

It was a busy weekend.

Yesterday I drove out to Doepie for some help to fix the speedo drive ring gear on the rear wheel - the gear was cracked straight through.

We have managed to fix the gear and he then heated the gear and dropped it on to the brake drum. As the gear was hot, it just slipped into place. To make sure that the gear doesn't slip, he clinked it at three points.

On the way back home, I stopped at a motorcycle fitment centre and had the rear tyre fitted. I also bought a good quality, sealed chain for the Harley. 

Back home, I started with the fitment of the rear wheel. I finished up this morning and then installed the chain.

With the chain fitted, I could adjust the chain tension and then adjusted the two rear wheel adjusters to properly align the wheel.

This allowed me to do the final adjustment to the rear drum brake. 

It is really looking great! Here is a photo.

Our 1st Show!

Hi

The Cape Vintage Motorcycle Club, in conjunction with the Cape Multi Motor Club, is planning to hold a Vintage Car & Bike Show at the Kilarney Race Track on the 6th November 2016.

 

I have indicated that I would like to participate by exhibiting the 1941 Harley-Davidson WL in SAUDF military colours at the show.

UDF (SA) Harley Davidson's in North Africa during 1940 to 1943 (Part 3) — and the destruction of a large number of the SAUDF Harley Davidson's

FROM SIDI REZEGH TO TOBRUK

Immediately after Sidi Rezegh and “The Sunday of the Dead” 

(See "UDF (SA) Harley Davidson's in North Africa during 1940 to 1943 (Part 2)").

After the destruction of the 5^th South African Brigade by the Panzerarmee Afrika on the 23^rd November, the 1^st South African Brigade had to retreat to Taib el Essem, where it beat off determined Axis attacks on 25 November.  On the same day, the brigade had to retreat further, but on 28 November again had to advance to support the New Zealand Division's attack on Sidi Rezegh.  After being further involved in heavy fighting between 30 November and 1 December the 1^st Brigade again had to retreat south to Taib el Esem.  On 20 December, they were sent back to Egypt to recuperate.

In the meantime the 2nd South African Division was detached to the 13th Corps and participated in the fighting at Bardia, Sollum, Cova and Halfaya.  The 3rd and 4th Brigades participated in the heavy fighting in the capture of Bardia on 2 January 1942.  A total of 7 775 prisoners of war were taken, while the South Africans lost 353 men.  On 12 January the 6th South African Brigade captured Sollum and on 17 January, the Axis forces at Halfaya surrendered.  During the operations at Bardia, Sollum, Cova and Halfaya, the 2nd South African Division lost 500 men, killed, wounded or taken prisoner of war.

The Expansion of the War to Include Japan and the USA

With Japan's (and the USA) entry into the war in December 1941 and an increase in the activities of German U-boats in the southern oceans brought the war closer to South Africa – there was a danger that the Axis forces could threaten traffic along the Cape sea route.  In spite of these developments, Genl Jan Smuts was adamant that the Union Defence Force's largest contribution should still be in the Middle East.  Thus, according to him, the Union had to contribute as much as possible to the effort to defeat Field Marshall Rommel's forces.

NOTE TO READER: The SAUDF’s Harley-Davidson’s have been used for more than a year in the East African, the Madagascar and the North Africa Campaign BEFORE the USA was sucked into WW2 following the attack of Japan on Pearl Harbour.  Logically, the SAUDF were using their Harley-Davidson’s in combat months before the USA entered the war.  Some of the Canadian forces might have been equipped with Harley-Davidson’s, but the Harley-Davidson WLC’s for the Canadian Defence Force was only ordered in 1942 and supplied to the Canadian Defence Force in 1943 onwards. Hence my view that the SAUDF’s Harley-Davidson’s were the first Harley-Davidson’s in WW2 to be seriously used in combat.

Revised Plan for the Week

Morning

When I phoned Doepie on Saturday morning past, to find out what time would suit him the best for me to stop by, he said that he had picked up a bout of flu that has turned into lung infection. Which meant that I could not drive out to visit him.

Grant - the guy that has done the re-spoking of the rear wheel and is currently busy with the re-spoking of the front wheel - has not been able to finish the re-spoking of the front wheel.  I should get the front wheel back from him during the course of the week.

I consequently ended up fetching the parts from the Post Office and fitting the front brake assembly on Saturday.

What's up for this week? The following:

• Fitting the tyres to the two wheels and the balancing of the tyres.
• Then fitting the wheels on the motorcycle.
• I also have to torque the two heads.
• That will allow me to finish the installation of the tanks and I can also fit all of the fuel and oil lines.
• If I have time, I want to fill the battery with battery acid and check that all of the wiring works properly.

Assembly of the Front Brake

Hi. 

I have previously assembled the brake shoes. 

I have already assembled the front brake shackle and have partly assembled the brake lever. 

Parts Arrived

Morning 

The couple of items that I needed to finish the rebuild of the front brake have arrived.