Handlebar to fork plastic cable cover

[Fixman]

I will soon be replacing the handlebars on my 57 Pan, and don't know how the plastic cable cover is installed (part #56600-49). The parts manual shows the lip of the cover facing up, and I would guess that the lip is pushed up into the slot in the bottom of the bars. Am I on the right track?

Kent

[john HD]

kent

the lip goes under the tin cover on the top of the fork tree.

i need to do it too, i have one sitting on my work bench waiting for me to install it.

waiting for a rainy day to pull it apart and finish my rewire job too.

john

[Fixman]

John, I thought that might be the case. I was confused by the picture in the parts manual that definitely shows the lip facing up.

Thanks,

Kent

[john HD]

kent

i have a nice photo of one on a unrestored bike, it is waiting admin approval.

when it goes through i will post it.

john

[Fixman]

Thanks much John. Panhead, I guess that will teach me to use the search function before I post.

Kent

[john HD]

kent here ya go, i hosted it seperately from the site.



john[/img]

[john HD]

that's not what i wanted lemme try this...

john

[john HD]

much better, i think you can see the lip of the tube under the top tin.

john

[john HD]

here is another view. you can see the top of the tube.

john

[Fixman]

Fantastic! Thank you so much John. Now I also know what those little cutouts on each side of the stainless cover are for. They match the little trim on each side of the plastic cable cover. Very Cool.

Kent

[VT]

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I only ruined two of them during my period of denial. Truly this is the correct application. Some risers are a little shorter than others. On one machine the plastic cover fits without a squished look, on the other machine the repop risers are a little shorter and the plastic cover sort of buldges at the top where it meets the handlebar, which will make it prone to weather cracking later on, so I suggest you fit the handlebars and risers and cover for a dry run before you install the wires and cables, to see if you need to trim the top off, or contour it where it meets the center of the handlebars. Also, I added 3/8" (VT 32-8900) asphalt fabric conduit over the handlebar horn and dimmer wires before I installed them through the cover.
I noticed an important cable clamp on JohnHD's picture. The clamp that goes around the front of the steering head. Thanks for that.

[FlatHeadSix]

john HD...

Is that one of the 2 bikes they fished out of the dumster in Saudi Arabia or Kuwait or somewhere over there? I saw them set up in a kind of "natural setting" at Wisconsin HD when they were in the old store a few years back. Interesting story.

Please tell us the "rest of the story"

thanks,

mike

[john HD]

mike

yes they are, i just shot photos of them during the last two years at davenport.

great resource to see unrestored originals.

john

[FlatHeadSix]

John,

I thought they looked familiar, very unique to say the least. Jerry King told me the story when I saw them inside the old dealership in Oconomowoc, but its been a while and I've had a few beers since then.

It seems they belonged to the Saudi government and were used by the National Police for motorcade escort duty or something like that. The government was cleaning house one day and they were literally thrown into a dumpster where some horrified vintage bike guy found them and rescued the pair. At the time he didn't have any plans to restore them, he was going to leave them exactly as they were to use for reference because they were so original.

If I remember, one was very complete and not too badly beaten up, even had the 50th anniversary badge on the front fender and a first aid kit on the back. The other one had been canibalized a little and was pretty rough.

I should have taken some pictures but I probably had something more important to do at the time, it may have involved a tavern on Upper Nemahbin Lake....

thanks for sharing the pics and the info

mike

[john HD]

mike

that story also jibes with what i have heard, i did have the misconception the bikes were found in the southwest usa. i have been since corrected on this from a knowledgeable source.

the fellow who owns them is a very nice guy and did not mind me taking a ton of close up photos for reference in restoring my '55 FL. the photos have helped me avoid making a couple of mistakes already.

and, as a matter of fact the owner had the better of the two running at davenport last year! the wheels are so badly bent he claimed running it much over 25 is not a good idea!

it certainly is nice to see them in as found condition.

john