`955-57 rear fender

[thepigstye]

Doesw ANYONE sell a decent 55-57 rear fender for a panhead. One that the flap actually has the cutouts and holes drilled?

[FlatHeadSix]

Mutt,
I don't think so. All the repop fenders are shipped with NO holes, you have to drill your own. The hardtail fender is basically the same from the Knuck days until the Duo-Glide came out in '58, with the exception of the number of re-inforcing ribs stamped into the flat for the drive chain. The factory sold predrilled flaps after the switch from beehive to tombstone tail lights, they were drilled for both styles in the '47-'48 years, lottsa holes, but I don't think they did that after the switch from the tombstone to the '55-'57 style light.

I hope somebody has an answer for this, it would be good to know. Anybody?

mike

[thepigstye]

Insanity, I tell ya. The companies that sell these aftermarket fenders have to be MORONS. I understand that some folks might want to install a custom tail light, but why not atleast offer the fender both ways? It doesn't cost any more money to the manufacturer, cause they already have the dies to stamp out the stuff. I was looking on line for one. I found lots of fenders, like ya say, holes drilled for the beehive and for the tombstone, but none on the 55-57 fender. What really pisses me off, is these SAME people sell the 58 and later swingarm fender WITH THE LAMP CUT OUT AND HOLES. WIll the flap on the swingarm fender fit the rigid fender?

[Robert Luland]

WIll the flap on the swingarm fender fit the rigid fender?

It should but you will have to fill in the strut bolt hole and install the the mini-brace. To me it's more trouble than it's worth.

Stop buying that rice laden crap sheet metal. Go to the best US made source. Larry Medwig in Ohio 440-840-0819. Larry makes top of the shelf stuff.

Support the cottage industries here at home. What would be great is to get a list of all these people and what products they provide and post it here somewhere on the forum. Like I said, support the home team first. Bob L

[Bigincher]

Ditto what Bob says.

[thepigstye]

I'm all for American made products. I contacted Larry. nice fella. He is sending me a stick on template so I can cut and drill all the necessary holes in a repop fender flap. Thanks for the heads up.
Mutt

[Panshovevo]

I too would like to see a list of American suppliers of repop parts.
Does Larry have a web site?

Regards,
John

[thepigstye]

Ok, hopefully last question for this topic. Does anyone have the Guide part # for the original Harley 1955-67 red tail light lens? I have a couple of sources for NOS Guide and Delco Remy parts. Also what's the deal with the compostition of the lens (glass or plastic). I have seen a few discussions about that, but never read any of them.

[john HD]

my understanding is that early '55 models had glass lenses and the rest were plastic.

i have had both on my '55, and i am currently runing a plastic one with all the correct marks on it. guidex etc.

john

[Robert Luland]

How about it John. Talk to the powers to be about a venders section. Bob L

[john HD]

bob,

i'll run it by staff and see what they think.

john

[john HD]

request submitted.

john

[FlatHeadSix]

How about it John. Talk to the powers to be about a venders section. Bob L

Bob,
There is already a good list of vendors, it appears in two places. If you click on the "Links & Other" tab in the orange banner at the top of the page you will find 4 more tabs on the page it takes you to. One says "Panhead & Flathead", another says "Commercial", either tab will give you an extensive list of vendors.

The problem is that there is not a place for members to rate the vendors or add comments about their experience with them. It would also be a good thing to have an index for the vendors to let everyone know what products or service they provide.

This forum is not really in a position to endorse vendors, one of those lawyer things, you know? But the members can sure voice their opinion (and they do!) and that's a good thing.

So, we can push for 2 things to happen:
1. Work on a good, indexed, up to date list of the suppliers of parts and service for antique bikes
2. Encourage the members to look at it once in a while and give us feedback regarding the quality of the parts and services offered, and, just as important, if the list and links are still current and working.

but we're going to need some help from the members, look at the links, provide feedback.

mike
http://www.hydra-glide.com/links.php

[PanPal]

my understanding is that early '55 models had glass lenses and the rest were plastic.

I also thought the early 55 lenses were flush to the trim ring and later they extended them out for better light. Am I way off?

[Robert Luland]

The lens on my 65 XLCH is dot 64 and it's still thin, Bob L