56 fender issue

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Gregg
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56 fender issue

#1

Post by Gregg »

Pulled the tin off of my 56. The bike is a former police bike, and now that the front fender is off, the patched slot and bolt holes for the siren are easily seen. What's puzzling me is that the rear fender is cut out (more like hacked out) near the chain. Am I right in assuming that the siren was probably moved to the rear for some reason and the mod was done then, or is there another explanation for the butchering?
Also, in the second pic, you can see various screw heads and an acorn nut on the top of the fender. Some of the holes aren't centered as I would expect fender mounted luggage rack holes to be. 3 screws near the acorn nut and hinge, 2 more forward near the screws for the buddy seat clip. Any ideas what they were for? Radio equipment?
Thanks
Gregg
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john HD
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Re: 56 fender issue

#2

Post by john HD »

first aid kit?

here is a shot of a unrestored '55 with one.

john
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Robert Luland
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Re: 56 fender issue

#3

Post by Robert Luland »

Here's another I pulled down off the shelve. The notch highlighted in yellow was for the siren drive. A chunk missing there is pretty common. They just cut it with no reinforcement. As far as I've been told, the front siren didn't come into play until 58. Bob L
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Gregg
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Re: 56 fender issue

#4

Post by Gregg »

Thanks John and Bob for the info. I can't believe how they just hacked the fenders for the sirens. I guess they just put the lowest paid guy on it with a hacksaw and let him go at it. My fender has a big stress crack visible in the picture, so I want to replace the cut out section. Any advice?
Best
Gregg
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Re: 56 fender issue

#5

Post by Cotten »

C'mon Greg,

It was a utility machine.
Nobody cared if the paint suffered, or if it even rusted.

And frankly, the civilian machines stress-cracked nearly as fast.

That's the way it was.
Now, some folks worry if their make-up runs if they sweat.
And I don't mean just the babes.

...Cotten
Gregg
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Re: 56 fender issue

#6

Post by Gregg »

Ha- you're right of course, but I thought that given the expense of the bike, and that police bikes were also called for "show" duty (i.e. funerals, parades) I thought there might have been an effort to do a nicer job, although I guess it's really not that visible when the bike is together.

Cotten, on another topic, what is the correct throttle cable support bracket on a 56?
best,
Gregg
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Re: 56 fender issue

#7

Post by Cotten »

Gregg!

I had to look it up, but it seems that '52 on up all had the simple 56609-52 clamp screwed to the frame tab.

I could be wrong.

...Cotten
PS: Just another off-topic note on "make-up", I am still a bit shocked and mystified (hey, I'm old..) by a leather-clad fellow in line at the quickymart with tattooed Egyptian eyeliner.
I guess he doesn't have to worry about sweat.
Gregg
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Re: 56 fender issue

#8

Post by Gregg »

Thanks Cotten,
Guess I have some body work to do...
Gregg
Gregg
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Re: 56 fender issue

#9

Post by Gregg »

Hello all,
I am putting a rear stand catch on and noticed that one of the holes already drilled in the fender doesn't line up with the upper hole for the catch. The correct hole is in the stiffener under the fender, just not drilled. Both of the existing thru drilled holes had old slotted machine screws in them and the heads were painted to match the fenders.
Anyone know what the upper hole might have been for?
Two other fender questions- should parkerized catch be painted, and should the bolts that secure the fender braces (and hold the rear part of fender closed) be painted as the fender, parkerized or painted black?
Gregg
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Robert Luland
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Re: 56 fender issue

#10

Post by Robert Luland »

Greg, The extra hole if I remember right was for the accessory bumper tab. Don't hold me to the wall on that one. The catch for the rear stand on my 48 is cad. The earlier ones where parkerized. I don't remember seeing a later one parkerized. They were never painted. The brace bolts and stove bolts were on the fender when it got painted. As dumb as it may seem, that's how they did it. I can't say that a judge would knock you down if ya left them parkerized. Most likely not since most restored bikes have them. Bob L
Last edited by Robert Luland on Sat Apr 02, 2011 12:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
Gregg
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Re: 56 fender issue

#11

Post by Gregg »

Thanks Bob!
Robert Luland
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Re: 56 fender issue

#12

Post by Robert Luland »

Gregg, Here's a shot of the accessory bumper clip. Notice the hump to clear the other goodies. Good God, almost go a nose bleed where I had to climb to find this one. Bob L
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Gregg
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Re: 56 fender issue

#13

Post by Gregg »

Bob
Interesting, but I'm a bit at a loss to figure out how the stand catch is arranged when using the bumper. The stand catch doesn't seem to go on top of the bumper tab because of the bump in the tab. However, the bumper tab appears to go between the stand catch and the fender from what I can see on page 42 of Greg Fields book, which makes me wonder where it exactly attaches.
I'm trying to scale the photo by eye, and my fender is at the welder now so I can't check for sure. I'm probably looking at this completely wrong.
I really appreciate your input

Gregg
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