Please Help Identify Panhead in Photo

[44RIMFIRE]

Hello everyone. I currently have a 52FL that I and restoring. My question is about the photo that is attached. This is an old pic of my Dad and his buds when he was in the Army. I am trying to identify the year model of the Harley. I know it's either a 49 or 50 but I would like to know which it is. I was hoping that one of you guys could pick up on some small detail on the bike and maybe come up with the answer. Thanks!

[Cotten]

44Rimfire!

Great photo!

What the hell are they going to do with that hammer and hacksaw?

The Hydra-Glide script on the front fork panel would place it as later than '49, but considering the Roadmaster emblems, anything is possible.

....Cotten
PS: I see a leaky manifold.

[UPSROD]

44RIMFIRE, The black fork slider would make it a 1949. Rod

[Bigincher]

The '49 didn't have the 'Hydra Glide' script on the top of the fok tin. Is that just a reflection I am seeing?

[Bigincher]

What the hell are they going to do with that hammer and hacksaw?

The guy with the hammer is going to break some fins so the heads look like a lot of them we see today.....

[44RIMFIRE]

I can't believe they didn't set it on fire with all the sigs and chemical cans layin around!

[44RIMFIRE]

I just figured out what he's doin with the hammer. He's altering the VIN!

[FlatHeadSix]

As Cotten mentioned the fork tin with the Hydra-Glide script on the top is newer than '49, along with some of the other accessories like the ROADMASTER script and the bombsight ornament, but I can NOT see any rivets on the front fender braces which makes it a one-year-only 1949 fender. The black paint on the fork sliders also suggests 1949, the only year that all of them were painted black, but you could get painted sliders in later years also, so that's not conclusive. The last year for those tank badges was 1950. My guess is that its a '49 with period modifications, or a '50 with some '49 front end parts.

And, as Cotten also said, GREAT PHOTO!

mike

[old1955]

G'day,

Mike or Cotten, can you tell me about the Roadmaster script, I haven't seen that before, I know zip
about it?

That speedo cable is coming across the gas line.

thanks
Pete

[DuoGlide62]

What a great photo. Can I use it at pan-clan.com ?

[socalrider]

pete,
the roadmaster emblem along with the bombsight fender ornament most likely came off of a 50'sera buick roadmaster car.
arnulfo

[DuoGlide62]

Which one is your dad ?
BTW, http.//pan-clan.com and scroll down.

[kevsett]

Everything about that photo is cool. Besides the bike and the guys I like the clothes, hats, and gloves. Does anyone make leather jackets like that today? Reminds me of photos and stuff my grandpa and dad had when I was little.

[Cotten]

I pulled a frumpy ladies leather jacket of similar vintage out of garbage after an auction last summer. Real film noire stuff.

It was just my wife's style!
But far too tight where it counts most.

Moth-eaten lining and dirty, it brought $30 to my associate's table at D-port, from a fellow who wished only to make a pattern from it.

That is what I call taking the struggle to preserve vintage motorcycle history right to the front lines: boutique by boutique!

....Cotten

[44RIMFIRE]

Thanks for all the interest guys. My dad has the aviator cap and googles. I wish I knew who the other three were, but I haven't identified them yet. My Dad passed away years ago. It's funny you should say that about the leather jacket. I actually had that jacket for years when I was a teenager, and at some point in time, it got away from me and now i can't find it. After reading all the posts, I think I am leaning towards the bike being a 49 but I guess will never know for sure. Anyway, I am really loving this forum and looking forward to future use.

Regards;

44Rimfire