1948 wishbone frame

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myers1960
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1948 wishbone frame

#1

Post by myers1960 »

Does anyone know if a 1948 wishbone frame has a factory tab welded on the left down tube for a circuit breaker control cable clamp or did this tab get added in late 1948 or 1949. I have seen a 1949 and a 1950 frame that have the tabs located near the neck casting, but this 1948 frame , which is unaltered, looks as though it never had this tab. I checked the blueprint shown on this website, which is a 1948, and it doesn't seem to indicate the presence of the tab either. If it is not present ,what is the correct clamping hardware?
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#2

Post by Bosheff »

Keep in mind that H-D produced 3 versions of the 48 BT frame. On late 46 and 47 frames as well as late 54 - 57 frames, the spark control coil bracket was an integral part of the lower tank mount. I'm thinkin' 48 - early 54 frames had a seperate bracket welded directly to the frame....bosheff
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#3

Post by RUBONE »

The '48s used a bracket that bolted on with the top motor mount bolt. It is part # 3371-48. It wasn't one of the best ideas, that is why they started welding a tab on.
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#4

Post by myers1960 »

thank you for the quick responses. In the one clear left side view of an original 48 that I have found it looked like the clamp was attached near the front motor mount. I couldn't tell definitively whether the clip was a bolt on or weld on. The location of the clamp in the picture was also absolutely different than the 49 or 50. I appreciate the information and the part #.
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#5

Post by Bosheff »

Just for the sake of curiosity, was there not a tab on the lower tank mounting braket like on late 46 & 47's as well as late 54-57?....bosheff
myers1960
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#6

Post by myers1960 »

If my information is correct, on the knuckle frames as well as the late 54-57 pan straight leg frames, the control cable clamp tab was integral with the lower tank mount. On the 49-mid 54 wishbone frames which used a lower tank mount that was integral with the new front safety bar mount , an independent clip was welded just below the neck casting on the left down tube (a good 3.5 inches higher than the previous clip's location). My original question pertained to 1948 wishbone frames only. Since I recently aquired an "original" 1948 frame ,that seems to be completely unaltered, with all tabs intact, I was unsure if this control cable clamp tab should have been part of this original frame (possibly removed at some time in it's life) or if it was left out in the first version of the wishbone frame and then replaced in version two. I didn't want to replace a tab on a frame that may have never had it in when it was built.
myers1960
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#7

Post by myers1960 »

If you look at the wishbone frame blueprint in the knowledge base, the tab is non existent. I assume that this is a blueprint of the original wishbone frame?
55PAN
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#8

Post by 55PAN »

myers1960,

When i got and restored my '48, the tab was on the frame. I always thought it was supposed to be there. My serial number was 48FL837* so it wasn't an early version. It went through the AMCA judging and there was no mention to it being wrong. I hope this helps some.

Bruce
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myers1960
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#9

Post by myers1960 »

thanks for the pictures Bruce. I contacted Steve with Race Frame Engineering, an expert in frame details and perfect reproduction frames and castings. What he told me supports exactly what the pictures of the tab on your 1948 frame shows. The tab lines up closely with the top of the crashbar mount on the left down tube. In 1949 it moved up to right below the neck casting. I guess someone removed the tab on my frame sometime during its life. Thanks again, Pat
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#10

Post by lockdoc »

WOW! That is a beautiful bike!
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#11

Post by Bigincher »

lockdoc wrote:WOW! That is a beautiful bike!
I agree...! What a stunning specimen!
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Re: 48 wishbone frame

#12

Post by Brrrap »

My Lord! If that dosen't stir you, You're probably not as lucky as I am at seeing the beauty of these fine machines.
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Re: 1948 wishbone frame

#13

Post by streamlinerhenderson »

I am currently restoring a 48FL30XX, and I'm missing the left side frame tab. Does anybody have the dimensions and a closeup of the tab so that i can see how it was welded in place? What screw attaches the clip?
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Re: 1948 wishbone frame

#14

Post by Buddhahoodvatoloco »

Would a high numbered 48 Pan have had the 49 frame.
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