1949 pan frame with inline springer

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dhfronhe
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1949 pan frame with inline springer

#1

Post by dhfronhe »

I am looking to have my rolling frame together by September, what I am planning is the 49 frame uncut in garage to mount up to a earlier yr inline springer that was extended 2" over stock using ford radius rods.
48 to 49 frame neck rake changed? with the 2 over forks, trying to figure out the rake trail prior to getting it together, anyone ever run this combination or know enough about it to give some advice or tips.
I intend on keeping the 16" starhub stock size wheels
Cotten
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Re: 1949 pan frame with inline springer

#2

Post by Cotten »

I seem to remember that mid '46 up was the late rake, but my Palmer's is at the shop.
The minute you extend a fork, it becomes trial, error, and personal taste. You won't know if it "works" until you ride it.
Note that an inline springer is easily tweaked to an offset, accompanied by an offset handle bar or top clamp.
The Factory did it: I've read the service tag from a re-worked fork, which the owner had me put back inline!

(PS: I am not taking in chassis accounts, so please don't anyone ask.)
RJ

Re: 1949 pan frame with inline springer

#3

Post by RJ »

dh
Trail & error, if you don't do your homework
& personal taste, absolutely !
dhfronhe
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Re: 1949 pan frame with inline springer

#4

Post by dhfronhe »

I appreciate the response, and have read the link you supplied, I have my 16 inch rims and star hubs but they need rebuilt and respoked....then axles and spacers adjusters etc... so I am hoping that after my b-day in september it is rolling and I can begin measuring out the front end to see what it is at.
harleydoug

Re: 1949 pan frame with inline springer

#5

Post by harleydoug »

As I have been told, the '48 and '49 frames were the same rake. The factory built about 750 springers in '49 at the special request of police departments who wished to use their sidecars with the '49 bikes. These were specially numbered with a "P" behind the VIN. It seems that the new Hydra-GLide didn't handle well with the sidecar. The neck rake was changed with the straight leg frame to fix this problem.
This info came directly from a police model service bulliten from 1949 that I read back when I was a kid. Yes, I looked a long time to find a '49 "P" bike.
The vibrations set up in the springer is actually harmonics in the frame, and can be dealt with by putting a vibration bar into the sidecar loops
Cotten
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Re: 1949 pan frame with inline springer

#6

Post by Cotten »

You are implying that there were either no civilian sidecar machines sold with a springer, or that all civilian hacks were sold with HydraGlide forks.
Either scenario is hard to imagine, especially in the days when dealers were eager to please.

....Cotten

PS: It is commonly accepted that the "problem" was corrected in '50 with the adjustable rake fork, four production years before the straightleg frame. To the best of my experience, the headstock did not change until modern times.
PTCPanhead
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Re: 1949 pan frame with inline springer

#7

Post by PTCPanhead »

Can anyone tell me if this looks like a 49 frame?
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Re: 1949 pan frame with inline springer

#8

Post by RUBONE »

It is a wishbone and appears to have the early top motor mount, that puts it in about a 4 year range or so. It is cut up and molded so much that until it is stripped and blasted to bare metal it will be hard to see if it has any '49 features.
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Re: 1949 pan frame with inline springer

#9

Post by BreakerJo »

I don't think it answers the rake question, but below (in case it's helpful or informative) is an excerpt from correspondence from Bruce Palmer to Eric regarding MY1949 springers.

Excerpt: "I have 94 factory invoices from 1949 that sample the full 12 months of production. Unfortunately not one lists a springer model OHV yet one does list a late Glide equipped OHV with sidecar.

I have two pieces of factory documentation that reference the springer for sidecar equipped 1949 OHVs. The 1949 Model Dealer Announcement Bulletin and the first edition of the 1949 order blank (9-1-1948). The second edition of the 1949 order blank (10-15-1948) no longer offers the springer model.

When the Glide first came out, it was not suitable for a sidecar. Shortly after the 1949 production began, the Glide was modified with longer springs for use with sidecars (this was before the adjustable was offered)."
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