42WLC build

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Radmonster
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Radmonster » Wed May 06, 2020 8:17 pm

Spent the last few days re doing the sheet metal on my battery box. Nothing to fancy just used what I had left of my original box and took measurements, made new skins and spot welded them in. I also made the WLC grab handle for my rear axle.

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ziro
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by ziro » Fri May 08, 2020 10:50 pm

Top!!!! Very nice!!!

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Radmonster
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Radmonster » Sat May 09, 2020 9:06 pm

Made the rear fender conduit out of half inch tube. Started by making an arch out of angle iron to hold the shape of the tube as i used the torch to heat and bend it. After getting it to the shape I wanted and cleaning it I test fit it for the last time and marked where I would be welding the taped and painted the tube. When the paint was dry I slid the tube back in and welded on the tabs and touched up the paint.
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Radmonster
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Radmonster » Thu May 14, 2020 2:19 pm

Scored a few things recently like this KD fender blackout marker light and a real nice horn that I painted OD.

Ive also started on another little project that will hopefully be done next week

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Brake shoes are loaded and correct hardware installed. Forgot to order grease fittings
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And for the sneak peak of what Im working on
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twinflyer17
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by twinflyer17 » Fri May 15, 2020 5:49 am

Your bike is going to be beautiful, Radmonster. Love the updates! Keep um’ coming!
Sean

GPW 108175 viewtopic.php?t=267732
DOD 4/14/43 Louisville, KY USA20371070

MVPA
AOPA

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Radmonster
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Radmonster » Mon May 18, 2020 7:53 pm

Got the fender box made today! I studied tons of photos and figured how the box was constructed. First pic is a side profile of what the box wall looks like. Even the lid got the hammered over fold to give a nice ridged and smooth edge. After bending the sheet metal I spot welded everything together and hammered on the rivets to the NOS latches I got awhile ago.

Now question! lock or no lock? Early is no Lock which I don't mind and that better fits my bike.... Thoughts?

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Radmonster
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Radmonster » Fri May 22, 2020 9:59 pm

Got the box painted and on the fender. I also bent up a quick piece of tube for the fender conduit.
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70th Division
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by 70th Division » Mon May 25, 2020 8:15 pm

Hello,

Wow that is looking great ,
It is like watching a master artist creating an historical masterpiece !!!!

I can almost hear in running, it looks incredible, you are doing great work right there !!!

I look forward to seeing your progress with this awesome restoration :D :D :D :D
You sir have the skill !!!


Best Regards,
Ray

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Radmonster
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Radmonster » Tue May 26, 2020 8:38 pm

70th Division wrote:
Mon May 25, 2020 8:15 pm
Hello,

Wow that is looking great ,
It is like watching a master artist creating an historical masterpiece !!!!

I can almost hear in running, it looks incredible, you are doing great work right there !!!

I look forward to seeing your progress with this awesome restoration :D :D :D :D
You sir have the skill !!!


Best Regards,
Ray
Wow thank you so much!!!

Now for something I am pretty proud about! For the last few months I've come to realization through hunting and research that certain 42wlc parts are really hard to find in the states and they don't make the re-pop parts anymore. A few months back I found an original tail light housing but wasn't able to get it at the time and it sold some time after. When I was ready to drop some money on one last month I couldn't find anything so I decided to look and see What parts Harley used to make it.... couldn't be hard, and during a war use what you have... so 1934-38 license plate frame and light buckets! Just add a second and have no cut out for the license plate light. So I scored a cheap bracket and found 2 re-pop RL VL light buckets and had to weld up the light cut out. I then made a backing plate to hold both. While searching this forum a few months back I found a post about the light socket wire ends being the same as model T so I got those from the link that was posted. When the original bracket came in the mail the light socket was roached so I picked up some brass pipe at home depot and had my machinist buddy turn down the brass tube a steel inner tube and make 2 backings. After using a file to cut the path/lock for the bulb I soldered everything together and riveted the whole assembly to the bracket. Then a little paint and popped in my NOS lenses.
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Radmonster
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Radmonster » Sat Jun 06, 2020 5:06 pm

Well I was able to finish one of the last parts of the roller part of the bike other than the passenger seat over the last few days. My bike came with what was most likely a WLA seat (has old side rivet holes) that was in really rough shape. The seats top leather was in really good condition for its age and still soft so I spent the past few weeks rubbing in some leather dressing every few days. The bottom strip where the rivets attach it to the pan were shot so I cut the threads and got all that removed. I then made a few patches to go on the underside of the top leather to back up any thin or small torn spots and used a glue to set those. After making a new and much wider top and middle strip I riveted it to the pan and with a little spray adhesive I set the original padding in and hand sewed the top back on. When the sewing was done I trimmed all the excess leather around the original, dyed it to match and sprayed it OD green. All and all I like the way it came out and feel that I was able to age hide my work enough to look like I never touched the seat in the first place
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twinflyer17
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by twinflyer17 » Mon Jun 08, 2020 8:43 am

I'd by lying if I said I didn't get excited whenever I see you post an update :D Amazing work!! Keep it up!
Sean

GPW 108175 viewtopic.php?t=267732
DOD 4/14/43 Louisville, KY USA20371070

MVPA
AOPA

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Radmonster
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Radmonster » Wed Jun 10, 2020 5:42 pm

twinflyer17 wrote:
Mon Jun 08, 2020 8:43 am
I'd by lying if I said I didn't get excited whenever I see you post an update :D Amazing work!! Keep it up!
Wow thank you for the compliment!
Just ordered my wiring, more work to come!

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Radmonster
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Radmonster » Tue Jun 23, 2020 7:30 pm

my wiring came in last week and I have been sneaking away and chipping at is as I can. I dropped the motor in the frame to make sure the new spark plug wires were a length I liked before putting them into the coil and melting the tar. I lucked out with my coil that came with the bike the wires were removed correctly the last time and the holes in the tar were pretty open to the contacts but I got a small tube and cut/cleared a perfect path to them. After that I cut about an 1/8" off the bottom and spread out the copper wires and pushed them down through the tar and onto the contacts and tightened the caps. To melt the tar I put the coil in a pot and brought it to a boiling and left it in for 10 min then pulled it and let it sit over night.
As far as the wiring goes the 42WLC used the civilian style 1941 WL harness. On the taillights one side is a running light, the other a stop, I put the WLC brake light cut out on the right side of the rear fork. The WLC doesn't use the a black out position on the ignition switch so this brake light cut out is used when wanting to go stealth/blacked out.
Aother part I started to work on was the rear passenger seat mount. I found an early style repop british seat on ebay and am waiting for that to come. But in the meantime I knocked out the rear fender brace that holds the springs on the 42 style back seat. (holes for springs will come when I have the seat in hand)

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Radmonster
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Radmonster » Sun Jul 26, 2020 7:49 pm

Got an original muffler recently. It was a little more beat up then I expected, the rear clamp pinched and crushed the hell out of it. No biggie, just cut the top section off and beat it with a hammer over some tube. I also replaced a small section that was thin then re welded the piece back on, blasted and paint.

Oh and scored an original correct cad kicker pedal for my bike at the last swap!

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Jerseyhawg
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Re: 42WLC build

Post by Jerseyhawg » Wed Dec 30, 2020 3:24 pm

Another nice build I am enjoying reading. Been riding harleys 50 years. But dont have talent like that to put one together. Thumbs up on your job.
Glenn
1952 M38


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