The Harley
JDH Two Cam was to be the ultimate machine for early timer motorcycle
customizer’s to practice their art. Sam Oppie a founding member of the Seattle
Cossacks stunt riding team was to become one of the most prolific exponents of
the two cam cutdown. Usually finished in Robins egg blue, Oppie maybe built as
many as 20 of his uniquely modified specials. The front downtube was reshaped
to bring the engine forward for better weight distribution. The seat post was lowered
2 inches, creating a shorter backbone, that then required the gas tanks to be
shortened as well. Being a racer himself, engines were optimised for maximum
power output.
Our bike has
the late 1929 I-beam forks known for their more robust construction. Open class
hill climber flywheels give a cubic capacity of 86 cubic inches. Cams and
cylinder period modifications give a wonderful power spread. Michael Lange was
entrusted with the engine rebuild and the result gives a strong, easy starting,
oil tight engine. The bike was painted a darker metallic blue probably in the
sixties. The blue Oppie favoured is still present, serving as an undercoat. At
some time, safety rims replaced the beaded edge items, the seat was recovered
and that is about it. An evocative photo shows Andy Decker with the bike in the
1950’s. He took over ownership from his Father Basil who got the bike from Sam.
This bike is
an absolute treat to ride. A motorcycle built by a motorcyclist, for a
motorcyclist.
Andy Decker with the Sam Oppie Special circa 1950’s
There is little doubt Lance Tidwell and John Cameron owned, rode and built some of the very best examples of the Californian Cut Down. When you add the George Hood restoration to this Lance Tidwell built bike you have one of the very best. The modified 93 cubic inch two cam engine is a superb runner and the bike has been used for various sprint events.
Another year done at Mt Tarrengower Historic Hill Climb! This year, the 90th year of the event, we brought along a special machine that just happens to be also celebrating its 90th birthday, our stunning 1929 Harley-Davidson FDH.
Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the photos we captured from the weekend.
Our EL61 has been in the collection since 1990. The previous owner owned it for 15 years and rebuilt the engine during that period. Used in many ‘Great Races’ and numerous club rides and also as a regular commuter. The engine has never been apart during our ownership testimony to Bill Harley’s original O.H.V. design which would propel Harley-Davidson into the 21st Century.
In the USA during 1932 Class C racing was established to take the emphasis away from exclusive and expensive factory racers to machines that had to be purchased off the showroom floor in full road trim. This worked well initially with racers buying a Harley RL 750 or an Indian Scout off the dealer floor and modifying to make suitable for either the dirt ovals or TT tracks which were becoming popular at the time. In 1935 Harley decided there was merit in incorporating engine modifications to a standard road model and offering it to dealers that were known to support established racing stars. These bikes left the factory in full road trim. Designated the RLDR, 29 were built in 1935 and 79 in 1936. With the introduction of the W Series in 1937 Harley continued the same formula with the WLDR with engine modifications becoming a bit more aggressive each year. The WLDR’s that won at Daytona Beach in 1938, 1939 and 1940 bore modifications that left them with not too much in common with their showroom siblings.
Although it appears that there had been no relaxation in
Class C rules, maybe with the threat of British high performance singles
(supplied with full road trim) or that Harley had enough clout to do as it
pleased it introduced the purpose built WR and WRTT models for 1941. These were
supplied in full race trim and specification included ball bearing camshafts,
slipper cam followers, modified valve angles, magneto ignition and racing
carburettor. 36 were built with the handful of WRTT’s having brakes (not
allowed on dirt ovals) and various other factory options that could include
cast aluminium frame mounted oil tanks and up to 5 gallon gas tanks to greatly
increase fuel range for races such as the Daytona Beach 200 miler.
The Daytona 200 was the most prestigious race in the US and
ironically the WR was destined to never win it. Not to underplay Harleys
success in the event in 1941 while Bill Mathews on a Norton won there were no
less than 16 Harleys in the top 20 placegetters a testimony to the Milwaukee
brands durability in long distance races.
It is believed no more than 10 1941 WR’s exist, so to find one and to find one in original condition would indeed be a tall order. Eric Mathieu’s Beauty of Speed website has a very informative register on WLDR and WR models and includes a photo of a blue WRTT named ‘The Beast’. Imagine our surprise in 2012 when browsing the dreaded EBay, one cool winters evening in Melbourne, there it was ‘The Beast’ up for auction. The description told of its Daytona race history and how the owner, when its racing career was over, put ‘The Beast’ into storage until 1975. Then a friend of the vendor purchased it and promptly put it into storage for another 25 years! The vendor had purchased it in 2000 and had considered commencing the restoration process but fortunately never got around to it. Yes he also left it in storage. We left a bid on it (higher than any sane person would leave, so we were sure) and went to bed. Turn the computer on next morning to find we have won (ironical that expression) and the bike is available for pick up only south of Los Angeles! Fortunately our good friend Joe Koopersmith was duly despatched from Oregon to go and make the pickup for us. Thanks Joe.
Eventually “the Beast” arrived in Melbourne. Certainly time
had taken its toll on various finishes, tyres were rotted, seat was missing and
gas caps had been borrowed many moons ago. What did we do after its arrival?
Along with its 3 previous owners put it into storage! Come 2017 we decided it
was time for 1941 WRTT 1 of a handful to get some well-deserved attention. The
entire bike was given a dunking of Kroil. Those familiar with this wonder
liquid are usually entranced by the magical way it gives rusty components a
wonderful sheen wiping away what is often years of neglect. New Dunlop K70
tyres our tyre of default for such projects were fitted and the seat was
borrowed from our restored WRTT. Its patina matched perfectly. Rear fender was
reinstalled and engine was given a rigorous spin over. How does it run? Well
that is a story for another day. Stay tuned.
Hillclimbing was a popular sport in the 1920’s and like every other form of competition Harley-Davidson built a machine specifically for it. This 1928 FHAD is a factory built hillclimber based on the 61-in. Two-Cam racing motor, designed to compete with similar motorcycles from Excelsior and Indian. The chained rear tyre is typical for hillclimbers of the era – knobby tyres were still a generation away.
Built on a “Keystone” frame, where the engine is held in by plates for rigidity, the FHAD was a single-purpose machine. Its gas tank held only ¾ gallon, its footboards were sloped forward for frontal weight distribution, its chains and sprockets were quite narrow, its fork was raked for uphill acceleration and only one gear (high), and only one brake (rear) were available.
This was the first year Harley used the airflow fenders which really pulled the styling into a complete package giving the motorcycle a most handsome stance. The TNT, Y manifold engine was introduced on the 1933 VLD only and for 1934 was introduced across the VL range.
Our bike was purchased in 2006 at Davenport where previously it had been a long term resident in the State of Ohio. It was a well-equipped Special Sport Solo with 100 mph speedo, luggage rack and spark arrestor all useful accessories in the Australian bush. It was finished in a correct colour option of Olive Green and Black. We recommissioned it and used it in the 2007 Great-Race. Then a more ambitious trip was planning to ride across the Western Australian Kimberley. Richard Nicholls of Redgrave Motorcycles was commissioned for an engine overhaul. Richards work on antique Harley engines is legendary.
The 2400km trip was accompanied with Peter Arundel on his 1936 Indian Chief. From Broome to Darwin the journey included the 700km dirt Gibb River Road which includes several river crossings (no bridges) and the 70km dirt road to the infamous Bullo River Station. (That’s a long driveway!) Both bikes completed the ride without fuss.
When one goes to document one of the collections racers there are many resources for information available to us. Original documents, factory archives, similar examples in museums and publications featuring articles on the particular model. However on our spaghetti framed side valve 750 ‘RH’, little is available to us.
We know that the model RH exists (we have a crankcase with factory numbers 33RH502. Deciphering Harley numbering systems indicate that number to represent a 750 competition bike from 1933. There are at least a handful of other 750 engine spaghetti framed hill climbers that were known to exist. Documented CAC Speedway racers were using the spaghetti frame type albeit with castings not tube as with our example. Chrome moly tubing and improved welding technology enable this type of construction. Our DAH 33DAH501 has a similar frame of micro diameter tubing. It was built be Harley Dealer in Los Angles Bill Graves.
Albeit our bike be a factory or home-built the component list is certainly an interesting one. Matching belly numbered, unstamped 1936 RL crankcases are mated to a WR styled top end with a forward mounted Splitdorf magneto and Schebler throttle barrel carby. Transmission is a 1936/37 slant top. Front forks the 350 OHV type commonly used by Harley on there later factory hill climbers. Tied together in the afore mentioned spaghetti frame.
