Have you ever wanted to roll on the throttle while riding down the twists and turns of a back country road on a pure American classic — say a pristine 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead? Easy question, right. What if I told you that dream could become a reality, and that you could make it happen for only 10 bucks. Would you believe me?
The good news that this offer is as real as it gets. Our friends at the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, NC will be raffling off this beauty of a 1947 Harley-Davidson this 2010 as a part of the museum's annual fundraiser.
The Wheels Through Time Museum contains over 300 rare American motorcycles dating back over 100 years, 99% of which are in running condition and are fired up regularly for museum visitors.
“Thats why it's dubbed 'The Museum that Runs.'” The museum is the life's work of founder and curator Dale Walksler, who started collecting at an early age and never looked back. Over the years, Dale has made a habit of bringing some of the most amazing vintage American iron back to life in his restoration shop, taking on ground up restorations, “from scratch” builds, and rebuilds of countless two-wheeled survivors, many of which are destined for display on the 38,000 square foot museum floor. He's been collecting and restoring treasures from our motorcycling past for over 40 years, and its his personal mission to make sure that each and every machine is in running and road ready condition.
This year marks the museum's 8th Annual Bike Drawing. Over the last few year's alone, they've raffled off a 1951 Panhead, a 1940 Knucklehead, and a 1936 Harley-Davidson VLH. The 2010 drawing is scheduled for Veterans Day Weekend in November, and as you can see the machine to be given away is a stunner. Hand built by Dale and crew in the Wheels Through Time restoration shop, the bike has been resurrected in classic form — period-correct and decked out with hard to find accesorries from top to bottom.
Tickets for this American beauty are available at the museum and online at www.wheelsthroughtime.com
You can also purchase tickets through the mail by sending name, address, phone number, email, shirt size (if applicable) and payment to WTT Raffle, P.O. 790, Maggie Valley, NC 28751. And be sure to tell them you heard about it from Bikernet!
Last October, they broke ground on the project with the aim of building their best contest bike yet. Starting with a baskecase bought from a friend a few years back, Dale carefully rebuilt the 74 cubic inch Knucklehead engine from top to bottom, using all original used and NOS parts. Harley-Davidson Big Port Knuckle heads and correct 5-fin Knucklehead cylinders make up the top end, while genuine H-D 74″ flywheels, original rods, shaft, cam and gears make up the bottom end.
The bike breathe's through it's original Linkert M-35 carburetor, a set-up that ensures easy starting and plenty of adjustment. Dale builds almost all his engines to factory specs and perfers to run 6-volt ignition. Genuine H-D ciruit breaker and coil generates the spark, while a Dale Cashman rebuilt Harley-Davidson 32E generator supplies the charge to the battery. The transmission used for the project came with the original basketcase — a genuine Harley-Davidson 4-speed — and is, naturally, kick only. Rebuilt by Dale specifically for this project, the insides consists of all original components, from mainshaft to gears and seals, to washers and shims, to bearings and races. All out of Dale's private stash of Knucklehead parts.
The chassis' base starts with an authentic V-Twin replica 47 Knucklehead frame. Frame is an important aspect in building a raffle machine and Dale feels that starting with something brand new and of quality construction is essential to a smooth, safe, and comfortable ride. Dale used a OEM Harley-Davidson inline springer fork to keep it period correct, equipped with original style ride control, and CycleRay type springer headlight.
The machine sits on a pair of tall 18″ original Harley rims wrapped in Coker Goodyear diamond tread tires, laced to original Harley-Davidson star hubs with stainless spokes from Buchanan's Spoke and Rim in sunny California. If you ask the crew at WTT, there nothing that compares to rolling down the road on a pair of 18″s, which seem to give a little more control and manueverability to the ride. The brakes are original Harley equimpent–mechanical front and rear, as well as the linkage and hardware. The bike features an early style 36-39 Harley break lever, and the foot controls are also genuine H-D, equipped with rear break pedal on the right and original “heel/toe” H-D rocker clutch on the left.
Dale loves to get creative in his builds and for sheet-metal, he used 1947 Knucklehead hand-shift tanks, a stock, full rear fender, and a handmade bobbed H-D front fender, with original style trim and emblems. For color, the museum's painter John Dills of Dills Paint Works shot the fenders and gas tanks original flight red, and laid down a great set of black scallops on the tanks. Original H-D chrome handlebars with internal controls were used, and '47 style chrome Knucklehead dash and chrome accessory spotlights really stand out against the scalloped paint.
Speaking of accessories, Dale threw on several hard to find goodies that really give the bike a unique and appealing look. The Hanson Sportshield type windshield is a perfect reproduction of the extremely rare aftermarket accessory offered in the late 1940s and 50s. Carefully and accurately remade by Gary Gardner, they are virtually identical to the originals, and allow the rider to adjust the height of the windshield with a spring-loaded roll-up canvas strip and adjustable supports. Gary only made a few of them, and the one he donated for the raffle was the first off the line. Dale also installed a set of brown Harley saddlebags and brown seat, from long-time friend Chuck at The Saddle Shop. Chrome exhaust and original style 7″ air cleaner finish it off with a sleek and period look.
If you ask the guys at Wheels Through Time, they'll tell you this is there best Raffle machine yet. I'd find it hard to disagree. But one thing is for sure — by the time mid-November rolls around, there will be one more lucky winner of a hand-built piece of American Motorcycle history from “The Museum That Runs.”
For more information about Wheels Through Time in Maggie Valley, NC, visit their website, located at www.WheelsThroughTime.com
