A while back, I shared with you one of the current projects going on in the Wheels Through Time restoration shop -- Charlie's 1936 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead.  When we last spoke, we'd made great progress on Charlie's '36, bringing a big pile of rare parts to the beginnings of one of Harley-Davidson's rarest machines. 

I finished the motor a few months back, and after a 1936 transmission rebuild, we had the pile of parts looking like a real motorcycle.  Motor and transmission were in the frame, clutch and primary chain were assembled, and the tanks and fenders, painted in gold and black, were temporarily bolted on.   Since the last update, the bike has come together to near complete condition.  My friend Myron and I have been working long hours on the machine, finessing each part into perfect placement.

First step after John brought back the fenders and tanks was to bolt up both fenders to the chassis.  I had the sheet metal worked on by my friend Larry Medwig who's quite and expert at making old fenders look brand new, so I knew that mounting them would be no problem.  The rear fender went on without a problem, but when we started to mount the front fender, we ran into our first serious problem of the restoration -- the fork stem was bent.  Since this machine has to be perfect, we did a bit of backing up.  We disassembled the front end (which is always tricky when your working with fresh paint) and made the proper adjustments.   After a few minutes, we had it bolted back on and working correctly. 

After mounting both fenders, we made a few more big leaps.  Using new old stock exhaust components, we got the pipes set up, with everything going together perfectly.  I always consider this a big step, even if its just a psychological thing. 

Next was to install the oil lines.   This would normally not have gone so smoothly, but I happened to have a brand new old stock set of '36 Knucklehead one year only  oil lines....and they went on like a glove.   After we got everything sealed up, it was time to test my motor and transmission work -- fill it up with oil and see if it leaks.  Its been full for about a week now, and hasn't leaked a drop. 

With all of the main assemblies put together, Myron and I jumped in on many of the little tasks that must be done before a bike is finished -- speedometer, amp guage, oil switch, taillight, shifter linkage.  We even got the front and rear brake dialed in so I can take her for a ride right when its finished.  Myron took care of the horn, which is quite a tedious job, and managed to fit up the footboards without me noticing. 

I think after one or two more good sessions in the shop, this bike will running with the best of them.  I'll be sure to keep you updated on the progress and will let you know how it rides when its finished.

--Dale