Chassis, Frame, Forks and Tires
Title: 1949 fork slider
Jim in Seattle "1950 Bobber"
Post by panzr4ever on Jan 5, 2007, 8:26am
Bobber..I have a pretty close to original early 49 EL. My left slider is stamped 45812-48, the right is stamped with what appears to be 45810-48. On mine the "8" next to the "4" is only half showing. I assume it is "8" because it appears to be the same as the "8" following the "45".
They are stamped about half way on the top of the slider just as pictured and just about as hard to read. Kinda makes you wonder what the Motor Company was thinking when they stamped them that way. It is my understanding that 49 was the only year that this was done. If I am in error someone please free free to chime in.
Post by 1950bobber on Jan 5, 2007, 8:51am
Thanks panzr4ever.....
Your observation is much appreciated! Any others who can help with Identification? Thanks...
Jim Seattle "1950 Bobber"
Post by panzr4ever on Jan 5, 2007, 9:25am
Bobber...for info the Jack is kicking in too quickly; it should be the other way around....My left is 45810-48; the right is just like yours-45812-48.
Also just was cruzin ebay and some guy was selling a 49 front end with slider tubes pictured just like yours...stamped for right but no number showing for the left. He was listing it as "complete". Didn't have the heart (didnt want to seem like an ass) to tell him that he was missing the stainless steel fork cap covers that were made to snap into place.
Post by Cotten on Jan 5, 2007, 2:00pm
The -48 in this case is the year of blueprinting rather than production.
Note also that the legs are sand-cast instead of diecast, just like the brake backing plate. (Polished finishes are a 'fault'.)
....Cotten
(PS: The press-on forkcaps came late in the model year.)
Post by shsj on Jan 5, 2007, 5:13pm
Jim, can you post the other picture that I sent you? I tried to but I don't know how you got it to appear without a link.
Panzr4ever, I believe those caps are chrome plated steel. I could check when I get home, I have one.
~shsj
Post by 1950bobber on Jan 5, 2007, 6:09pm
shsj.
I wasn't able to post my pics either...I had to email them to Panhead (the forum Administrator) and you will have to do...try sending that same pic to him....
Jim in Seattle "1950 Bobber"
Post by shsj on Jan 5, 2007, 8:33pm
Thanks Panhead. This is the slider that I thought was an original numbered 49 sandcast part. I have the same ones as Jim does in this post and thought they were original 49's until I stumbled accross this one from a very original 49 pan that was parted out on ebay. I had the fore-thought to save the picture.
Does anyone have sliders numbered like this on an original 49?
Also worth mentioning, I don't think my sliders have ever been separated, yet the left side has the number and the right side doesn't just like Jim's, and he is pretty sure his are original.
~shsj
Post by Cotten on Jan 6, 2007, 4:46am
I have only encountered the large numbers that appear cast-in (concave as if stamped) very near the top of the slider.
But I never wrote them down to remember if they were -48 or -49.
But, it would be hard to rule out anything in this matter, if they are indeed sand-cast sliders. The *relative* uniformity of the small stamps pictured leads one to believe they were stamped in unison, rather than in the barnyard number by number.
I'm still hopeing to trade for a set.
(Got the backing plate though!)
(My other '49 chassis has a springer: as per export specs, and that's the story I'm sticking to...)
Fergot to look for the Fox stamp on the emblems today....
....Cotten
Post by shsj on Jan 6, 2007, 4:06pm
Cotten, I don't think the ones in the picture I posted are stamped... I think the number was part of the casting and is above the surface (I guess you could say convex). You can tell by looking at the shadows on the numbers. If anything the other version is stamped, and it is stamped before it is machined and that is why part of the number is obliterated.
If one were to try to forge a set of these in the barnyard, the first version would be much easier by far...
Is there a way to tell the difference between a sand-cast part and a die-cast part? That might also be telling.
~shsj
Post by Cotten on Jan 7, 2007, 5:14am
Shsj!
If those numbers are raised relief, then that seems overwhelming proof that they are indeed Factory, and obviously there has been little done to the finish around them, which certainly looks sandcast.
We can only conclude that sliders were produced both ways.
....Cotten
Post by 1950bobber on Jan 7, 2007, 10:12am
As Cotten offered,
...."we can only conclude sliders were produced both ways"(for the 1949 numbered forks) ....HOWEVER....the "stamped" -48 numbers HAD to predate the later dated raised -49 numbers unless we are to conclude Harley factory juxtaposed the indexing sequence! But I think I agree....BOTH the stamped -48 numbers AND the raised -49 numbers were the 1-year only 1949 sliders....the stamped -48 being stamped "early" in the 1949 numbering game! Logical? Well maybe not! Afterall, we ARE talking about the Harley Davidson Factory!!!!!
Jim in Seattle "1950 Bobber"
Post by Cotten on Jan 7, 2007, 5:00pm
I think that the numbers at the top of the sliders are cast-in also.
It would only be my guess that they would be the earlier version, as the lower numbers show much better quality.
(Similarly, some manifolds with identical numbers might be either relief or depressed.)
The other place that I would inspect is the conformity of the bottoms; Look for casting seams or sprue marks that are not like diecast legs.
Black paint makes them hard to make out in Jim's photos. (I have none to photo for comparison. I'm doomed to take a set of over-polished legs and shotpeen them.)
.....Cotten
Post by 1950bobber on Jan 7, 2007, 9:05pm
Cotten....If I had known you were interested in my 1949 Sliders...I certainly would have taken them in a trade...I apologize. I did have them advertised for quite some time here on the Hydra-Glide website before I put them up on Ebay....mostly to fund another project....I try to fund my projects from parts I have, avoiding the "hoarding" problem probably MOST of us have (or would like to have!)...we all know that handling and hanging such vintage parts for our viewing is tantamount to hanging a Mona Lisa in our living room...well maybe that's a stretch!
Anyway...I certainly will keep my eyes open to another -49 set of sliders...
Thanks to all for your help here....This IS the BEST WEBSITE IN THE WORLD...at least when it comes to the vintage iron...Panheads/Knuckleheads AND Flatheads!!!!!
Indebted,
Jim in Seattle "1950 Bobber"
Post by shsj on Feb 6, 2007, 6:15am
Hey Jim in Seattle
If your out there check out this item on ebay 290079442134
Shows all the 49 only components broke out nicely, and a set of numbered sliders like the ones you sold and the ones I have. Guess I owe you two beers now!!!
~marty
Post by 1950bobber on Feb 6, 2007, 6:30am
Hey Marty...Yup, I'm on the site! Two beers? How can we stop there.....lets go for several more...my treat! Thanks Marty...I caught that auction...watching to see how high it goes but I did well...that '49 I had sold for around $950! Great deal I guess if you need one.....keep in touch!!!!!
Jim in Seattle "1950 Bobber"
