55panman wrote:Dave Aus, what is the hub on the rear brake from on this build. Is it a conical? Stock Harley conical? Can you show a pic of the hub? Thanks, RL
Hi 55panman,
The rear hub is two sportster hubs welded together both with the drum side.
In a pinch a 52-53 K frame stripped of street tabs etc work fine. Primarily set up for dirt ovals with one tree, and road racing with optional raked trees for straight line stability. To remove tabs carefully slice welds than heat to break loose the braze underneath. The 56 KHK frame and Sportster frame through 65 are stronger and handling all around improved over 52-53 frame with the beefy Drop Neck and Sandwiched Down Tubes. Ground clearance is set up with optional wheels, shocks and fork tubes.
The 1952-3 frame has too much rake which gives too much trail which does not work for racing which is why the 54 and later frames with a cut and welded steering head casting or a -57R steering head casting have different geometry with less steering head angle. The non parallel or "raked" trees kick out the front end reducing trail making the bike want to turn. For road racing the 66 highboy as pictured or 68 lowboy frames are far superior to pre 1966 tubing and castings frames.
Id the seat on this bike stock HD or is it a Bates ? I have one that is identical and though I've seen them on early KR's that were restored not sure if they are Harley parts.
"I know only too well the evil that I propose, but my inclinations get the better of me."
The Team dirt trackers used a seat like the one on this bike. The seats came from Lipp Plastics a fiberglass swimming pool company in Saint Genevieve, Missouri. Lipp made the fiberglass gas tanks for the 1963- 1965 KRTT, the KR dirt trackers, and the CR dirt trackers.
I have one that appears to be NOS but it's a black based metallake with purple flakes. Couldn't imagine harley opting for a color like that. But I don't know. Now mounted on my Period 3 solo race bike. Xl based.
"I know only too well the evil that I propose, but my inclinations get the better of me."