You learn while you walk in history's footsteps

Have had to change the information regarding a previous post on Henderson C-1118.

For sure there is a lot to learn from walking in historic footsteps :-)

Jac. Hansen & Indian "special"

I remember still when the vintage motorcycle hobby was based on overseas phone conversations trough a crackling switchboard, or alternatively you sent a letter waiting for weeks or even months to get a reply from a foreign vendor, you had almost forgotten your own question when getting an answer.

Most of the winter was spent in the cellar completely lonely and quiet whilst trying to restore that old piece of Iron. Only during summer if your homework during winter was crowned with success would you meet fellow gear heads at a rally.

It is not like that anymore, now we have the internet and the blog world, we have to make decisions whether we want to get anything done or stay tuned. Recently finding time to get myself updated on my favorite blogs I didn’t get far. Starting out with Jeff aka Knucklebuster`s blog I soon found myself totally excited by a recent post on his blog.
His post showing a single page from an old Indian News, issue June/July 1932, which he had found in the pile of goodies he hauled back from his hill climber hero Larry Franz Sr.
Jeff how damned cool, I sat there in Wauseon sharing beer with you next to this pile when your van was still not unloaded.






Well, what could excite me on this single page to such an extent? There was a picture sent in from an unnamed Norwegian reader showing him ready to race his OHV Scout. OHV Scout, did they not make them with side valves only, nope they didn’t, no rule without exceptions.
The Wigwam did make a very limited amount of OHV Scouts as well as a number of independent tuners like Andy Koslow, Al Crocker and well known New Zealander Burt Monroe made this as modifications to standard engines, the two first mentioned for sale the third for his own bike.
Andy Koslow is well known for his Excelsior Super X Big-Bertha hillclimbers, Al Crocker for oh well that’s an easy one and Burt Monroe should not get someone to ask themselves what, who or where neither.

OHV valve Scouts are rare as hen`s teeth and priced accordingly. What happened to the Norwegian OHV Scout? Who was the lucky owner roaring the Norwegian dirt tracks in the early thirties on such an interesting piece of American motorcycle history. Why have I never heard of this machine before?

OK, my pulse has fallen back to its normal level of stress and my memory begins to work. Didn’t I read in some old race programs there was a guy competing with what was mentioned as an Indian “special” at several Norwegian races during the early thirties.
Of course, this was Jac. Hansen one of our famous race heroes later to become the main Norwegian Indian importer based in our capitol Oslo.








I spent the next couple of hours refreshing my knowledge on Jac. Hansen by sourcing the information in my files, this was great reading.
Jac. or more correctly Jacob Hansen started his racing career as many early motorcycle racers, on a bicycle. In example he won his class competing at a 30 km`s race in 1920. Racing by leg power would soon be history for Jac. According to my files he seems to have been at the start line at most motorcycle races from 1923 and the next ten years. He competed with an incredible number of motorcycle brands during those events; Harley, Rudge, Nortons, FN, Husquarna, Gillet and finally Indians where we are to be concerned with the “special”.
Jac. surely must have spent time in the US to get his dealership going, maybe he bought the OHV on one of his trips to the Wigwam?





Jac. Hansen start no. 26.












I look forward to dig more into this Norwegian OHV Scout`s story, in the meantime a couple of links on the subject;

Virtual Indian.org

The Vintagent

Stay tuned, more to come!!

Added; 26.01.2012

1`st pic show a young Jac. Hansen with his prize after getting a second place in the Std. motorcycle class at the Glostrup Race Track - Denmark back in 1924.

Second pic we see young Jac. (at far right)still at Glostrup in -24 admiring one of the OHV V-twin`s competing in the racing class. This one sported 8 valves and was manufactured in Europe, anyone got a clue??
No wonder he got ambitions to own a real racer himself!

Special parts

In general getting parts from e-bay is like Christmas eve and birthday in one party, then receiving some parts are even more thrilling than others.

Got my offset rocker towers for the Cutdown project today, whow what great parts those are!!!!
Thanks a lot Chuck for making those and for sharing.

zero clearance

Lapping the head of any cylinder on my cast iron leveling table is time consuming, exhausting and in general a shit job, but still very important to the overall result when time comes to apply any pressure to the head gasket.

My Danish Vilh. Pedersen mill is old, very old. It still does the job though.

Progress, progress

Today have been a day filled with action. Blew all engine parts with glass, they had once (maybe in Mexico) been painted silver, forgot to bring my camera.

Then changing location to blow a fair amount of the chassis that will need to be painted, its hard to find a location with fine sand giving the correct finish. One need to stay away from the steel sand which is commonly used in the industry.

One step forward, then two back!

Have been slow with posting lately, luckily life is not as quiet as the number of blog messages would indicate.

In retrospect, when finally Christmas & New year celebrations were over, it was due time to increase the speed of Panhead restoration. Working with the engine is the major task at this moment ,mentioning parts not to be replaced rather than those who will be replaced is far easier. One lucky dealer might look forward to receive this order.
Grief, horror, when removing the right side outher cranckshaft bearing from the case I came to see a very small movement in the steel bushing wich is a part of the crankcase casting. Not that loose that it could be moved, but still.

This part is NOT supposed to be loose at all.

When talking to the pros it was clear the best fix would be milling out the steel part, then replace this with a new one press fitted in the case half.

Hmm, an operation like this is beyond my milling skills as well as this steel bushing is very close to the inner camshaft bushing hole, just a few mm`s off, rather not make a crack between those two holes when press fitting a new steel insert, a crack which is a common problem with quite a few cases.

I`m a true believer in Loctite products, they do indeed warrant the functionality of their products, and they work. Called Loctite in Oslo, they recommend Loctite 290, this is a high strength penetrating metal glue, working at temperatures well above 150 degree C.
Problem is how to get rid of any oil in the microscopic gap between steel insert and case as well as getting any Loctite glue in there when cleaned?

Vacuum is the answer, vacuum, oh yes, again I see the light. If a sufficient vacuum is maintained there is no problem in sucking trough detergent to get the gap cleaned as well as getting the gap filled with glue.

I am now running frantically around to collect vacuum compressor, turning all the tools needed to achieve vacuum in the crack, etc. etc.

The rest is just straight forward, and whow am I pleased with the result.

If there should be any misalignement (Whisch I do not believe) this would need to be taken care of when lapping the outher bearings with cases together.

American Motorcycles Norway

It is still Christmas, let us enjoy another great photo from Yesterdaze`s motorcycling life. This is a image taken during one of many ice races held in Norway during the twenties. These races were very popular and high speeds were obtained during these events.

Keep in mind no roads where stretching out as the ice of a frozen lake, hence winter were times for motorsport and high speeds.