Helpful Hints
HERE ARE SOME OF MY NOTES AND ADS THAT MOST WILL BE INTERESTED IN ...
OLD FLXI AD:
1920 FLXI racer announced ...
The strong demand for a sidecar especially adapted to track racing and real
speed work, resulting from the rapid growth in popularity of sidecar contests
durning the present season, has brought about number of interesting new
features in the 1920 speedster model announced by the Flxible sidecar factory.
This is a Flxi built from ground up with the special requirements of this servere
service in view, and particularly adapted for track use. To meet the demand for
such a car. The Flxible Co. has made a number of changes in the Speedster model
for 1920. Riders who want to use their speedster cars for road driving and touring
can get them with the same spring system that that has been furnished previously,
but if they intend to use them for track racing or other outright speed work, where
comfort is not important, the buyer is given option of equipment with a set of
special "speedway springs". The Speedway type springs are low, very stout C springs
supporting the rear of the body, with a very short range of action, while the front
of the body is mounted on a platform clipped direct to the chassis. This spring
capacity is sufficient to handle the small vibrations of traveling over the surface
of a race track at high speeds, but would not be comfortable for road driving, for
they are not intended for such use. They place the body very low, so as to give a
still lower center of gravity and improved balance, together with decreased wind
resistance thus allowing even higher speed and greater stability on the short turns
of a dirt track. The two kinds of springs are interchangeable on a Flxi chassis,
and a rider may use the easy acting big springs for every day road riding, keeping
a set of the low, still "Speedway" springs on hand for use in track competition.
Either type of spring will be regularly furnished with the Flxi Speedster model
sidecars hereafter, being stock construction. The body of the 1920 Flxi speedster
will have the same genuine stream lines as before, tapering to a point at the rear,
with a large compartment for carrying luggage or spare parts back of the seat.
The tempered-steel chassis, quick-detachable fittings, and other distinctive features.
COMMERICAL NOTES:
HARLEY-DAVIDSON had a COMMERCIAL frame line. They were called Package Truck and Delivery Van ... about their chassis in 1920's they had chassis treads of 42 1/2, 46 1/8, 46 1/2, 49, 56, 56 1/4 in the 30's 47 7/8, 49 3/4, 56 3/4, 58 1/8 inch tread. Their basic laid out ... The 42 1/2", 46 1/2", 47 7/8" were standard passenger tread the 49" sidevan w/wo covers or panels, newspaper co, dryers, cleaners, the 49 3/4" mail package trucks, the 56 3/4" were double weight compartment and the M body ( commercial sidevan ) and the 58 1/8" were the Q model ( two passenger sidecar ) they also had adjustable treads that could easily be widen from 44 to 56" in minutes for adding stability or to accomodate a wider box. There was also a wider tread which could go from 48 to 60" it was called the "SOUTHERN ROADS". The package truck were hugely successly venture for Harley-Davidson which were produced until around 57 when the growing use of vans and light trucks for commercial delivery ... pretty much spelled their end. There were several sizes offered indifferent contigurations.
HELPFUL BASIC NOTES IF YOUR INTERESTED IN BUILDING A COMMERCIAL WOOD BODY:
BASIC INFO:
Most COMMERICAL bodies were wood and later wood and metal siding and added angle
iron on the corners. The main body was of white Ash frame construction mostly.
HOWEVER, Maple or Oak were also used. Internal panels / trim were Cherry, Birch,
Basswood and / or Mahogany ... depending of what part of the country you were
from and what was available. The roof was of Black Waterproof ( Shellac ) canvas
covering ( Hand vulcanized fiber-oldest synthentic material ) used trunk production.
Its made by chemical transformation of paper. Its extremely strong, light material
and its water repellent, some even used canvas with a shellic coating that made it
water proof.
ROOF NOTES:
The headers were of a trunk design in front and rear ( most of the time ), with
inner bows in the center of the roof / lid, most used in some cases wood covering
before doing a water repellent sealer. However, if you want a canopy design top
they had a front design header that were shorter than the rear ... something like
the early Ford closed cab pick up ... where it tapers upward in the rear.
WOOD BODY NOTES:
This is the basics on building a express wagon, depot hack, milk wagon, dog catcher
or transporter. You can run them with or with out wire screens or with or with out
roll down canvas on the sides to cover your cargo ... they were very simple to make.
Most were made of narrow cross ribbing over thin horizon panels. Heavier upright
supports for the roof and door openings and some had a tail gate or rear door.
