| |
Harley Davidson History 1940-1950
1940 Babe Tancrede is the winner at the Daytona 200, riding a
WLDR model.
1941 America is plunged into World War II. Production of civilian
motorcycles is almost entirely suspended in favor of military production.
The Service School is converted back to the Quartermasters School for the
training of military mechanics.
The FL series premieres.
1942 Among other motorcycles made for the Army, H-D produces the
unique XA 750, a motorcycle with horizontally opposed cylinders and shaft
drive, designed for desert use. The contract is cancelled early due to war
combat moving out of North Africa. Only 1,011 XA's are built.
1943 Harley-Davidson receives the first of its four Army-Navy "E"
Awards for excellence in wartime production. Overseas, many American
servicemen get their first exposure to Harley-Davidson motorcycles,
something they would not forget when they would return stateside.
1945 World War II ends, and Harley-Davidson has produced almost
90,000 WLA models for military use. Wasting no time, production of
civilian motorcycles resumes in November.
1946 Harley-Davidson introduces the 45 cubic inch flathead WR
racing motorcycle. It proves to be one of the best racing motorcycles ever
built.
1947 Attendees at the year's Dealers Convention in Milwaukee are
given a train ride to a "secret destination," which turns out to be the
newly purchased plant on Capitol Drive. The plant was formerly the A.O.
Smith Propeller Plant, created during the war. Harley-Davidson uses the
plant as a large machine shop, shipping the new parts to Juneau Ave. for
final assembly.
Harley-Davidson begins selling what will become the classic black leather
motorcycle jacket.
Harley-Davidson dirt track racer Jimmy Chann wins the first of three
consecutive AMA Grand National Championships.
1948 New features are added to the 61 and 74 overhead valve
engines, including aluminum heads and hydraulic valve lifters. Also new
are the one piece, chrome plated rocker covers shaped like cake pans. The
nickname "Panhead" only seemed logical.
Production of American-made lightweight motorcycles begins with the model
S. Various versions will be sold until 1966.
1949 Hydraulic front forks first appear on the new Hydra-Glide
models.
Return to the Harley
Davidson History Index
|
|
|
