Leading into World War II, Harley Davidson was selected by the United States government to supply motorcycles to all US military branches. With over 70,000 units produced for the USA and other allied forces, they were each presented with a special engine number for identification, all beginning with 42WLA for United States models. The flathead, air-cooled 45ci V-twin engines were considered high compression engines for the period at 5:1, but still modest enough for the government's insistence on reliability in the field. Overall, the Harley Davidson WLA motorcycles were sturdy, very dependable, and easy to repair for military personnel. Today, they serve as great additions to any motorcycle collection!
Offered here is a late production, Type VII Harley Davidson 42WLA that has been restored to a more civilian presentation along with the addition of a slick Goulding passenger sidecar! Both are nicely finished in Rally Red with black upholstered seating. The engine number on this unit reads 42WLA69154 indicating it was built between September 1944- August 1945 during the end of WLA production. It retains its original engine crank cases both possessing matching stamps reading 45-11279 along with original Linkert carburetion.
It has improvements to include chrome dash and ignition switch, raised handlebars, chrome wire spoke wheels, chromed front forks & springs, 12-volt generator charging system, ZEL 5.5" headlight, nicer seat with chrome embellishments, tank badges, chromed 3-speed shifter handle & bezel, chrome primary cover and rear taillight housing, and an auxiliary oil filtration system just to name a few. It is a very nice presentation for an older restoration, and was last started and ran in the fall of 2023, but has since been drained of oil and gas while on showroom display. We invite interested parties to call with questions or to schedule a chance to see it in person. Thanks, as always, for looking!
