Crowd Pleaser Pushrod Harley-Davidson Drag Bike

I RODE my old Harley-Davidson Knuckle for years and drag raced her. Used to run 14.6’s at 93 mph. It is a matching number 1947 original Knuck with S&S stock stroke wheels. The cam is an Andrews S grind. The heads have custom made 1.94″ intakes cut down from Dufor valves and heads have been ported by me. Valve springs are Crane Panhead that were belt sanded to fit Knuckle tins. It got too precious to race.

As you know ’47 cases are sand-cast and weak as piss so I decided to take the Knuckle out of the bike and fitted an 86 inch Pan. Advertised Australia wide in Just Bikes for Pan bits. Got the Pan engine from Branko Andrijic in Gosford. Sent him down the Leinewebber 3S cam I wanted to run and had him build up the bottom-end.

Pulled the stock top oiler heads off when it arrived and ported them. Bike has run a best of 13.0 at 103 mph; won the All Bike Pushrod Class twice runner up at All Bike And Nostalgia Drags. It’s jocky shifted and suicide clutch.

Probably hate the jacket I race in but it is a genuine 1969 Billy jacket—had it all my life; it’s the only leather jacket I’d owned up until last year. The bike, jacket, wheelstands are a crowd pleaser. Spectators whistle and cheer as I’m coming back down the return road.

BOB KOTMEL