The advent of multiple television shows where bikes are pounded together in just a few days has definitely had an effect on the psyche of the American bike builder. Looking at the bare frame and cases of this 1936 Knucklehead, Art Hendey "Knucklehead" Jr. thought that it might be a good idea to enter the AMD Pro Show looming in just 17 days' time.
After all, if those wacky TV show bikes can be done in 10 days, why not a fully-restored, period correct EL?
Departing from his usual chopper motif, "Junior" went in a new direction with this machine, going for a super-clean look with minimal mods like a vintage 21-inch front rim and sweet gold-leaf paint. While Art did the assembly and fabrication on this total custom restoration, he actually had quite a bit of help. Responsible family man that he is, he got his two daughters involved with the project for a little togetherness while he buried himself in his work. But when you're the offspring of a guy known as Knucklehead Jr., you do a little more than deliver screwdrivers.Twelve-year-old Amanda polished and cleaned parts on this spotless antique, while 10-year old Briahna reportedly did the valve job!
While the Hendey family wrenched away in the garage, friends assisted in various ways. Gary Ellenson chased the parts needed to complete the bike from one end of California to the other (some components were sourced from Alaska); Clell Richards went through three sets of flywheels before finding an OEM set that was usable; Ron Grygus worked with Junior in his garage until 5am to finish the oil bag, and there were more than a few sleepless nights for Charlie Craig as he put the finishing touches on the frame. There were moments when Junior thought his perfectionist's eye for detail had exhausted his friends' goodwill and patience, but that time never came.
With just an hour left to register for the show, Hendey and crew rolled into Las Vegas and signed up their running '36 EL for the modified Harley-Davidson class. Its first real shakedown run was on the way back to Banning, CA after the show, where its maiden voyage across the Mojave was trouble-free.
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