hdrestoration1

1960 Harley restoration

First the story of how I found my new project. I work as a telephone repairman in St. Louis, Missouri. Over the course of the day we are in and out of many customers homes as we perform repairs or installs.
After completing work at an elderly lady's house I saw the bike in the garage as I was leaving and comented to her about it being a good looking old bike. She told me it was her husbands bike but that he was gone now, we stood and talked for a minute or two then I turned to leave. As I was leaving the garage she said the bike was for sale. I turned back she said someone could have it for $2000. I hadn't had a bike for twenty years, so I told her I would give the info to the guys back at the garage. I said good-bye and was headed to my next job. (the picture to the right is in her garage)

As I worked the rest of the day that bike was in the back of my mind, by the end of the day I decided to keep the bike info to myself and do a little research. I knew the bike was a HD but did not have a clue on the year, or what it was worth. I knew the last time it was ridden by the 1975 plate.

I needed pictures. I made a call and told the lady that I wanted to look at the bike again and maybe take a few pictures to help identify the year and model. The first three pictures here were taken of the bike in her garage. I was off to find any info I could, books, magazines, shops, but not the guys back at my garage yet. I did not want my find to get out yet.
    I made a search on the WWW and found a group of guys that talked about Harleys. rec.motorcycles.harley   , it was a kind of virtiual bar on the web. I went in grabbed a beer and stood back a lurked for a few days before I made a post about my find. I had posted these three pictures for them to look at and tell me what I had found.
    I was told it was a once in a life time find and that the bike was worth about three times what she was asking for it. They even got me close on the year, that's good just from my limited pictures
    I went back to the lady's house and offered her the money. She told me that her sister did not want her to sell it now. Damn. I tried offering her more money but no deal. I told her if she ever wanted to sell the bike call me first.

   I drove by her house from time to time just to stay in touch and let her know I wanted the bike.
    Last year I was moved to a new area so I did not get to go by her house often so I thought that was it. This past summer a co worker from my old garage moved to my garage and asked If I ever went back to try and get the bike. Again I was told it was the find of a life time.
    I went back again and asked her one more time this time she said yes, it cost a few$$ more but I still got a good deal. A week later it was in my garage.
    I will let the next few pictures speak for themselves and will update the site with more info once its on the road.

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