Introduction — Linkert Info Home

about this website

This website has no agenda, I hope it gives insight for those who wish to restore their Harley-Davidson’s carburetor.

This website is for the preservation of information through pictures of all the M model Linkert series used on Harley-Davidson motorcycles as produced by the Harley-Davidson factory. This includes variants of the same models. For example, the M41 has three variants of that model. Model variants include series changes such as 2-338 vs 2-348, or 4 vs 3-line manufacturer information, or 2 vs 4 bolt air induction mounting. Model variants do not include the lettering or font changes of the M numbers, manufacturers name, or address. Model variants documented here also will not include round body vs machined body variants.

The Linkert’s metal composition of body or parts will be referred to as brass, pewter, copper, or steel for simplicity.

Every effort is made to use original parts or refurbished or repaired original parts. There are no zinc plated parts used. There are no stainless-steel parts used. There are some re-plated modern hardware and re-produced parts that are modified back to original, or as close as possible. There are parts that are re-plated; white cadmium plated, parkerized, nickel plated, blackened or re-painted. Unfortunately, many original parts are very scarce, not available, or too pricey.

It should be noted that many original plated parts and re-plated parts have different textures and qualities about them due to how old they are, when they were plated, what companies plated them, if the parts were polished or not polished, and/or how the parts were prepared. For examples: the M41, 2-348, 4 lines, 4 bolt, Military carburetor with the 7” air cleaner, might appear to have the body painted silver when it is nickel plated. The M5, 2-348, 4 lines, 4 bolt has a polished manifold, where this manifold should not be polished. Also, there are some OEM parts that are plated nickel that appear to be plated white CAD due to age or conditions in storage?

And not every knowledgeable person (expert) that shared their firsthand knowledge and years of experience agree on everything. For example: if small plated parts were polished or not, or plated at all? Then again, the Harley-Davidson produced parts catalogs that cover the years brass Linkert’s were assembled have only two fuel valves and needle sets listed. However, the fuel valve and needle sets were most likely made by outside venders and there are at least 5 different combinations used from 1930 to 1965.

Regardless of the actual year, these carburetors are restored as closely as possible to NEW AS INSTALLED ON A NEW HARLEY-DAVIDSON FROM THE FACTORY. Which might seem like an impossible task. So, I’m going to use the following premise: That, On a perfect day, in a perfect situation, with all the parts coated and available from all outside vendors and the factory’s supplied parts as ordered by Harley-Davidson for assembly––What would the carburetors have looked like? However, some are left in the condition as found, if determined that most of the carburetor is in original condition. Occasionally on this site, a picture or pictures of an M model that came from the factory in an original package will be included with the restored M model of the same. When a carburetor is currently unavailable, pictures obtained with permission will be used if required.

Over the years many Linkert carburetors no longer exist in the original configuration as installed at the factory. Most carburetors have been overhauled, rebuilt, modified, and parts interchanged by race teams, factory dealers, independent motorcycles shops, or individual Harley motorcycle owners, (not to mention parts interchanged with different carburetor manufactures, types, and models.) Many small parts were installed without being plated simply due to unavailable plated parts at the time the carburetor was assembled and packaged by Linkert or Harley-Davidson. These un-plated parts might include idle hole plugs, passage plugs, fuel valves, drain plugs, choke shafts, or choke discs. Still many Linkert carburetor bodies were stripped of their paint, bodies polished, and/or chromed. Many more had the plugs, fixed jets, venturi, main nozzles changed or modified, or even had the original M series for their Harley-Davidson motorcycles removed and a different M model installed.

And: There is no doubt that over the years parts stocked and re-stocked by factory and non-factors dealers who received many carburetors and parts that were not plated according to the years that correspond to the years that a particular Linkert M model was installed by the Harley-Davidson factory on their motorcycles.

For example: Most original 1930 to 1939 nickel plated carburetors have nickel plated fuel valves, as some later carburetors have cadmium plated fuel valves and many that do not. Even carburetor parts originally packaged in OEM H-D boxes, you will find both plated the same as H-D factory produced motorcycles or some parts not plated at all. For most of the carburetors in this collection, they are built and plated as original produced for H-D production motorcycles. A few are left as found and then there are BEFORE pictures that are diffidently ‘as found’, when I had the foresight to take them.

It is my opinion if you were to restore a carburetor with a brass non-plated fuel valve, choke disc, choke shaft, brass idle or passageway plug the carburetor would certainly pass inspection from most judges.

There are many original carburetors hidden from public view in private and corporate collections where research access is limited, most importantly the Harley-Davidson Museum where access has its limits. Many are scattered in collections spanning the country, hemisphere and globe and may simply be out of the reach of many including this researcher.

This website is a work in progress and relies on many sources of information and experience. I am sure that there are many errors, I apologize in advance. Like I stated before I have collected these carburetors to preserve a historical record and I am constantly learning. I do not restore or overhaul Linkert carburetors for the general motorcycle public nor do I sell carburetors or parts. I do include some recommendations for services later in this introduction.

My personal experience started when, at 16, I purchased a ‘basket case’ 51’ panhead chopper (photo below), all the way to 2010 when I began to restore a WLA (photo below) then started collecting Linkert carburetors used on Harley-Davidsons, which you will see listed below. However, I acquired a lot of knowledge and reference materials from the following books and or websites that I will list below. And many discussions with knowledgeable persons, (experts).

My Thanks to the references I’ve listed here.

QUOTES

”Most of the (Harley-Davidson) motorcycles first produced were all ‘handmade’. What I don’t know for sure is when did H-D begin the ‘Henry Ford’ like production assembly line? What you see in all the archive pictures of black (brown) and white is difficult to tell what the plating is or was. I have only two carburetors from the 1930’s that haven’t been changed to the best of my knowledge based on several factors, and the body and all parts were old nickel, and except for the missing air ‘cleaner’ and carb supports they were intact. One an M4 and the other an M21. All the M4’s nickel plating was the same in texture and appearance. The M21’s body’s plating was still intact however most of the small parts were either worn down to the copper or completely worn off or rusted.

In my opinion when HD motorcycles were produced, they were not antiques or collector items but working, operating motorcycles and after they rolled off the showroom floor most if not all were worked on, modified, and repaired to work better, or go faster. (In documentaries or the early years Mr. Harley and Mr. Davidson would frequent these non-factory meets and dirt road races and factory ones to get experience and ideas. And they weren’t alone, the car manufactures were doing the same thing well into the 60’s and 70’s).”

–David Bieber

“I have been through the archives at the factory, and I have never found a definitive list of finishes on parts, so most finishes (plating) are based on factory photos, NOS parts and educated guesses. Many parts like hardware that appear silver in the factory photos were both cadmium plated, and dull nickel plated. I believe during the depression, parts were plated in both cadmium and nickel, depending on what was available. I also believe that during assembly, the bikes (motorcycles) were assembled with whatever was in the drawers. (when) Studying the factory photos and unrestored bikes, there was no consistency. Even the bright work could have been polished nickel or chrome. It is widely believed that chrome did not appear until 1931, but that has never been proven, so again, it is subject to interpretation and an educated guess. Even the AMCA judges can’t agree on every finish, nor can they prove how each part was finished. For carburetors, there ae people out there who have seen hundreds of examples and know more about them than I do. I wish I had more definitive answers, but the information is just not there.”

–Johnny Sells

“I have dis-agreements with [some very knowledgeable persons] on a few things. I have never had an indisputably original M31 (early or late casting) come in [to my shop] with a brass bowl (and I have even owned one early casting NOS back in 98’). I have had some M21 (early casting) that came in with them. The rest aluminum. Most M4 carbs had them, although few customers want to pay the difference for the brass bowls on rebuilt ones, I have standing offers of $400 each for the few [brass fuel bowls] I have left. All M2 carbs I have had came in with brass bowls. Had 2 M11 carbs in the last 10 years (out of probably 30) that had brass bowls (and those I know came off early production bikes). All 2 bolt [1936] M5 carbs that I have had come in had brass bowls OHV bowls, all other M5 carbs aluminum bowls. The early M5 with brass bowl does not show up in any books by the way. The M2 I have right now is a 2-238 casting and the bowl on it is original to that carb. It came on my late 1932 VL. I have owned two NOS M4 carbs over the years that both had aluminum bowls, (just to confuse the issue). I go by what I have found personally to be true, not any books. I also think it makes a difference if a carb was sold on or with a bike and later ‘replacement’ carbs of the same models. I have found quite a few differences over the years with NOS replacement carbs of the same model as originally came on the bikes, especially with finishes. I have owned every single Linkert out there NOS at one time or another and wish now I had documented every one with photos. Would be interesting reading.”

–Mike Aldrich, Into The Wilderness

NOTE:
Brass fuel bowls were most likely installed on Linkert carburetors on the 1930-1932 Linkert offer as replacements for exchange by Harley-Davidson and on factory installed motorcycles from 1933-1935.