Prewar Knuckleheads are the Holy Grail for Harley-Davidson enthusiasts. The beautifully restored 61 cubic-inch 1938 Harley Knucklehead recently for sale on eBay is a rare bird.
But what sets it apart is that it comes with so many original and hard-to-find parts. Those original parts elevate the '38 bike to museum quality.
item 1 of 8
Smoother, Quieter, Cleaner
The 1938 Harley Knucklehead for sale is an excellent representation of an early prewar Knucklehead. It's painted with the correct Venetian Blue color. The hand-painted pinstripes are Burnt Orange.
With only 2,289 built in 1938, the EL is a highly desired collectible motorcycle. It was much improved over the earlier model Knuckleheads from 1936 and 1937. (While it's rare, we wrote about another original 1938 example - opens in new window or tab. that sold on eBay in 2018.)
The high-compression, overhead-valve engine provided much more power than the flatheads of the earlier 1930s. Advertised as a "smoother, quieter and cleaner" motorcycle, the 1938 had many updated parts from the earlier Knuckleheads. The list of improvements include:
- A stronger frame and forks
- Greatly improved rear brakes
- Updated oil tank and lines along with enclosed rocker arms and valves
There was no more splattered oil on the rider's legs from the exposed rocker arms. The bend on the handlebars was also revised to allow more clearance for the rider's legs when the bars were turned.
A Speedy 1938 Knucklehead
These motorcycles are also very fast. In 1937, Harley-Davidson Engineer Joe Petrali - opens in new window or tab. built a modified and streamlined Model E Knucklehead. He used that motorcycle to set a new land-speed record at 136.185 miles per hour. That's an unreal speed for its day.
It's no wonder they became popular for police departments. Chasing down bad guys requires a fast motorcycle.
Around this time, Pasadena Motorcycle Police officer Fred Ham took his EL Knucklehead out to Murdoc Dry Lake. That's where heset an around-the-clock, 24-hour high-speed record run. On the circular five-mile course, he recorded an average speed of 76.02 mph. He covered 1,825 miles—setting speed and distance records by only stopping for fuel, oil, and fruit juice.
The Harley Knucklehead for sale on eBay has a Buy-It-Now price of $119,995. Times have changed. The original listed retail price was $435.
Options for the 1938 Harley Knucklehead for Sale
There were many goodies available for 1938. Here are a few examples of what you could order:
- A pair of little beauty spot lamps for $13.25
- A buddy seat for a whopping $8.25
- An air cleaner for $5.00
Vintage pre-war Knucklehead saddlebags are available on eBay
Today, some of these parts could cost thousands of dollars. eBay Motors offers more than a thousand antique and vintage parts for the Harley-Davidson EL - opens in new window or tab..
The '38 Harley Knucklehead on eBay is mostly stock. But the original electrical system has been modified. The stock 6-volt system was updated to a 12-volt system. Anyone who rides a vintage motorcycle or drives an old car will appreciate the upgrade to more power.
It only adds to the restored 1938 Knucklehead's appeal, which anyone would be proud to own. Please tell us what you think about the '38 Harley in the comments below.
About the author
Share your feedback
This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.