Editing Harley-Davidson Servi-Car

[[Image:Servi Car 02.jpg|thumb|right|Harley-Davidson Servi-Car]]
The '''Harley-Davidson Servi-Car''' was a three-wheeled utility [[motorcycle]] manufactured by [[Harley-Davidson]] from 1932 to 1973.

==Concept and uses==
The Servi-Car was designed during the Great Depression when Harley-Davidson was desperate to expand its product base to increase sales.<ref name=Chronicle68>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 68-69 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref>.  Targeted at the automotive service industry, the vehicle was designed to be towed behind a car to be delivered to a customer; when the car was delivered at its destination, the driver would unhitch the Servi-Car and ride back to the garage.<ref name=Chronicle88>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 88 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref><ref name=ServiCarHistory>[http://www.dl45homepage.com/servihistory.html Servi-Car Homepage - History]</ref>  For this reason, it was available with a tow bar at the front and a large 60 Ah battery.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar>[http://www.is-it-a-lemon.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=926&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 Auto Lemon - Used Car History Check - Motorcycle: Twins - Servi-Car, 1932 - 1974]</ref>

In addition to its intended use for car delivery and retrieval, the Servi-Car was also popular as a utility vehicle for small businesses and mobile vendors.   They proved to be particularly popular with the police departments, some of which still used Servi-Cars into the 1990s.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar />

==Models==
The models offered in 1932, the first year of production were:
*G - with small box and tow bar
*GA - with small box and no tow bar
*GD - with large box and no tow bar
*GE - with large box and air tank

In 1933, the GDT, with large box and tow bar, was added to the line.<ref name=ServiCarStats>[http://www.dl45homepage.com/servistats.html Servi-Car Homepage - Yearly Statistics and Pricing]</ref>

In 1942, the small and large boxes were replaced with a standardized intermediate-sized box that was manufactured for Harley Davidson by the Chas. Abresch Co. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  A gold, red, and black water transfer decal from this company was affixed to the top inside of the box lid. This box lasted until 1966, after which it was replaced by a fiberglass box; all preceding boxes were made from steel.<ref name=AAOK_gallery>[http://www.aa-ok.com/HDGalleryServi.htm AAOK Servi-Car gallery]]</ref>

==Engine==
The engine initially used by the Servi-Car was the 45 cubic inch flathead used in the 1932-36 R model.<ref name=Chronicle68 />  It was changed in 1937 to the engine used in the W model, which differed mainly in having a recirculating oil system instead of the constant-loss system of the R.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar /><ref name=Chronicle94>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 94-95 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref> The "W" flathead engine continued until the end of production in 1973, despite the "W" solo series being replaced by the [[Harley-Davidson K|"K" series]] in 1952.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar /><ref name=Chronicle150>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 150 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref> 

An electric starter became available on the Servi-Car in 1964, making it the first civilian Harley with an electric starter, one year before the debut of the [[Harley-Davidson FL#Electra Glide|Electra Glide]].<ref name=VINcheckServiCar /><ref name=AmericanVTimeline>[http://www.american-v.co.uk/heritage/timeline/index.htm American V History: Timeline]</ref><ref name=XAHistory>[http://www.conansclassics.com/harxahis.html Harley-Davidson XA History]</ref>

==Transmission==
When the Servi-Car was introduced in 1932, it used the same transmission as the R solo model.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar />  This was replaced the next year by a constant-mesh transmission with three speeds and a reverse gear.<ref name=ServiCarChanges>[http://www.dl45homepage.com/servicomparison.html Servi-Car Homepage - Changes: 1932-36]</ref>

==Chassis and suspension==
[[Image:Harley-Davidson Servicar.jpg|thumb|Early Servi-Car with springer forks]]
The Servi-Car was designed for the road conditions of the day, where surface roads might still be crude and unpaved.  It had a rigid rear [[axle]] with a differential.<ref name=ServiCarTechPics>[http://www.dl45homepage.com/servitech.html Servi-Car Homepage - Technical Diagrams and Pictures]</ref>    The rear axle had a track of 42in, similar to the track of most available cars.  This was done so that the vehicle could use the same tracks that had been made by regular cars.<ref name=ServiCarHistory />

A prototype of the Servi-Car with rear suspension had been tested and was found to be unstable.<ref name=ServiCarHistory />  The production model had its axle mounted directly to the frame with no suspension at all. <ref name=heavydutytrikerear>[http://www.heavydutycycles.com/rearend.htm Heavy Duty Cycles - Trike Rear Ends]</ref>

Until 1957, the [[Motorcycle fork|front forks]] of the Servi-Car were the [[Motorcycle fork#Springer fork|springer-type leading-link forks]] used on the R-series and W-series solo motorcycles.  From 1958 on, the Servi-Car would use [[Motorcycle fork#Telescopic fork|Hydra-Glide front forks]].<ref name=AmericanVTimeline />

==Brakes==
As introduced, the Servi-Car had a [[drum brake]] on the front wheel and another drum brake inside the rear axle housing, decelerating both rear wheels.<ref name=ServiCarChanges />  In 1937, the braking system was upgraded to have a drum brakes on each wheel.<ref name=HDDataBook59>Conner, R. "Harley-Davidson Data Book" p. 59 Motorbooks International, 1996 ISBN 0-7603-0226-X</ref>  A hydraulic rear brake system was introduced in 1951.<ref name=HDDataBook84>Conner, R. "Harley-Davidson Data Book" p. 84 Motorbooks International, 1996 ISBN 0-7603-0226-X</ref> The very last Servi-Cars, built late in their last model year, would have [[disc brake|disc brakes]] on all three wheels.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar />



==References==

{{reflist}}


{{Harley}}

[[Category:Harley-Davidson motorcycles|Servi-Car]]
[[Category:Three-wheeled motor vehicles]]
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==Concept and uses==
-The Servi-Car was designed during the Great Depression when Harley-Davidson was desperate to expand its product base to increase sales.<ref name=Chronicle68>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 68-69 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref>.  Targeted at the automotive service industry, the vehicle was designed to be towed behind a car to be delivered to a customer; when the car was delivered at its destination, the driver would unhitch the Servi-Car and ride back to the garage.<ref name=Chronicle88>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 88 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref><ref name=ServiCarHistory>[http://www.dl45homepage.com/servihistory.html Servi-Car Homepage - History]</ref>  For this reason, it was available with a tow bar at the front and a large 60 Ah battery. Originally intended for mechanics to collect vehicles for repair, it proved ideal for traffic police and meter maids, becoming something of an American institution.
+The Servi-Car was designed during the Great Depression when Harley-Davidson was desperate to expand its product base to increase sales.<ref name=Chronicle68>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 68-69 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref>.  Targeted at the automotive service industry, the vehicle was designed to be towed behind a car to be delivered to a customer; when the car was delivered at its destination, the driver would unhitch the Servi-Car and ride back to the garage.<ref name=Chronicle88>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 88 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref><ref name=ServiCarHistory>[http://www.dl45homepage.com/servihistory.html Servi-Car Homepage - History]</ref>  For this reason, it was available with a tow bar at the front and a large 60 Ah battery.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar>[http://www.is-it-a-lemon.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=926&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 Auto Lemon - Used Car History Check - Motorcycle: Twins - Servi-Car, 1932 - 1974]</ref>
 In addition to its intended use for car delivery and retrieval, the Servi-Car was also popular as a utility vehicle for small businesses and mobile vendors.   They proved to be particularly popular with the police departments, some of which still used Servi-Cars into the 1990s.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar />
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
-==1944 Servi-Car G==
-<gallery mode='packed-hover'>
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-0.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-1.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-2.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-3.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-4.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-5.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-6.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-7.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-8.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-9.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-10.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-11.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-12.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-13.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-14.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-15.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-16.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-17.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-18.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-19.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-20.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-21.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-22.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G
-</gallery>
 ==References==