Motorcycle, Solo (Harley-Davidson Model WLA) — Story, Setting & Ideas

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Authors: United States. War Department Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2016 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Motorcycles, Military -- United States; Harley-Davidson motorcycle -- Maintenance and repair -- Handbooks, manuals, etc. Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 52,387

Reading time 228 min

Text sections 29

Before opening Motorcycle, Solo (Harley-Davidson Model WLA) — Story, Setting & Ideas, the edition data offers a quick orientation: 52,387 words, 3 hr 48 min estimated reading time, and 29 detected text sections.

The text analysis averages about 14.0 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Motorcycles, Military -- United States,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #51058

This 1943 War Department technical manual for the Harley-Davidson Model WLA motorcycle details operation, maintenance, and repair through precise, step-by-step instructions, reflecting the military's demand for clarity and uniformity in vehicle care.

Editorial Edition Score 4.9/5

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Title & short description10 pts
Source metadata20 pts
Text length15 pts
Chapters / structure15 pts
EPUB file integrity20 pts

Total of 100 points, scaled to a 2.5-5.0 range. Editions with an empty description or a missing EPUB file are not scored.

Edition quality

File: pg51058

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Italic text is denoted by _underscores_, bold text is denoted =thus=.

The original spelling, punctuation and hyphenation has been retained except for apparent printer’s errors which have been silently corrected.

See further notes at the end of the book.

TECHNICAL MANUAL} WAR DEPARTMENT No. 9-879 } Washington, 18 October 1943

(Harley‐Davidson Model WLA)

_Dissemination of restricted matter.—The information contained in restricted documents, and the essential characteristics of restricted materiel, may be given to any person known to be in the service of the United States, and to persons of undoubted loyalty and discretion who are cooperating in Government work, but will not be communicated to the public or to the press except by authorized military public relations agencies._ (_See also paragraph 18b, AR 380-5, 28 September 1942._)

PART ONE—VEHICLE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

SECTION I Introduction 1-2 3-6

II Description and tabulated data 3-4 7-8

III Controls and operation 5-13 9-19

IV First echelon, preventive maintenance services 14-18 20-29

V Lubrication 19-20 30-34

VI Tools and equipment stowage on the vehicle 21-23 35-38

PART TWO—ORGANIZATIONAL MAINTENANCE

SECTION VII Maintenance allocation 24-25 39-44

VIII Second echelon preventive maintenance services 26 45-59

IX Organization tools and equipment 27 60

X Trouble shooting 28-38 61-71

XI Engine 39-44 72-77

XII Engine—removal and installation 45-46 78-84

XIII Clutch 47-52 85-95

XIV Transmission 53-58 96-104

XV Chains and sprockets 59-66 105-114

XVI Fuel system 67-74 115-121

XVII Intake and exhaust system 75-81 122-128

XVIII Ignition system 82-89 129-141

XIX Generating system 90-95 142-148

XX Brake system 96-97 149-153

XXI Steering control 98-101 154-166

XXII Sheet metal and equipment 102-111 167-180

XXIII Battery, lighting system, horn 112-118 181-190

XXIV Instrument panel 119-121 191-192

XXV Tires, wheels, and hubs 122-127 193-199

[Footnote 1: For supersession of quartermaster manuals, refer to paragraph 2.]

PART ONE—OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

Paragraph Scope 1 Supersession of quartermaster manuals 2

=a.= This technical manual[2] is published for the information and guidance of the using arm personnel charged with the operation, maintenance, and minor repair of this materiel.

=b.= In addition to a description of the Harley‐Davidson motorcycle, this manual contains technical information required for the identification, use, and care of the materiel. The manual is divided into two parts. Part One, section I through section VI, gives vehicle operating instructions. Part Two, section VII through section XXV, gives vehicle maintenance instructions to using arm personnel charged with the responsibility of doing maintenance work within their jurisdiction.

=c.= In all cases where the nature of the repair, modifications, or adjustment is beyond the scope or facilities of the unit, the responsible ordnance service should be informed so that trained personnel with suitable tools and equipment may be provided, or proper instructions issued.

2. SUPERSESSION OF QUARTERMASTER MANUALS.

=a.= This technical manual, together with TM 9-1879, supersedes and replaces the following Quartermaster Corps publications:

(1) TM 10-1175—Maintenance manual, motorcycle, solo, Harley‐Davidson (Model 42-WLA), 11 September 1941.

(2) TM 10-1177—Maintenance manual, motorcycle, solo, Harley‐Davidson (Models 1940-41-42), 11 September 1941.

(3) TM 10-1331—Maintenance manual, motorcycle, chain drive Harley‐Davidson (Model 42 WLA, solo).

(4) TM 10-1359—Instruction folder (45-A) motorcycles, solo, Harley‐Davidson (Model 1941 WLA 45), 25 November 1941.

(5) TM 10-1361—Instruction folder (45-B) motorcycle, solo, Harley‐Davidson (Model 1941 WLA 45), 25 November 1941.

[Footnote 2: To provide operating instructions with the materiel, this technical manual has been published in advance of complete technical review. Any errors or omissions will be corrected by changes or, if extensive, by an early revision.]

DESCRIPTION AND TABULATED DATA

Paragraph Description 3 Data 4

3. DESCRIPTION (figs. 1, 2, and 3).

=a.= This 2‐cylinder solo motorcycle is powered by a V‐type, air‐cooled gasoline engine, operating on conventional 4‐stroke, 4‐cycle principles. Air‐cooled engines rely upon movement of air over cylinder and head radiating fins, and upon circulation of oil for dissipation of excessive heat. Motorcycle engines, therefore, under no conditions should be operated for more than 1 minute when motorcycle is not in motion.

=a. Vehicle Specifications.=

Type of engine 2‐cylinder, V‐type L‐head, air‐cooled Cylinder bore 2-3/4 in. Stroke 3-13/16 in. Engine number (serial) left side engine base, below front cylinder. Wheelbase 4 ft 11-1/2 in. Length over‐all 7 ft 4 in. Width over‐all (handle bars) 3 ft 5 in. Wheel size 18 in. Tire size 4.00 × 18 in. Tire type Drop center Weight of vehicle (without rider or armament) 540 lb. Ground clearance (skid plate) 4 in. Kind and grade of fuel Gasoline: 72 octane or higher High gear ratio 4.59:1 Engine sprocket 31‐tooth Countershaft sprocket 17‐tooth Rear wheel sprocket 41‐tooth

Maximum allowable speed 65 mph Miles per gallon (hard surface) 35 Cruising range (without refill) 100 miles Fording depth (carburetor) 18 in.

Fuel capacity (left tank) 3-3/8 U.S. gal Oil tank capacity (right tank) 1-1/8 U.S. gal Transmission capacity 3/4 pt

CONTROLS AND OPERATION

Paragraph Controls 5 Engine prestarting instructions 6 Starting the engine 7 Stopping the engine 8 Operation of vehicle 9 Driving precautions 10 Stopping and parking vehicle 11 Towing vehicle to start engine 12 Running‐in new engine (or vehicle) 13

5. CONTROLS (fig. 4).

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The manual’s opening pages immediately establish a tone of strict procedural authority. The title page declares the document “RESTRICTED,” and paragraph 1a states it is “published for the information and guidance of the using arm personnel charged with the operation, maintenance, and minor repair of this materiel.” This phrasing—using “materiel” rather than “equipment”—signals the military’s systematic approach to machinery as a resource to be managed. The table of contents divides the manual into two parts: operating instructions and organizational maintenance, each further split into sections with numbered paragraphs. This structure mirrors the hierarchical logic of military logistics, where every task has a designated echelon of responsibility.

Diction of Precision and Restriction

The manual’s language is deliberately impersonal and imperative. Verbs appear in the active voice, often as commands: “Remove,” “Install,” “Loosen,” “Tighten.” There is no room for ambiguity. For instance, the instructions for transmission removal specify “Remove the three transmission mounting stud nuts, then remove lock washers and large plain washers (located under frame bracket).” The parenthetical clarification “located under frame bracket” reveals an assumption that the reader has the vehicle in front of them but may not immediately recognize the part’s position. Such parenthetical asides recur throughout, functioning as spatial anchors. The word “materiel” itself appears in the scope section, a term that depersonalizes the motorcycle into a category of supply. This diction choices reflect the manual’s purpose: to produce uniform actions across a distributed workforce, not to inspire or explain.

The Voice of the Step-by-Step

Each maintenance procedure is broken into numbered sub-steps, often with cross-references to other paragraphs. For example, the transmission removal sequence includes “(6) Remove tool box from mounting bracket (par. 106).” This interlinking creates a web of dependencies, implying that the manual is meant to be consulted as a whole, not read linearly. The steps are written in a flat, declarative style: “Remove rear brake rod (par. 96).” No reasons are given; the manual assumes the operator trusts the sequence. The repetition of “Remove” and “Install” in mirror-image lists (removal steps reversed for installation) reinforces a mechanical rhythm. This voice is not that of a teacher but of a checklist—a voice designed to reduce error in high-stakes field conditions.

Visual and Spatial Language

The text frequently references figures and diagrams, such as “fig. 34” and “fig. 35,” which are not reproduced in the excerpts but are clearly integral to comprehension. The manual’s prose often describes spatial relationships: “rotate top of transmission backward about ¼ turn” or “working from left side of frame.” These phrases assume the reader can visualize the vehicle’s orientation. The legend for Figure 35 lists components with letters A through M, each tied to a specific part like “LEFT FOOTBOARD, CLUTCH PEDAL AND SIDEBAR ASSEMBLY.” This labeling system turns the motorcycle into a set of labeled zones. The manual’s reliance on such visual-spatial cues indicates that the written word alone is insufficient; the operator must see the arrangement to act correctly.

The Manual as a Record of Material Culture

Beyond its instructional function, the manual documents the material specifics of a 1943 Harley-Davidson WLA. The parts list includes items like “oil bath air cleaner,” “front chain adjusting screw,” and “clutch cable tube assembly.” These terms reveal the motorcycle’s engineering: an oil bath air cleaner indicates a design for dusty environments, while the adjustable chain screw points to a need for field maintenance. The manual’s existence as a government publication also reflects wartime production priorities—standardization of a single model for military use. The language of “first echelon” and “second echelon” maintenance embeds the vehicle in a larger logistical system. Thus, the manual is not just a guide but a historical artifact of how the U.S. military systematized machinery during World War II.

Readers approaching this manual should expect no narrative or explanation of principles. The text is a tool, not a treatise. To use it effectively, one must follow its cross-references and imagine the physical layout of the motorcycle. The manual’s value lies in its specificity: every nut, cable, and bracket is named and located. For those interested in the history of technical communication or wartime logistics, this document offers a primary source of how the U.S. War Department translated mechanical complexity into reproducible instructions.

Flipping through that old Harley manual, I found myself calming into its orderly, repetitive instructions—each bolt and procedure accounted for, as if the machine were simply a quiet companion waiting to be understood. That same patient reverence came back to me while reading The Preservation of the Exterior of Wooden Buildings — Context and Discussion, where wood, too, asks for a gentle, practiced hand rather than haste. Two different materials, yet both demand the same unhurried attention.