Servi-Car Restoration
Text and Pictures by Mark Trotta
Not too long ago, Harley-Davidson Servi-cars were easy to find and cheap to buy. Today, if you can find one that hasn't been butchered and actually runs and drives, it'll set you back as much as a vintage Shovelhead.
Read: Servi-Car History
Much of the reason for this is that too many Servi-cars have been cannibalized over the years. Parts such as gas tanks, oil tanks, and front ends have been scavenged for Harley Panhead restorations, and frames have been cut apart to make custom trikes or Harley 45 clone bikes.
The Purchase
In 2014, I was searching for a new motorcycle project. I saw an ad on ebay for a Harley 45 trike motor with a frame and extra parts.
The engine case number (61G-XXXX) revealed it was a 1961 Harley trike, and I got the idea that if I could buy it for the right price, I could build a Servi-car from the frame up.
Shortly after winning the bid, I hopped into my truck and drove from North Carolina to Kentucky to pick up the engine, frame, and parts. Included with the purchase was several mismatched wheels, incorrect gas tanks, and boxes of assorted Harley parts.
After bringing everything home, I sorted through everything, and was able to sell enough of the unwanted parts to get back what I had initially laid out.
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Servi-car Frame
Considering it's over a half-century old, the Servi-car frame was in great shape. Looks like it was never repaired and all the tabs and mounts were still there.
Read: Servi-Car Frame Identification and Inspection
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Rear Axle
Read: Servi-car Axle Overhaul
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Servi-Car Front Forks
Beginning with the 1958 model year, Servi-Car neck stem length and inner diameter were increased to accept Panhead Hydra-Glide front forks, and would stay in use on all subsequent trikes until production's end in 1973.
When purchased, this trike did not have a front end. Trouble was, to find and buy a good used one, I'd be competing with Panhead restorers, who generally have a much higher budget.
As an alternative, I installed a Wide-Glide front end which I found locally. It's not correct for a Servi-car, and was meant to be temporary until I found a correct one.
Read: Harley Forks Identification
After years of looking, I finally found a correct front end that needed a complete overhaul.
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Harley Flathead 45 Motor
All Harley Servi-cars were powered by a 45ci flathead engine.
I fabricated a simple engine stand and went over the motor top to bottom, which included splitting the cases and checking the bottom end.
Engine Teardown and Inspection
Harley 45 Engine Assembly
Harley 45 Bottom End
Harley 45 Cylinder Assembly
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Harley 45 Drivetrain
Harley 45 transmissions are different than big flathead and big-twin units; they have the output shaft and chains on opposite sides. They have also a reverse gear, and use a different kickstart extension and side-cover than 45 solo models.
All year Servi-cars were foot-clutch/hand-shift. Most were left-side shift, but some (mainly Police models) were right-side-shift.
After the engine was rebuilt and back on the frame, it was time to assemble the drivetrain. All 1941-1973 Harley 45 models are basically the same and follow the same procedures. Some Servi riders switch to a bigger-tooth gear, but I chose to keep the stock 22-tooth motor sprocket.
Read: Servi-car Drivetrain
Chain-drive vs Belt-drive
Although belt-drive conversions are available, I kept the stock primary chain for several reasons. First, belt drives require very precise alignment. The flanges on belt-drive pulleys are not intended to guide the belt. If alignment is not precise, the belt will use the pulley flanges as guides, which will wear out the belt prematurely. Second, primary chains are much more forgiving - they will still work well even with a fair amount of discrepancy in location. A chain will "curve" to allow for differences between sprockets.
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Servi-Car Brakes
I have heard from several old Harley trike riders that original Servi-Car drum brakes are marginal at best. There are two reasons for this. First, the front drum is shared with two-wheeled models, and is really undersized for a 900-pound vehicle. Second, although the rear brakes work well, there is a lot of extra weight on them.
Read: Servi-Car Rear Brakes
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Servi-car Gas/Oil Tanks
For more than a year, I looked for a set of original Servi-car gas/oil tanks on ebay. I watched and bid on several rusted and dented original Harley tanks, all of which eventually sold for $900 or higher. Finally, I bought an aftermarket set for half the price.
Read: Servi-Car Gas/Oil Tanks
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Servi-car Box
This Servi-car box had been in storage for over 30 years. It even had the original wood floor intact.
Countless hours were spent sanding the inside and outside of the box down to bare metal before repainting.
Read: Cargo Box and Fenders
"A Servi-car box is never empty."
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Electrical System
The electrical system was the last major part of this project. Because the trike was missing most of the electrics, there was really no extra expense for me to upgrade from 6-volts to a 12-volts.
I saved myself a lot of hassle and installed a Cycle Electric generator/regulator.
Read: Harley Generator - Repair or Replace?
Read: Harley 45 Timer And Ignition
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Servi-Car Exhaust
Harley-Davidson did not make a lot of Servi-Cars, and there's not many left out there. So for those of us needing an exhaust system, there's not many choices.
Read: Servi-Car Exhaust And Why Getting Parts Is So Frustrating
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Harley 45 Oil Pump Repair
