1958 FLH Duo-Glide is Simple and Easy
This vintage dream machine was built as a rider, not a museum piece.
Panhead Love
Annette LaRue's dream bike was a Harley-Davidson Panhead. In 2015, she fulfilled that dream and bought a 1958 Harley-Davidson FLH Duo-Glide from a farmer in Iowa, with the money inherited from her father. After a quick engine overhaul and some cosmetic touches, LaRue emotively stated that she loves her Panhead because it is “simple and easy.”
Photos courtesy of Lowbrow Customs
Leaky Shovelhead
No stranger to the MoCo family, LaRue's first Harley-Davidson was a Shovelhead that she bought in 1982. She reflected on that ride with a touch of irony. “My dad hated the fact that I rode Harleys and he especially hated my Shovelhead that I owned when I was eighteen, and that it leaked all over his garage all the time.”
Photos courtesy of Lowbrow Customs
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Better Cooling
Harley-Davidson introduced the 61 and 74 cubic-inch OHV V-Twin 'Panhead' in 1947. It was a truly modern motor that featured aluminum heads, hydraulic lifters, and one-piece chrome-plated rocker covers that later earned its nickname. The new motor utilized a Flathead bottom end and cast-iron cylinders, but aluminum heads in a bid for better cooling.
Photos courtesy of Lowbrow Customs
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Contemporary Rubber
With the motor sorted, LaRue got to work on the bike's looks. Employing a utilitarian aesthetic, she had most of the chrome and shiny parts powder coated black. For ride-anywhere capabilities, the front and rear 16" wire rims were wrapped in a set of U.S. Valley Dirtman tires. Made by Allstate, the tires have a vintage tread pattern but are manufactured with contemporary technology and rubber compounds.
Photos courtesy of Lowbrow Customs
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Shotgun Pipes
A set of Biltwell Moto handlebars round out the functional ride package. LaRue stated that it “feels like a dirtbike and starts on the first kick every time!” For reasons only known to her, the Panhead was named 'Lil ½ Black.' LaRue was also quick to point out that “This bike is also one of the only swingarm frames with real shotgun pipes on it that I know of.”
Photos courtesy of Lowbrow Customs
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Mild Style
LaRue's dream Panhead is mostly stock apart from some necessary alterations. The Duo-Glide's rear fender was replaced with an Arlen Ness reproduction unit and topped with an 'almost' stock Sparto taillight that works well with the mild Bobber styling. The frame and all the running gear is stock. The non-stock paint only required a bit of buffing and a clear coat to make it shine.
Photos courtesy of Lowbrow Customs
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Original Shift
Visible on the left side of the tank is the mount for the hand shift. Harley-Davidson introduced the now familiar hand clutch and foot shift combination as an option in 1952. The set up became standard in 1965, but the hand or tank shifter was still available on request until the late 1970s. LaRue's Panhead still sports the original four-speed transmission.
Photos courtesy of Lowbrow Customs
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Vintage Dream
The 1958 Duo-Glide was a momentous leap forward for Harley-Davidson. It replaced the rigid Hydra-Glide with a swingarm and a fully sprung rear end. For Annette LaRue, this particular first-year Duo-Glide was a leap forward in a different way. Perhaps the best part about this vintage dream machine is that it was built as a rider, not a museum piece.
Photos courtesy of Lowbrow Customs
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For maintenance and repair guides for your Harley, browse our technical How-to articles right here on HDForums.
