Video: Dinky Harley Panhead rumbles like a big one

Here’s another great miniature engine by master builder Ron Colonna that runs like the real thing. This one’s a Harley-Davidson Panhead V-Twin.

 

Colonna has also scratch-built scale Gnome and Bentley rotary radial engines, a quarter-scale flathead V8 that was previously featured at MCG here, and a 270 Offy featured here. You can learn more about Colonna’s amazing work at his website, ronsmodelengines.com. Colonna has also authored a book, Building The 1/4 Scale 270 Offy: A Workshop Manual, you can purchase here for USD $40.95.

This Panhead  (the type used by Harley-Davidson from 1948-65) is a two-fifths or 40 percent scale model, which is “large enough to produce that lovely V-twin sound,” according to Colonna. He took the crankcase and lower end design from a set of Knucklehead drawings found on Bay, while the Panhead-style OHV top half was copied from photos, and an old Harley service manual helped him with the oil system.

As with all of Colonna’s magical miniatures, his Harley little big twin is a treat to both the eye and the ear. Video below. Note: If the video doesn’t play, click on “Watch this video on YouTube” in the video window.  

 

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8 thoughts on “Video: Dinky Harley Panhead rumbles like a big one

  1. a panhead was either 61 or 74 cubic inches, so at 40%, this engine is at least 400cc- not exactly miniature !

    • WOW ! is this cool or what? Glad to see that some of us never get to old to stop playing…

    • You have to think three dimensionally, 40% of bore, 40% of stroke and so on…

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