Henderson 1924 DeLuxe 1305cc 4cyl sv 3305

SOLD

Description

Henderson 1924 “DeLuxe” 1305 cc side valve four cylinder engine # D8830A

Although the brothers Tom and Will Henderson had made excellent motorcycles from 1911 on, they didn’t manage to get the company financially sound. In the course of 1917 Ignaz Schwinn, who had already taken over the Excelsior Supply Company in 1912, showed an interest to take over the production of the famous Henderson Four. Towards the end of the year the deal was struck and all Henderson assets were moved from Detroit to Chicago. Tom Henderson got a 5-year $10,000 per year contract as general sales manager and Will accepted the offer of $5,000 yearly to act as factory superintendent. So from 1918 on the Hendersons were made in Chicago and year by year the machines were improved. The DeLuxe was introduced 1922 and would bring even more fame to the make. Arthur Lemon designed several basic improvements such as larger intake manifold, larger carburettor and crankshaft and a more efficient rear brake. The new DeLuxe engine developed 28 HP at 3,400 RPM, giving it a top speed of 80 MPH. The machine became very popular with police forces because of its speed and reliability. The DeLuxe was last produced for the 1928 model year. New features for 1924 were alloy pistons with three compression rings and one oil ring, new design of cylinder and a new high-lift camshaft. Other improvements were larger tyres and an increase in petrol tank capacity to four gallons (15 litres).
The machine we present here is an older restauration that has seen better days. She is missing some parts, but the main parts are there, making her a solid base for a full restauration.