Half & Half

[gasshawg]

Just picked up a Iron Bottom- Shovel top basket, all I can tell you about it right now is 3.460 bore, 4.750 stroke,has -66 cast shovelheads on it, no id on cylinders, this motor has calif. assigned numbers to it,have some paper history on it that dates back about 5 yrs.
Just would like to talk with someone who has done this or might know somebody I can talk with about it.

[garyajaz]

the Shovster.
were some running around.
problem with the push rod/cam/ lifter geometry

[garyajaz]

Warming up Lester's Shovester

been modified a bit

[garyajaz]

and the panster

[gasshawg]

Neat looking old bike, I like thinking outside the box. Will get it all taken apart this week to see what all is in it. Numbers on wheels look like they are S&S, pushrods were rubbing on covers,will do just what they did exposed pushrods,dry topend.
It will make a nice vintage Gas Dragster.

[garyajaz]

trock made some cylinders that had the shove and sporty bolt patterns.
it made some of the welding not necessary.

hope you have all the stuff to put one together

[gasshawg]

Just an update for anyone who might care. Had a nice day here was able to get into farm shop and do a little more work taking this apart.
The cylinders are Trock, 6.025 flange to flange
Had low comp. cast pistons in it,  cams are Andrews DX, #1 was shimed to tight, but will still run.
They are 73 cases, has trock trap  door on trans, but sounds like maybe a tooth missing in trans when you roll it over.
Will take out trans. and spilt cases next week when I get to shop in KS.
Rods are stock HD, no play look good at this time. I think wheels are S&S at this time, numbers thru timing hole are 1218-6
Cases are bored to 3.600,
All and all for what I bought this for I didn't get hurt, A complete motor,with carb,frame,with swingarm-shocks,and two boxes of other parts I have yet to go thru. I'm very happy. I even give the guy more $ than we agreed to when we talked on the phone. Just the way I am! Have a long way to go, one thing about it is if I can't get this Shovster back together I can always put a iron top back on it.

[wheelie1239]

Like Lesters shovster. Sounds like fun! Thanks for sharing. 

[garyajaz]

keep us posted.  some pix?
there was also a panster that in my opinion looked way cooler.
but it never really ran.
actually the shovster was not a world beater either. just very different and very cool.
good luck.

oh, on ironhead sportster site they have a couple of these.  lots of info out there.
now if you ran two front heads and mixed the cams you could have a dual carb one...

[gasshawg]

Will do that, have been looking around for parts, found some stuff , it's  down to the cases now, when I get to KS will try to get some pic's posted. Just need to get down there, talk with some people,get the rest of it apart and see what I'm looking at.  To be honest it's ugly just like me,,  it's been road hard and put up wet,,but it's found a home!

[panic]

This was "thinking outside the box" 40 years ago...

IIRC the deck welding is pretty extensive and gets way close to the tappet blocks. I'd check for true/parallel etc. before spending any more money.
The advantage (actual reason for doing this) was not better heads (in fact the 66 castings are inferior to both 900 and 1,000cc iron Sportsters) but the ability to accept the then-dominant Burckhardt (sp?) 3-13/16" cylinders, too big for the XL heads. The extra displacement more than made up for the head quality, and the lazy FL ports perked up a bit with all that vacuum.
The breather timing is of course limited to the vertical 4-cam breather, cut to S&S big XL (245-265° duration) size. Some used the 1/4-speed pump - check, it's super $$$ now!
The pushrod and rocker geometry suck, but someone back in the day fixed this pretty well. Don't have a name or pics, but look for a cut through the rocker arm mid-way between the lever end where it was rotated.
You can DIY, the work is pretty easy, the math is easy, it's making the fixture that's a PIA.

[saltcaveminer]

I might suggest you give Truett and Osborn a call.They can be very helpful and they are in KS.316-682-4781.Salty

[Hobeau]

I