New to me '78 XLCR, probably will need some help from the community

Started by drifter, September 21, 2016, 07:48:24 PM

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drifter

Long story kept short, I went to an estate sale two weeks ago, thought I might buy some tools.  Came home with some tools and a 1978 sporty, cause the price seemed low, pig in a poke, previous owner died two years ago.  Relatives know nothing about it.  Left in the shed/workshop, not stock, pics included.  Previous owner, Harvey, was a mechanic, paint and body man and a drag racer.  Tires have new tread including the rubber tits on the tread, date code 1 93, bike never registered by him.  The engine cases are Sputhe, four spark plugs, Dyna tek ignition, set of used cams in extra box with two used pistons in Screaming Eagle boxes, part number 22600-83R   12/84  High Compression piston kit XR-1000 models.  Pulled plugs and new pistons in engine.  Found the generator in pieces on the shelf, aluminum plate covering the mounting hole.  Harley parts people looked up the numbers and told me this is/was an XLCR.  That is all I know so far, I knew almost nothing about Sportsters until I bought this, but my Pan was lonely, so I bought it a friend.

garyajaz

I did same gen cover on mine when racing. took off lots of weight and drag on gears.

I would not rebuild or buy new h-d gen.
get a cycle electric and never look back.
should be a hot rod. with different cases my guess is its also stroked.

have fun.

garyajaz

1978?
hummm.  they had drum rear brakes.
the 79's had your swing arm and rear disc.
I also have a complete set up for a 79 . swing arm and disc to some day put on my ol 1974.
they bolt right on. only thing is make up master cylinder brackets for left side brakes.

drifter

Thank you Gary, I have been doing a crash course on everything sportster and the cafe racer in particular.  I need knowledge and the experience of people like you before I investigate deeper.  I bought a Clymer Service Manual, not impressed but need information until I can find a set of owner's, parts and service manuals from the Moco.  It is a cafe racer in disguise, the frame numbers are 7F24xxxH8, I like the look of the original bike but this will do.  My understanding is that when Willie G. brought out  the cafe racer in 1977 it had the same frame and rear disc that became standard in 1979, except the rear master cylinder was mounted higher to accommodate the rear set foot pegs.  I'm wondering why someone spent the extra money for Sputhe cases unless they felt they really needed the extra strength that Alan Sputhe built into all his high performance products.  It may well be stroked, I have to get it up on the table lift to really investigate, but the pan is on it now being assembled.  I've resorted to covering the sporty with a sheet because everytime I go in the garage and see it, nothing else gets done.  I assembled all the generator parts that I found and figure that $82. would complete it with new bearings etc.  I put a Cycle Electric gen on the pan back in 1999, not a bit of trouble from it since, can't remember why I changed it but I may put one on the sporty also if the originals are prone to trouble.  Ah, left side brakes, bit of merry olde England, your not a Torrie are you?   :scratch:   :teeth:

JW113

Correct, the 77-78 XLCR set up was what the '79 and later became. Except for the backwards shift lever and body work!

-JW
2004 FLHRS   1977 FLH Shovelhead  1992 FLSTC
1945 Indian Chief   1978 XL Bobber

garyajaz

yeah the  lack of stock body work threw me off.  my bad.
check over. also betting the cylinders are not stock.
like you mentioned non stock cases.   why change cases if not change crank and cylinders?
ol alan S. did that sort of thing.
I bet it is a runner.

get it running and go pick on evo sporties.  they hate that.
do the heads have little lightning bolts on them?

drifter

I don't know what stock cylinders look like, I don't know anybody with a sporty that I can look at.  There are cast letters/numbers on the bottom left edge of the cylinders, but I don't have any reference.  It might run now, I have no idea.  I just assumed it didn't with no imperial evidence either way.  It does need a new battery, the rather small matte battery showed 1.4 volts, I've been charging it for over 10 hours, first with a trickle charger then with the variable to 10 amp, now at 6.4 volts.  There is some semi liquid in the bottom of the gas tank that needs to be cleaned out and I figure the carb also though I don't know the proper procedure or chemicals.  Anybody want to volunteer information I would appreciate it.  I didn't notice any lightning bolts but there are 1/8 " +/_ aluminum plates attached to the top of the heads.  This is all an interesting mystery to me which I am trying to solve.  As I wrote in my first post, I will need help since I am lacking in knowledge and experience with these.  What I don't want to do is try to start it without checking that everything is adjusted properly, don't want to blow it up by making a stupid mistake.
Thanks
Warren

drifter

Can't keep my hands off of it.  Gary, you win...something to be determined later, pulled the plugs and put a long straight wire down inside carefully, 4.25 stroke and the dome of the pistons fill up the heads pretty good.  Crosshatch on the cylinders look good and just minimal discoloration on the piston domes.  I don't think the engine has more than a few minutes run time on it.  Valves are new, everything is stiff.  I have it up on the old Craftsman motorcycle lift, shifts nicely from what I can tell and neutral is easy to find.  I don't think I can check the valve lift by myself so that will have to wait.  This might be a quick bike, Evos beware!   :bike:
Warren

Racepres

Quote from: garyajaz on September 22, 2016, 08:58:10 PM
yeah the  lack of stock body work threw me off.  my bad.
check over. also betting the cylinders are not stock.
like you mentioned non stock cases.   why change cases if not change crank and cylinders?
ol alan S. did that sort of thing.
I bet it is a runner.

get it running and go pick on evo sporties.  they hate that.
do the heads have little lightning bolts on them?


Better leave those E-Motor sporties alone...Any Big Twin, is Fair game tho!!!!

garyajaz

ah pres. I trounce evo sporties every time I fire up ol beastie.
also leave worked on big twins quite regular.
hell, my 80" iron leaves my 03 buell till  120.
then the extra gear comes in to play.
well, and handling and breaking.

warren where do you live?
if its Arizona I would be happy to take a peek and help out.

garyajaz

stock stroke is 3.8125 @ 61 inches
4.5 inch is 71.8 inches with stock bore.
lots of S&S kits out there with 74 inches.
mine is 4 13/16 at 77 inches with 80 over bore bringing it to 80 cubes.
if bike has sputhe cylinders...ah, you just might have a 90 incher...
wanna sell it to me?

drifter

Arizona is a nice place when it is not too hot.  I used to go through when I owned a tractor trailer in the '90s and stop in Eloy at the truck wash and get my aluminum wheels polished for $5. each.  Knew a fellow in Tucson who also has a place in Tombstone.  But, no, I am in middle TN about 50 miles west of Nashville.  I don't know your musical tastes but maybe we could arrange a country music (or insert preference) appreciation trip to Nashville with a side stop here, I don't go near Nashville, too much traffic.  Thank you for the offer, that would be great.
I just checked the cylinders, numbers are: (front) GM73-XL-BF and (rear) GM73-XL-BR if anyone can translate.
I don't think I'm ready to sell yet, I've got $1450. tied up in this and I want to hear it run, besides my 88" Pan has been in pieces for six years and the sporty might be on the road first.  I need to ride something, this retirement thing hasn't been very exciting.
Seems to be dissension in the ranks as to as to which bikes should see my tail light, my pan runs pretty strong but the 1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000 that I had from 78 to 03 didn't get left behind.  I'm feeling old now so I will probably play nice, maybe.

garyajaz

LOL  $1450?
you did not buy it, you stole it.
sight unseen, just the pix,
I will give ya $3000 for it and feel like I ripped you  off.

google shows stock cylinder casting for that number.
wanna bet they been bored out?

drifter

Thanks Gary, I feel better now.  I had no idea of the value.  I was poking around the building trying to find tools that I didn't already have and kept hearing a whisper, "take me home, I'm special", it was the sporty.  When Brian told me the price I didn't wait.
I never think to check google, don't know why, I use it for most everything else.  No, I don't want to lose another bet with you, you have been right about everything else!   :wink:

reg_beagle

Could be too late now, but you never know--might be an idea to take another trip back to where the estate sale was held, and see if you can spot any XLCR bodywork or gas tank laying around. Most people wouldn't know what the hell it is, just toss it in a pile if they are cleaning out the place.

drifter

I was back there yesterday, we found the 1979 XL service manual and a lot of other goodies.  Brian made me take the 1998 FLT service manual and a spare swing arm and the stock cigar mufflers from the FLT that the previous owner had, didn't want them but he charged me less for my parts if I would take them too.  No XLCR parts around, Brian and I both looked everywhere, guess they were misplaced a long time ago. 
Lot of big block Chevy performance parts if you want to go racing.  Also the 1962 Chevy Nova drag car.

Agent_Orange

double check that estate sale and look for stock black mufflers for that XLCR i need a set ;)

drifter

Agent Orange
About the only bike stuff left is a 19" black cast 7 spoke front wheel, a 5" wide drag slick mounted on a wire spoke wheel and a couple of odd bits and pieces that won't help any of us, just junk left overs.  If there was any more XLCR parts there I would have them here.

garyajaz


drifter

Yes sir!  Aluminum rim, Harley disc hub, tire has plenty of rubber on it (I think), can be had for ?$ plus shipping from middle TN.  Might be 5.5", not sure now, should fit into that 79 swing arm you have if you have a decent shoe horn.  Of course that means that you would have to get busy (not like me) and make up that left side brake mount for the master, plus all the small adjustments that go with it, could be a second career!   :teeth: 

garyajaz

is it 18? or 16?
reason I haven't put disc set up on back of mine is cause my disc wheel is 16. and cast not spoked.

here is pix of my beastie from 1976.
the back end is what a lot of people saw.
ran it on alky, 80 inches S&S L carb, sifton kinda custom cams, good head work
no gen, all sorta fun stuff.
would like to set it up with 18" wheel and make it look a little like this again.
well, I will leave on my works shocks...lol
and the much lighter frame it has now.
but still real brakes on back is major hold up on going fast now that I am old and scared...
 


drifter

I believe it is 18", 90% sure.  I wasn't really interested so I didn't measure.  The rim is the smooth type, not chrome and not the Arkront (sp?) raised edge type from my dirt bike days in the 70's.  To sweeten the deal there is also a spare disc type hub on the shelf, no bearings in it so I can't vouch for the condition.  The all out drag bike frame has been sold, along with the much wider serious rear wheel that went with it.  I just sent a text to Brian to inquire as to the price and if my memory was correct.  I expect to go over there tomorrow if I can get going and he is available.  I can take pictures with my phone and send them to you if you want to give me the proper contact info to make it work in a private message or something.
Kind of hard to slide off the back with that fender in the way isn't it?
Nice looking beast, I suspect it is not very gentle.
There is a gas tank similar to yours over there, might be after market, the front has forward metal brackets that look like they slip under a couple of large rubber donuts.   

garyajaz

thanks, very interested. maybe post pix here and send contact or other info to my mail box here.
then will set up something.
my tank (fiberglass) has the center mount. I made a frame mount for it. the slip on ones are also good but usually on alum tank.
always interested in flat track tanks so pix it also if you would.
just set up photobuckett, (free) load them put direct link here. or just yell for help when you get pix...LOL.
and here I thought I  was helping you out with info on new bike.
any YOU may help me  with a wheel I been waiting to stumble on.
GREAT.

drifter

Afraid the parts may be lost to scrap.  I sent a text to him yesterday about the wheel at 5:30 pm, his answer came at 9 am today: Let me know when you are coming, bring lots of money. 

I sent him another message this morning at 10 am, told him I didn't want a commission, just trying to be helpful.  His reply: I will sell you all the motorcycle stuff for one price and then you can sell it to whoever you want.

Sent him another message just after 4 pm today about pics to send, no reply.

Sorry

If anything changes I will let you know.


garyajaz

just sounds like he don't want to part it out. just make it go away.