Show those Shovels!

[76shuvlinoff]

I wish I still had all the stock stuff I've taken off the 76 in the last 25 years. I have the major components archived but the crash in 03 took it's toll. Rides, runs and stops well but it's a Frankenbike.

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[72fl]

Mark that's a Beauty 

[jls 64]

Mark that's a Beauty 

[76shuvlinoff]

Mark that's a Beauty 

Thanks guys, she's a 20 footer. 

[Reddog74usa]

Nevermind. Can't load pics

[klammer76]

 [attach=2,msg1328839] This was my 1975 FX. I bought it used when I was 18. Loved that I cut my teeth on the kick start only, but to be honest, it always started easily (I did put a larger FXE battery on as I hated the look of the small battery). Rebuilt it a few times in the 6 years I had it. Added fat bob tanks, chrome, paint and 84cu S$S kit at the end. Sold it in 1986 when I got a Heritage. I have regretted selling it since. I recently tracked it down in New Mexico. Made contact with the guy's wife and she said he won't sell it as he has a bond with it due to redoing it with his father. I would like to talk to him personally and give him the history on the bike and ask if he ever considers selling it to give me the first shot. Who knows, time will tell but I'm running out of runway. Loved that bike.

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[JW113]

Sweet! Good luck with getting it back, sounds like a tough row to hoe. Maybe second choice is to find another one and do a frame up resto.

-JW

[Reddog74usa]

Picked up this basket case in June. Here's a begining and end set of pics of the 68 FLH.

[twincamzz]

Great job Reddog !! 

[jls 64]

Congrats, I really like the flh shovel.

[Reddog74usa]

Thanks much. The bike had some good stuff with it like S&S rods n wheels 88 inches, a nice cycle E genny and already had Andrews gears in the trans so somebody spent some good money on it at one time however this thing was abused for many years with an enormous amount of cobblery done to it over those years. It was really the worst I had ever seen. Don't get me wrong, I have seen a lot of rigged crap just not all on the same scoot.

When I got it there wasn't any oil in the front forks (bottom was leaking on both sides) sent them to a shop known for doing good work fixing that and got them back leaking worse than before so I got off my lazy butt and figured out how to fix them myself. The front brake cable was just going straight thru the clamp instead of looping around the stud so pulling hard on the front brake in a panic situation would have been disastrous. This was a running bike at some point but how I do not know how as it does have S&S cylinders on it and since it is a big bore with the original heads they never opened up the heads enough to fit over the big bore cylinders so the heads would do a dance around the fire ring but not sit flat on the cylinder surface. All the cam cover screw holes had to be repaired, Oh yeah, you'll love this one. They just used silicone for a cam cover gasket but kept the original cam spacer and thrust washer and just jammed it all together. The spacer and thrust washer were beat up but luckily did not disintegrate and go thru the engine. I won't even discuss the primary.

This poor bike was really hacked bad and if I had known how bad it was before I tore into it I would have just parted it out but by then it was to late and I decided to do it right and make it mine.

Here's my idea of a nice genny Shovel. Build is as follows. 88 inch S&S rods wheels and cylinders, KB 9.5-1 forged pistons, NOS OEM rocker arms & shafts, valve job on the heads from Randy Long as they also thought it was a good idea to jam a old style big thread ford spark plug in the rear cylinder when the threads went bad, velva touch Lifters (actually) for shovel or pan oiling, a real Tom Sifton 440 cam I was saving for the right time and damn glad it finally happened LOL, S&S oil pump, Mik 42 carb, Andrews gears, Rivera Primo clutch, cycle electric genny, new OEM brake shoes and spring kits, new chains Primary and final with a rear chain tensioner to save the starter mount on the inner primary, wiring, bearings wheels, front end and swing arm etc.

Timmer was in very good condition so I just cleaned it, lubed it and installed a new set of OEM points and condenser. Was told due to the increase in compression I would need a electronic iggy but guess what? Set it up right and no issues at all. No ping and starts on first kick or just touch the starter button she fires right up and idles smooth. Bottom end was rebuilt and balanced to 60% with rebuilt rods, new S&S shafts and cam cover bushings replaced, all new control cables (barnett) and on and on.

Everything works as it should including the turn signal indicators and the neutral safety sw which will not allow the bike to start when in gear just like original. I really love building bikes from the frame up. That being said, this is my last build so I wanted to make it a good one as good parts either OEM or USA aftermarket are getting hard to find and just God awful expensive. That coupled with the fact that I had to return so many obviously defective parts or parts that were just not even close in their description from sellers (7 in one week) I just don't want to put myself thru it anymore as it takes the fun right out of it when you live in an area where you have to order everything in, which sets you back three weeks by the time you get it, return it, and then reorder it. She's a beautiful bike and runs and handles like it should. I am happy to have built my own as I ride into the western sunset in my retirement. She's a beautiful machine fer sher..... 

[jls 64]

Again great job!!!. Have fun.

[Hossamania]

That is a pretty sweet ride! You've done a great job.
What color is that? It reminds me of a friend who painted his old shovel with some old lacquer he had that belonged to a late 40s pickup. The official name was "some type of red", I believe. I think it's a great color.

[Reddog74usa]

Thanks for the positive comments. Hoss, the color is very close to the maroon that came on the 83 FXWG's but I do not have the paint code as I got the paint from a friend of mine that worked with his painter to come up with this color so I'm not much help in that regard however if you really are going to paint a bike in this color I do have a bit of touch up I could put in a vial and send to you to get analyzed if you'd like. Just let me know.

[Hossamania]

Thanks for the offer, but I have no plans to paint anything. Just thought it was a nice color, works very well on your bike.

[JW113]

It looks an awful lot like Indian Red!

Beautiful bike there 'Dog. Good Job!

-JW

[Pete_Vit]

It looks an awful lot like Indian Red!

Beautiful bike there 'Dog. Good Job!

-JW

Very nice Ride

[Reddog74usa]

Thanks for the complements. This one was a tough one but it's finally done. Now that the weather is breaking I have been getting some break in rides on it and she really runs great.

[JW113]

As I was reading your tale of rebuilding it, it was like deja vu. My '77 was essentially in a similar state of condition, everything that could wear out, was. Or worse. Even after getting it all rebuilt and running, it took another year and change to go back in and fix stuff for a second or even third time. The front forks, for example. And the transmission. And primary drive. Luckily I love doing that kind of stuff, and now all it needs is to ridden. Which I do at every opportunity.

Enjoy!!

-JW

[Reddog74usa]

 "Even after getting it all rebuilt and running, it took another year and change to go back in and fix stuff for a second or even third time."


JW, That's exactly what I'm going thru right now. Kept the iggy coil that came with the bike and all seemed good but the bike just wasn't acting right then it cut out and would restart but not run right. Knowing everything else was new I swapped out the coil I had on hand from an old FXR I had and man she ran great. I knew I was onto something when I first hit the starter button and she fired right up like it should have all this time as it was not starting like it should for quite a while. Really turning out to be a damn sweet ride. The Sifton 440 really works well with the 9.1 CR and has power right where you want it when going down the road. No downshift needed in 4th gear when I want to pass and pulls real strong when needed like getting on the interstate. I am running the stock ignition with points and timing set for an 88 incher with no piging or PMS 

[bluehighwayfx]

76 FXE that I have had since 78.  90 some HD front end complete and rear brakes, 2001 Indian Scout rear fender. Pipes and oil tank fabricated by Troy, a good friend and his wife who turned the oil cap. Swap meet handle bars and , Suspension Technologies shocks, HD cast wheels from somewhere. Remote oil filter , White LED Headlight Projector Kit with H4 Plug from Lowbrow Customs (good guys). Isolated primary per 76shuvlinoff post with five finger clutch, wet/dry. Finally paint by an cousin Jimmy.

[wolfmotor1]

'69 with some modifications.

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[Pete_Vit]

'69 with some modifications. 

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[76shuvlinoff]

Nice!

[crock]

Very nice. Did you fab the fenders? I really like the struts and ho they flow.