Very new to HD's

NEED HELP!!!!! My father passed early January and I have Inherited a 1956 HD KH. Not your granddads KH. Chopped with ridiculous rake... The Motor and drive is all original with a Mikuni Carb. It has not ran in 1 1/2 years. I would really like to get it running for his memorial but I have little to no knowledge about a bike this old. His remains will be shipped back to the states in about 2 weeks. Any help would be appreciated. Steps I've taken Cleaned out rusty gas tank, adjusted the clutch, have not really done a whole lot to the carb lack of knowledge. It is a KICKER.. btw my hip and knee is now killing me. I can get combustion with about 3 lopes. PLEASE HELP.......

 

KH had a manual operated distributor that originally was controlled from the left handlebar. Since it has been chopped the handlebars have been changed. The way you originally started one was to retard the spark with the left handlebar, apply the choke, kick it a couple of times with the ignition off, turn the ignition on and kick vigorously. Once it starts you advance the spark and release the choke.

With yours the distributor is probably held in full advance by a spring. You will have to release it, retard it and go through the starting procedure then reattach the spring.

 

By "retarding" the spark it is on the point cap right. By turning it clock-wise will increase the spark right? thanks

 

counter clockwise is advanced, clockwise is retarded.

 

shouldn't this really be in the sportster section.

 

Not a Sportster, A KH was a flathead. Sportsters came out in 57 as a OHV motor.

 

A few years back I sold a 53"K, The KH is much better. Another 5 or so HP, also you can work on the transmission without splitting the cases. Sweet bikes.