Son in law and I have an opportunity to pick up this bike for around $1k.

The owner says it will start with a new battery but runs badly due to carb? From research, I can tell the shift system has been "engineered" with a cobbled up forward shift, there is only a speedo on top, wiring may need to be redone, new fenders, tires, all rubber etc.

We are going into it with the idea that it's probably a frame up rebuild with all new wiring, rubber parts, missing chrome, tires, battery, top end rebuild minimum with maybe a full engine tranny rebuild. It has both electric and kick start... though I'm not sure that is correct. VIN was checked and it is definitely a 75' XLCH.

It is a numbers matching engine/frame setup so our thought is to get it as close to stock during the rebuild and sell it. We see $4k as a rough price what a good rebuild would sell for.

Thoughts?

 

Buy it for 1k, rebuild the entire thing and sell it for 4k, so what are you guys gonna do with the profit? Split a Happy Meal...LOL.

FWIW, a few months ago I looked at a cherry garage kept original '78 with 18k miles that the owner was asking $3500 for. If I hadn't already had an original Ironhead, I would have bought it....It was tough to walk away from. It was the same color red as my '77.

 

I would do it as a fun family project, but not with the thought of making money selling it later on. It will cost, or at least you will spend, more than it would ever sell for. At $1000 it is a good deal.

 

I am nearing completion of a frame up on a 73 XLCH and have about $3500 in it.I have only done minor external engine work such as points, etc and the original purchase price was $1K. I realize that I wouldn't profit by selling it (which I originally intended on) but I have learned a ton and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would say go for it. Its a great experience. But I wouldn't count on it to put food on the table. You may want to check around some more with the other guys to see if the big twin bikes are more profitable if you are going to do this strictly for income.

 

I would be surprised if you could get $4k for it even after it's been restored. You never know. You will sink a ton of money into it though. If the plan is to buy it, rebuild it, then sell it for a profit, I would start doing some research into the price of ironheads. The ones that I've seen don't usually go for much more than $3k.

I wouldn't consider buying it to resell unless that was what I did for a living. Too many used EVO sporties going for about the same price.

$1k looks to be a good price for it though.

 

Myself and my brother each bought a new Sportster back in 1975 , his was black mine was gold , both sure were pretty . I paid out the door 2500. for mine , dont know what he paid for his . I babied mine as he did his but I still had lots of problems with mine , leaked oil and a pushrod came through the rockerbox . Wayside Harley in Houston knew me very well from being in there so much . Kept it about a yr and a half and sold it to a guy I knew , two months later the second gear went out and he sold it too right after that . Amf harleys ,,, worst bike I ever owned , Love my evo`s and twin cams I would not buy another 75 ,,,, man I would not haul one home for free !

 

i love my 75...
i think xlch is kick only. xlh is both, but could be wrong.

 

+1 on all of this. It is a wrong idea to think you can restore one of these and sell at a profit. It quite simply will not happen. No way.

As i said above, do it together, as a fun family project. Then keep it to ride.

 

Enjoy the time putting it together. Like they say: To buy a ironhead for 1000 dollars, buying 3000 dollars in parts to restore, breaking a sweat and bleeding knuckles feel the pain, spending time with a family member to rebuild an old ironhead that was left for dead and bring her back to life is priceless.Good Luck

 

Interesting problems. I've never heard of a pushrod going thru a rockerbox or second gear going out. I thought third was the bad gear. Mine had a tooth or two missing when I bought it. Oil leaks; well naturally. Funny thing about oil leaks though. Mine has not leaked a drop lately. Probably empty!