I love my 02 Ultra I bought new and now have 85,000 miles on it but have a old project I need to get back to. To me the best sounding Harley engine ever made is a shovelhead. I hope one day to get back to my shovelhead project but being out of a steady job for going on 2 years is not helping. In 1975 I bought a new 1976 FX and when I sold it many years ago I have done nothing but miss it. In my 40 years of riding and working on Harley s my only Harley I have owned with an electric starter is my 02 Ultra. I am planning to make this bike kick start only. Here is some information and pictures of this project. If you have any input or suggestions please post here.

Super glide project
Bore 3.812 (3 13/13) Stroke 4 ½, Cubic inches 102.716258
CCs 1683.8730852196722

What I have

PM spun aluminum wheels
PM brake calipers
PM master cylinders
GMA aluminum fork trees
Complete Andrews Products gears and shafts close ration 1,2,3
Jims stainless extended kick arm with heavy duty kick shaft.
Aluminum transmission mounting plate
Merck products crank cases
Axtell 3 13/16 cylinders
Truett and Osborn 4 ½ stroke flywheels
S&S rods
STD bath tube heads
Cal Products heavy duty inner primary.

Things I have done
Turn down lower fork legs and polish
Bored cases and heads for Axtell 3 13/16 cylinders.
Transmission built and installed on frame.
Rolling chassis ready

Things I need
Oil pump
Clutch set up
Pistons Axtell makes pistons for the heads I have.
Cam
Exhaust

Not the best pictures but where I am storing this not much room to get really good pictures.

 

Shovel **** , now your talking dirty to me . I fuggen love it . Check and work those cases over very closely bro , had some of those come up with hair line stress fracture's from bogus castings had to do a 3 part dye test to find them .

 

So you had problems with Merck cases? Is Merch still in business? I do not think so but want conformation.

I put a little stroker in my 1976 FX shortly after getting it new. It was 84CI. 4 1/2 stoke stock bore. Here is a picture of it about a year before I sold it. I dual plugged it before I sold it which it was single plug in the picture. I won many a beer with this bike staring it with my hand. Had a cam in it with a good bit of valve over lap which helped a lot. LOL

 

Bro I've seen issue with about every aftermarket case out there except S&S , remember the first yrs of Delkron stuff ? Nightmares . there an outfit out in Colorado still selling their re-manufactured seconds . Stuff has gotten hugely better the last 5 yrs with all the high end CNC done now and Merch was before the golden years . Pay particular attention to all critical tapped holes like the cyl. stud areas , ended up doing one piece thread certs on a couple and found the cracking issue there and the rear mount area where it's machined thin by the crankcase . Have no idea if they are still breathing or not man .

If you know somebody with a machine shop do yourself a favor and set the cases up bare bolted & torqued together and have them check ALL the machined surfaces for true against the crank centerline , basically blueprint it . Seen some cyl. base surfaces be off as much 5deg and coned on several brands before . While she will run like that it will be much smoother & longer lived blueprinted .

But when done correctly that's a healthy SOB .

My sig pic has been my faithful ***** for 28 yrs and counting , she's pretty much a Hi PO S&S 93" with more tweaks and fine tuning on a good day puts 91 to the wheel , have to swap some pic's off the off the wall stuff I've done to her like a rear belt drive the poor mans way before kits , air shocks , a good 60mm inverted front not the china pops going around now ect .

My rear brake's , was the rainy season and I was bored .

 

I have heard of problems years ago with Delkron and STD. Matter of fact I have run into problems on them years ago. Stock EVO case had problems with the lifter oil hole to the cylinder deck cracking on the front cylinder and leaking. Run into this several times. Have you ever heard with problems specifically with Merck case? I went with Merch cases as at the time they where the best on the market.

Over they years I have had some problem with S&S parts but have to say never with there cases so far. At one time Tim Burns told me they where experiencing quality control problems 15 to 20 years ago. I always check the running fit once I install the flywheels with the cylinder deck on every motor I build.

I do not have a industrial machine shop but I do have a small engine machine shop in my basement. Other then twin cam motors with the cranks do to being pressed together I can do just about all there is to do to EVO and earlier engines. I had a motorcycle shop at one time for 13 years. I always had at least one motor I was building and as many as 14 at once. The only reason I closed it was not able to find good qualified reliable help. I keep all my tools and machines.

Being I have been out of a steady job for going on all most two years I am back into working on bikes steady. Just do not have the room to have to many here at one time. I have people waiting on me to get a few done so they can bring theirs.
I appreciate all your input and thank you. Please keep it coming.

 

Nice brake set up! Matter of fact I have a 1981 shovel motor I am building for a customer right now.

 

We're chewing the same dirt bro your story could be mine . 1 yr April 1st out but I saw it coming and made plans so sitting fairly well . And like you I'm going back into bikes again steadily , the shops out here do help most won't touch a shovel anymore even if they have someone who has a clue .

The cracking issues & thread holes I mentioned were merch cases , but this was some yrs ago . 313/16 " is getting big & thin for shovels .

 

I did not see it coming and was not per paired for it. But under my situation not doing too bad a lot better then many others! Here is some of my equipment and tools. I only have a two car garage and it is quite small. But I do have a big basement to keep my machines and other stuff in. I need to set up my lath but not sure how long I am going to be here. I have all the stuff to line lap cases, balance, assemble and true flywheels. All the pinion and cam bushing reamers and MUCH MORE.

 

Tool **** is right next to shovel **** , love to have that Sunnen hone . Nice bro . I send all my heads out , got a place I've using 30 yrs that will do a complete valve job with new parts shipped for $150 I can't buy parts for that anymore . Everything else I do here except machine work and I'm getting a bigger mill / lathe combo machine tomorrow . Just got the call back on that , big score .

 

The biggest thing I cannot do that I wish I could is replace valve seats. Yes I can pop the old ones out but have found best to machine the pocket out and go with over size. Who does your heads? That is a GREAT price. I finally made a deal with a local shop to get some fair prices on parts with out having to pay retail.