Hey all, In this thread I would like to talk about my experiences with buying older Harley's and hear some of your stories as well. My first Harley was a really cool '77 FLH that had been "converted" into a Wideglide style with 3 gallon tank and 21" front wheel, mid apehangers and solo seat. It also had a crap front brake and the speedometer didn't work. My next bike was a '79 Sportster. It was a joy. Nothing wrong with it. My latest bike is a nightmare. It's an '88 FLST. The tank and fenders were beat up and the paint was rattle canned flat black. It had elecrical issues but when it ran it ran great. Engine, trans and chassis has no issues. I started working on it and found electrical problems to the point that I replaced the entire wiring harness. I found almost no lock washers on anything. I found what I think are metric fasteners forced into sae threads. I found a hodgepodge of different fasteners all over the bike. I found a hole in the inner primary where I guess it threw the chain. It was epoxied over and actually didn't leak. I didn't see it before I bought it. Right now I'm having clutch issues (another thread) but I have replaced the tank, fenders, wiring harness, clutch, it's been professionally repainted and has stock heritage Softail handlebars with a windshield. I also replaced all hoses and cables. It's a mess but I'm getting close.

 

I was watching an episode of "Biker Build off" with Billy Lane and Indian Larry. I watched Indian Larry torch off the bottom tube, and I was inspired. "That looks easy". So I bought a '78 Sportster and torched it. I sold the frame for scrap. I found out it wasn't easy.

 

I like to tinker with things, my bike's no exception.
Fortunately I like riding more than tinkering so I don't screw-up much.

 

Been blessed the Evo White Bike has been bullet proof for years but bought a 82 Tourglide as a project, was a complete bike with a new Mikuni carb and Ultima ignition, poured oil out the exhaust plus a loose spark plug. Tear down exposed rebuilt heads with smashed valve seals, newer unbranded pistons clearly too loose, did a rebore/new pistons, put updated valve springs in the heads setting clearance for the Leineweber cam, inserted the spark plug hole along with a flat paint job. Test ride showed clutch issues and bad primary leak, clutch looked like it had been buried in the ground for a while and primary unvented, replaced the clutch's and vented the primary fixing the clutch but primary still leaks.

Currently have the inner primary off revealing no seals on the main output shaft or starter jackshaft, blue goo was their go to in the project. Found a sealed roller bearing installing it, jackshaft seal installed, pulled the stator bell revealing a new stator. Liked the OP mentioned mismatched threaded bolts/nuts and some WTF were they doing but still have a good platform with some money stuck in the right places. Planning on doing some 14" black 1 1/4 apes while it's down because the position doesn't feel right and just ride it after the primary is completed.

 

What a fantastic thread. With that said, I bought a 1992 flhs few years ago. after I (unfuc** the bike) it is now reliable. the previous owner really messed the bike up. I have to say the best one is when they remove the additional ground used for the upper and lower points on steering head, that one had caused the most issues it was the last electrical issue I dealt with. It is gratifying to say the least to be riding the bike you towed home and it be a reliable beauty.
I wanted to tell you that is is nice to see your post has not been highjacked by any of the normal trolls. I like how you told your story and appreciate your style. thanks.

 

Ive restored some old Harleys that sure were butchered (doing three more right now like I haven't learned my lesson) and I was happy to see it's not just Harley's that suffer this fate. Try restoring 80's crotch rockets. The first order of business for a squid is to toss the signal lights in favour of sleek ones screwed onto the body panels, cut the rear fender off where the plate mounts, swap out the airbox for individual air cleaners and polish the anodized frame and rims. It's easier to find knucklehead fenders than it is to find a 900RR rear fender that hasn't been cut and just like the Harleys that were chopped and modified, now that they're valuable owners are trying to right the wrongs so parts are scarce.

 

My biggest Mistake was buying 2 1980 FLH basket cases. Well one was wrecked and in pieces.
2 years latter sold 1 complete bike and scraped the rest. I swore off Harleys for a few years, EVO's helped my attitude to get back to HD
I hate typing so I'll leave it as That taught me a good lesson in life LOL

WP

 

I look for clean, unmolested Evos and do the butchering myself.

 

0maha - the early years:

 

In 1979 I bought a POS '72 Ironhead Sporty. The guy that I bought the bike from was completely Deaf and a bit of a Hobo kinda guy. He bought the bike 2nd hand and just rode it for a couple of years with no maintenance until it stopped running (obviously he couldn't hear). He parked the bike in a friend's backyard uncovered and just left it out in the rain and weather for years. When I picked up the bike it was a rusty and corroded mess, but hey for $300.00 what the hell. When I went to look at the bike it did not run, so I put in a new battery and fresh fuel and tried to start it, no go. I popped the cover on the points and saw that they were completely FUBAR. Put in a new set of points and cleaned out the carb and finally got it to start but had to keep it revved up to about 2500 RPM to keep it running. The clutch was really stiff when I pulled it in, so I kicked it into gear, pulled a wheelie and took off across the back yard headed for a wood fence (Clutch cable completely rusted). I avoided hitting the fence and shut it down. I bought it on the spot and took the bike home and started pulling it apart to address all the issues it had. I changed the oil (Black Tar) rebuilt the carb, adjusted the valves, fine-tuned the points, changed out the cables and finally had it running pretty well, but it still looked like hell. So, I started a quick cleanup to get it presentable. I took Scoth Brite Pads to all the corroded aluminum, cleaned off the rust on the chrome, wire brushed and sanded down the rust on the frame and the cylinders, masked everything off that I was not going to paint and gave a coat of fresh HD rattle can black paint. I pulled the tins and filled in the dents and scratches, sanded down the rust and hit it with a couple of coats of primer, then finished it off with about 5 or 6 coats Bright Red HD Lacquer rattle can paint, wet sanded then polished. Tins looked like a shiny red marble when I got done with the paint. I added Paughco exhaust pipes and one of their chrome headlights, a solo seat bolted to the frame (boy that was comfortable) a 21" front rim with an Avon tire and one of those worthless small brakes on the front that would not hold you if stopped at a light on a hill (I think it was a Hall Mark?) I stripped the bike down to fighting weight, so I obviously removed everything that I thought was not needed on the bike like the stock headlight and aluminum cover, front fender, speedo and tach (Hey, I was 27). I rode the bike like that for about a year, then completely pulled it down to rebuild the top end, pull all the aluminum parts to sand down and polish on a buffer. I kept the bike for about 4 years then traded it for a 1939 Knuckle Head basket case.