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They seemed to work OK on those old low-revving engines. Even the Harley J Models had that one exposed rocker on each cylinder and seemed to last forever. These days you could fit the rocker arms with sintered bronze Oilite bushings that hold oil in the granular structure and lubricate themselves to a certain extent. Rocker spindles would be hardened. Valve guides were all cast iron in those days, and it is almost self-lubricating in nature, due to the graphite in the iron. And rocker arm tips did not seem to wear excessively without roller rockers. The radius on the end of the rocker arm was matched to the travel of the rocker and well hardened. Sure they wore out but over many miles of use. If you are looking for something to ride sedately for gits and shiggles 1,000 miles a year it would last for decades before it wore out.
Your mechanical knowledge is great to read, although no spring chicken meself, reading your explanation of the how and why as it relates to the period is what I recall listening to old timers when I was a child, not even a teenager. Always had interest. To add, it’s what worked and nothing was made like things even 50 years ago. The early days of “machines” ideas and applications that made sense at that time and bewilder people today. Thanks again!
Your mechanical knowledge is great to read, although no spring chicken meself, reading your explanation of the how and why as it relates to the period is what I recall listening to old timers when I was a child, not even a teenager. Always had interest. To add, it’s what worked and nothing was made like things even 50 years ago. The early days of “machines” ideas and applications that made sense at that time and bewilder people today. Thanks again!
Thanks. I grew up with shed full of that old stuff. My dad was a vintage bike nut back in the 70s and vintage bikes then were really vintage. My brother sitll has the old Ariel and AJS like the ones in the pics I posted above. Not a rocker cover in sight!
The other OHV top end that could fit a UL might be Ironhead Sportster. Plenty of "Magnum 45s" built that way on 45 bottom ends. But you have to weld the cases to take the larger bore cylinders. UL might work without welding? Depends too on how the stroke, rod length etc work out.
The alternative: 1950s or 60s Matchless jugs and heaeds with enclosed rocker gear.
350 parts fit on 45 bottom ends. Matchy 500 top end might fit a UL?
I'll look into that but the look of a Harley is lost, somehow its not industrial looking enough.
I was looking at this knuckle cylinder head I had in my office and it would need to have the diving boards cut off and some serious welding to allow for the bolt on plates like in the first post. I wouldn't cut an original head up but there's plenty of repops out there looking for a purpose. Or if I come across an original set that have had some mods done that kills the value that could work too.
Thanks. I grew up with shed full of that old stuff. My dad was a vintage bike nut back in the 70s and vintage bikes then were really vintage. My brother sitll has the old Ariel and AJS like the ones in the pics I posted above. Not a rocker cover in sight!
The other OHV top end that could fit a UL might be Ironhead Sportster. Plenty of "Magnum 45s" built that way on 45 bottom ends. But you have to weld the cases to take the larger bore cylinders. UL might work without welding? Depends too on how the stroke, rod length etc work out.
I debated shovel heads and cylinders, they will fit right on the U engine. It's still a possibility but I keep going back to the look of the engine in the first post. The U cam lobes being direct acting on the valves have a lobe lift of .375" so with a pan head rocker if I went that way it would be roughly .560" lift and around .530" with the shovel setup.
or use a sporty or even a shovel top end,
I built this 45 Magnum about 15 years ago,
something I wanted to build since i was a young punk kid when I saw an artical on Randy Smith back in the early 70's,..
an itch I had to scratch,
or use a sporty or even a shovel top end,
I built this 45 Magnum about 15 years ago,
something I wanted to build since i was a young punk kid when I saw an artical on Randy Smith back in the early 70's,..
an itch I had to scratch,
I'll look into that but the look of a Harley is lost, somehow its not industrial looking enough.
I was looking at this knuckle cylinder head I had in my office and it would need to have the diving boards cut off and some serious welding to allow for the bolt on plates like in the first post. I wouldn't cut an original head up but there's plenty of repops out there looking for a purpose. Or if I come across an original set that have had some mods done that kills the value that could work too.
Yes that would look pretty wild. What's a pair of repop heads chopped up between friends? Go for it!
Looks like you could leave the two ears on the left side and just chop the diving boards off and do a flat plate on that side, using Knuckle rockers etc. Didn't the first year Knuckle rockers hang half out in the wind anyhows?
Rockers are too long, easy fix. Machine some fins down which will get me closer to the meat of the head where it would be easier to weld on some bosses for the end plates.
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