#mutt. Perfect!
wanted to say thanks for your input. Little stuff like cam cover and stuff really helps me out. I got a long way to go and really appreciate your input
cheers A b e
take your time and do it right.thats going to be a fun build for you.
Does anyone know how to make shovel heads work with Knuck cases without external drains? Also, I think it can be done, but I've never seen a short shaft modded to run electric start.
My guess is re-stamped cases. If you've got the appropriate paperwork, you're golden.
I don't see knucklehead anywhere in that engine. Looks to be a pan/shovel built on aftermarket cases. Hard to tell without more detailed pics. The cam cover and inner and outer primary appears to be a 66-69 shovel neither of which would bolt to knucklehead cases. It's got a lot of parts from a lot of places. I built one years ago that had parts off of 22 different motorcycles. Ought to be a good project.
I don't see knucklehead anywhere in that engine. Looks to be a pan/shovel built on aftermarket cases. Hard to tell without more detailed pics. The cam cover and inner and outer primary appears to be a 66-69 shovel neither of which would bolt to knucklehead cases. It's got a lot of parts from a lot of places. I built one years ago that had parts off of 22 different motorcycles. Ought to be a good project.
Just to repeat what has been stated. the vin looks all wrong.
I had a pan with 'non Harley' digits, it passed the registration only
because the inspector did not know better. Not many in US or Canada
will know bad digits from proper digits, but just make sure you have
a clear title if you want to ride in on public roads.
If this is a show piece or off road use only, no problem.
you may get more information if you post in the classics section.
That VIN does not look right. The 8's are wrong. The "L" is wrong, and the 3's are wrong. I am not sure what is up with the stars, but I have seen Harley cases with them before.
At first look the bike should be a 1938 EL Knucklehead, but there is a lot that is not correct. It may be because dad Frankenteined it together, but the motor is suspect. Too bad because a pre-war Harley could be worth a lot of money if it were brought back to original.
Do you have a title for the bike?
The engine is a generator shovel, 1966-69. Its got a later oil pump.
I think some number stamps are correct, but not for the year the VIN is supposed to be. The 8's, the 3's, the 1, the E, are all correct for how a 66-69 shovel would be stamped. The "L" is not even close. The first "3" is a double strike.
I also can't find any photos of knucklehead OR shovelheads VINs that feature star stamps in that shape. The very few VINs that had them, the stars had much sharper points.
Years ago, H-D used to have a cases replacement program, where an owner or dealer could exchange a set of worn or cracked shovelhead cases. The factory would even stamp the original VIN in the new set. Is this a possibility with this bike?
Interesting puzzle, but at the end of the day, I'd just clean it up and ride the hell out it. Title and register it as whatever the VIN says, and go on down the road.
Unless you are trying to do a complete correct resto on it, the numbers don't matter one bit. My 67 is titled as a 1997 assembled. It's probably not worth a damn to anyone else but this was my dads ride for decades. Me and him made a lot of miles on both of the 67's in my signature throughout the years. They are correct to me, that's all that really matters. They have since been retired from daily rider duty but they still get busted off and taken down the road 30-40miles on nice days to keep the brakes and mechanical parts moving. Nothing built these days has the soul or sound, the nostalgia or history that those old bikes have. The pan/shovels hold a special place in my heart and always will. I split my first set of cases on one, learned to ride a jockey shift on one, and that bike helped me to evolve into the general, all around badass I am today. No replacement for old iron, keep it living.
Those are not Harley serial numbers. I have seen enough of them on old Pans and Knuckles. A friend actually had an original 38 EL that his widow sold a few years ago that we were getting in shape to sell. The serial numbers looked nothing like that. All old numbers up until 1970 were stamped on the engine and harley pretty much used the same stamp with just regular numbers and letters. Most were 4 digit serial numbers but a few later Panheads had 5 digit numbers like 64FLH 10873, still remember those numbers off a bike i once had. I would suggest that when he put the engine in there that they had to register it as a 38 because that's what it already was and there are no numbers on the frame on old bikes. Those don't look like Harley cases.
I don't doubt a thing you guys are saying, it all fits the paradox of my Father! He owned this bike well before I was a twinkle in his eye or, as he put it, stain on the sheets, Infamous for turning $h!t into solid gold. The bike is his legacy, christen with a bottle of jack before the crash as "green bastard" and christen after the rebuild as "rectum"
It is what it is, a Mutt a Rat a Hog old iron!
His ashes are in his favorite travel coffee mug and when the bike is ready he and I are gonna ride across Canada and bring him home as promised.RIP ol' man
Originally Posted by 67Shuv
Unless you are trying to do a complete correct resto on it, the numbers don't matter one bit. My 67 is titled as a 1997 assembled. It's probably not worth a damn to anyone else but this was my dads ride for decades. Me and him made a lot of miles on both of the 67's in my signature throughout the years. They are correct to me, that's all that really matters. They have since been retired from daily rider duty but they still get busted off and taken down the road 30-40miles on nice days to keep the brakes and mechanical parts moving. Nothing built these days has the soul or sound, the nostalgia or history that those old bikes have. The pan/shovels hold a special place in my heart and always will. I split my first set of cases on one, learned to ride a jockey shift on one, and that bike helped me to evolve into the general, all around badass I am today. No replacement for old iron, keep it living.
Bad *** or not that was pretty decent of you to say that.
Thanks
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; 01-23-2018 at 06:10 PM.
01-20-2018, 06:38 PM
