Original 1953 HD panhead-restoration advice
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,210
Likes: 1
From: LI, NY
100 point restorations were all the rage. Until people relized that there are not many 100% original bikes and that is what makes the valuable.
Keep the original patina, treasure and enjoy that it was your father's, ride it, clean up and detail the best that can be done.
Keep it in good mechanical condition and as things wear out try to only replace with NOS parts.
Keep the original patina, treasure and enjoy that it was your father's, ride it, clean up and detail the best that can be done.
Keep it in good mechanical condition and as things wear out try to only replace with NOS parts.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,391
Likes: 2
100 point restorations were all the rage. Until people relized that there are not many 100% original bikes and that is what makes the valuable.
Keep the original patina, treasure and enjoy that it was your father's, ride it, clean up and detail the best that can be done.
Keep it in good mechanical condition and as things wear out try to only replace with NOS parts.
Keep the original patina, treasure and enjoy that it was your father's, ride it, clean up and detail the best that can be done.
Keep it in good mechanical condition and as things wear out try to only replace with NOS parts.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 258
Likes: 4
From: Flowery Branch,GA
Those bikes that are restored to better than new condition are usually seen in some sort of collection never to be ridden and spend their lives just being stared at. It takes big dollars to do such a thing. I would love to have your '53. I would give it a "spit shine" freshen everything up and ride the ever lovin hell out of it.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,673
Likes: 606
From:
cleaning REMOVES patina. you don't want to remove patina. leave it just as it is. fix what needs fixing, no more, no less. example, if you need some spokes, replace the ones needing to be replaced. don't start polishing the rest that may be rusty.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 4,598
Likes: 14
From: navarre ohio
you should search ebay for cleaner origenal parts,front wheel,kickstarter,exhaust,controls... mabye keep the origenal tin paint, but in that shape it isnt "origenal" it is a clunker(has lots or potential and would love to have it)
the wheels,tires frame and drivetrain should be cleaned,painted,rebuilt, if it is rusting, it is gonna keep rusting till it is a pile of dust.. can only imagine the rims or frame rusting thru while riding.. personaly i like full restos, but it would be cooler cleaned up but gracefully left looking its age
the wheels,tires frame and drivetrain should be cleaned,painted,rebuilt, if it is rusting, it is gonna keep rusting till it is a pile of dust.. can only imagine the rims or frame rusting thru while riding.. personaly i like full restos, but it would be cooler cleaned up but gracefully left looking its age
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,389
Likes: 26
From: Windham,Maine
Great looking old Harley,reminds me of the 53 I owned for over 10 yrs and the same bike I had when I met my wife.I would make both tires the same,give it a tuneup,new fluids,(primary is dry)look over the chains and sprockets,look inside the gas tanks for rust,refresh the carb,start kicking and see how it goes.If it turns out to be more than you want,pm me and we can talk.Good Luck
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,352
Likes: 4
From: Augusta, GA
Don't ride it with that rusty front wheel. Those spokes could fail even at low speeds.
I don't know a shop to recommend in the D.C. area but someone at a local H-D dealer should know someone that specializes in the old stuff.
We have a '62 full resto on one lift in our shop now but it will be sitting there for at least another few months (two years it's been there already) or I would suggest you bring it down here.
What we did find in the last year is that the company (STD) that makes heads for panhead engines has gone out of business and finding any inventory has been next to impossible.
I don't know a shop to recommend in the D.C. area but someone at a local H-D dealer should know someone that specializes in the old stuff.
We have a '62 full resto on one lift in our shop now but it will be sitting there for at least another few months (two years it's been there already) or I would suggest you bring it down here.
What we did find in the last year is that the company (STD) that makes heads for panhead engines has gone out of business and finding any inventory has been next to impossible.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,133
Likes: 125
From: Japan