Hey all, picked this up about a week ago, seller told me it was a stroked engine but had no idea on brand nor specs. I asked on a FB group & a gentlemen told me I have S.T.D. lower end & stock heads. Does have S&S super B carb, last owner said he got it to idle for the last time about a year ago so has been a while.
He also said the electric start doesn't work, I kicked it a few times to make sure it wasn't seized, let me tell you it is a bich!! Lol. Took the plugs out yesterday but have yet to look in there to see what state the cylinders are.
I am waiting on the key through the mail since seller forgot to give it to me, put the battery on the tender & is fully charged. I am mechanically inclined but not a master mechanic by any means, so bear with me as I ask questions. I would like to get a manual for it but I do not know what year shovelhead engine I have, can anyone point out which one to get?
It is registered as an assembled motorcycle so VIN on frame does no good, not a hot bike, I have the title, previous owner info, papers when it was last registered, etc.

Anyway, here are some pictures, most of the bike looks there besides the dash & front signals, any pointers before I dig into it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cool bike man. I'm doing something similar with a '79 FLH I picked up. This site has been a great resource as I work through everything on the bike.

 

Well the vin on the frame may give you an idea on about what year the original bike may have started as. Did the prior owner change the motor out or did he buy it that way?

Did the PO say why the starter wasn't working?

Definitely change those plugs.

Look like a mid-70s FXE/S model.

HD stamped or used casting date codes on the early models. The pic of the head (5-66) indicates that head was cast in May of 1966. There will be codes on the front and rear brake assemblies if they are HD (and I think they are), There are casting/date codes on the triple trees as well and also on the transmission. There is definitely some type of casting codes on the base of your cylinders (pic #4). There should be casting codes on your lifter blocks but I do not believe they are HD. All those may help identify what year the bike started as provided they were not changed out.

Your rear brake assembly is 79 and earlier. Your kicker is pre-77. Your front end is dual disc which I believe was first used in 1977. 1977 models also came with split tanks on the FXS Low Rider models. You are missing the speedometer and tach which would be mounted between your tanks.

Cleaned up, the bikes looks like it could be a very nice rider.

 

[QUOTE=Nick Sorgio;15720773]Cool bike man. I'm doing something similar with a '79 FLH I picked up. This site has been a great resource as I work through everything on the bike.

PO bought the bike this way from his friend, lost interest in riding & bike sat for a few years.

Seller also mentioned the starter or solenoid (cannot remember exactly) was replaced by him at one point because it burned out due to the stroked engine.

I will snap a pic of the front end, there is a model stamp on it. Front end might not be original but would have to look at the stamping on triple tree as you mentioned.

Thanks for the pointers on the casting marks, I now know the front head is from July 1966 (7-66). Will look for any numbers on the trans, take a look on the rear brake, lifter blocks, etc.
The base of the heads have 12 point bolts, cannot recall where I read that early shovels had 6 point bolts but I've been known to be wrong, lol.

Seller told me it was a 1979 engine, frame on title is a 1990. Based on what you pointed out seems legit except for the trans/kicker (pre-77), I'll take a closer look for any cast markings.

Greatly appreciated, I like the way it looks now, really don't want to clean it up but would help to spot any leaks or so.

 

It looks like a normal '70s or early '80s 4-speed Harley frame - did anyone do repro ones? Seems unlikely given how many originals out there? If it is an original frame it would have had the VIN stamped on a flat pad on the neck casting, just ahead of the right hand tank. Also, again if it is factory, there should be a stamped build date code on the top engine mount bracket that is welded to the top tube. It would be a letter and a number, say D 7 (April '77*) or 3 H (August '73)

*I guess as it has early heads, it could be a late '60s built frame so B 8 could be February '68, A 7 January '67. You would have to look at some of the frame casting numbers for further clues on that!

 

99% certain it's a 1977-79 FXS. I have a stock '78 FXS in the garage and I see almost identical. Course, your handlebars are not original. The rear fender struts with the indentations are peculiar to only the FXS and maybe, FXR's. Great looking bike!

 

FXR's are different

 

Picture of the heads, front one reads "S&S-80F". The rear one reads "S&S-80R", I assume R is for rear.






Picture of the trans, close to the kicker, stamp reads "BB3080". Lighting was chitty hence the poor picture.





Front badge.

 

On the front of the trans that is an additional original component identifying number. Some people call it a security code or an anti-theft number. The letters BB were used together around 1978–79. Look under the trans and you may find a casting number, maybe something like 34709-79 for example. Also under the trans you may find a casting date code and it may be formatted similar to 7/6/78 for example. Let us know what you find.

The seller told you it was a 1979 engine? But as you now know the cases appear to be STD. Even though the title now says 1990, is there still a VIN on the frame? Frame VINs for 1970–1980 had nine characters. If the VIN is still present, what are the first two characters and the last two characters? They will tell us the model and model year.

Where the passenger pegs bolt on, is there only a single-hole block each side on the frame? Or are there two-hole blocks? Hard to be sure from the pictures. About 1975–76, H-D used a single-hole block each side and the peg went through it which is what yours look like. As of 1977, they used a two-hole block each side and then a bracket attached to it for the peg but sometimes these things are changed to suit an owner. Can you post close-ups of your blocks please as they may help with ID.

On the lower triple clamp, look for an additional original component identifying number (aka security code or anti-theft number) stamped on the R-H side. It may be on the fork stop or perhaps on the padlock plate. It won’t be exactly the same as the additional ID on the front of your trans but it may be formatted in a similar fashion and consist of two letters followed by either three or four numbers.

The photo of one of your heads shows 05 66 and it sounds like you may have found 07 66 on the other head? However, these are not casting date codes; instead they are casting numbers and they were used for 1966–69 generator Shovels and also on at least some alternator Shovels in the 1970s. For casting date codes, look on the R-H side of each head, on the top near where the fins are recessed for the pushrod tubes. You may find date codes there—for example, 9 67 would indicate casting in September 1967.

Notice the R-H side of the rocker boxes have slotted screws for the ends of the rocker arm shafts. Slotted screws were used for 1966–early-71. Late-71 and later had socket-heads.
Eric

 

Good info there. I also have a lot to learn about the seventies. Thanx Eric.....