Saw this FXEF recently and I'm wondering... this CAN'T be an original paint job, can it? Ignore the awful windscreen, as I know that' s not original. But is this rainbow color a real MOCO paint option? I know things were sort of psychedelic in the 70's, but still...
If that paint has different colors depending on angle of view, it's not original. That paint tech wasn't available until mid-90s.
I haven't seen the bike in person yet, but from the pics I've seen it definitely appears to have different colors in the same spots, depending on angle of view. Pretty cool technology, but not exactly what I'd like on a bike! But, as I said, the 70's were crazy times...
I also noticed this bike has a bobber rear fender. Was that standard on an FXEF? This bike is a 1981 and the parts manual for the 1981 that I've been scouring only shows a bobber fender on the FXWG. All other FX models have the "wrap around" (standard style) fender. So I'm thinking that along with the paint job, some previous owner might have swapped in a bobber fender. It doesn't look bad (and since I'm sort of considering an FXWG or an FXEF, this doesn't bother me). I'm just trying to figure out what this bike is!
The only way to know the model for sure is from the vin. no. You have to remember that to find these bikes unmolested is pretty rare, although it's usually not to hard to put them back to stock (once you know what it is). You'll often see Shovels that started life as an FX, but looks like an FL and visa versa, because most of the parts were interchangeable and you could pretty much make it what you wanted.
That's also how the Super Glide, Low Rider, Sturgis, and Wide Glide came to be factory offerings.....the factory just started making what guys were already doing in their garages.
The only way to know the model for sure is from the vin. no. You have to remember that to find these bikes unmolested is pretty rare, although it's usually not to hard to put them back to stock (once you know what it is). You'll often see Shovels that started life as an FX, but looks like an FL and visa versa, because most of the parts were interchangeable and you could pretty much make it what you wanted.
I looked it up. It *is* an FXEF. So I suppose someone put the bobber fender on it by choice.
This could be a good project (which is what I want) but it might also be a huge money pit. I'm told it "leaks everywhere", which I sort of expect with a Shovel in need of a rebuild. But that might also mean a few components might be distorted. If so, no amount of new gaskets will fix that!
They also said that when last fired up, it was only running on 1 cylinder, when it had recently been running on 2. As long as nothing is frozen stuck in there, that wouldn't be a big issue because the engine needs rebuilding anyway. What I don't want is to take on an engine that needs replacing!
This bike has 50K miles on the engine, so it's not exactly a cherry discovery! We'll see...
Of course it leaks and with that kind of mileage expect the base gaskets to be leaking like a sieve. Inner primary is another one.
Get your groove on and get to tearing it down. If it's running on one cylinder i'd bet a paycheck it's not a frozen motor. Just a coil, plug, or wire.
Of course it leaks and with that kind of mileage expect the base gaskets to be leaking like a sieve. Inner primary is another one.
Get your groove on and get to tearing it down. If it's running on one cylinder i'd bet a paycheck it's not a frozen motor. Just a coil, plug, or wire.
So I'm going to see it Thursday and I'm prepping myself. This bike is not in good condition. And that's ok. But will I be spending more of my rebuild time with a wire brush and naval jelly or actually working on the mechanicals? I expect grime and some rust. But check out the tank: Just surface rust? Or is more lurking below the ugly paint? Sort of looks like a lot more is trying to peek through.
The nacelle isn't much better:
The engine is interesting. Just grime or problematic rust? If it's just gaskets and exhaust rusting, no worries. But rusting exhaust ports? No thanks. Thoughts?
09-18-2017, 10:14 AM
This can't be original paint, can it?
