Shovel Chopper Build
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 21,736
Likes: 17,577
From: Driftless Area
Hannibal, is that ridge on the left-side case by the stator cracked? Mine was. Instead of trying to repair that, I milled it completely off and went with a flat gasket. It worked.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 546
Likes: 606
From: Out West
Yes, it was cracked, so the previous owner just gooped it to seal with an enclosed primary. Since I am running an open belt, I just machined it all off.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 21,736
Likes: 17,577
From: Driftless Area
Not unusual for '79's I guess. I'm still running a primary chain, although I isolated the primary and vented it like an Evo. It works well.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 546
Likes: 606
From: Out West
Short video of the first fire!
I built the motor into an 86", but have high compression (10.58 to 1) and dual plugged STD heads. I don't like opening up stock Harley cases for bigger jugs. I would rather do a reasonable bore/stroke (4.5 stroke, 3.5 bore) and HC/cam the thing.
This is a super lightweight chopper, and 2 strong guys can lift it up no problem. Frame is 2" up and with a 32 degree rake, so she's light and tight.
So I just slapped in the Dyna ignition, turned the Super E to all middle settings, and crossed my fingers. I still have to make a kicker pedal, so my foot slips off easy in the video. Idle wasn't set of course either.
Started it up for the first time in the parking lot of my shop. I just ran a fuel line and a funnel, had a battery on the ground, and started kicking.
She fired right up!
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 546
Likes: 606
From: Out West
Mad skills & yer attention to detail is mind-boggling. Very clean & totally bad ***.
More info on that 86"er yer puttin' in 'er? My dad ran a 86" with a Sifton 468S & dual 29mm Mikunis in his bike. My plan/hope is to resurrect his Shovel in time to go for a ride with him.
More info on that 86"er yer puttin' in 'er? My dad ran a 86" with a Sifton 468S & dual 29mm Mikunis in his bike. My plan/hope is to resurrect his Shovel in time to go for a ride with him.
I am running S&S jugs and pistons and dual plugged STD heads. To be honest, the only real reason I am running the STD heads instead of S&S is because the the 3 bolt exhaust flange on the STD. I had to re-work the heads a little and get the chambers even to 120cc each.
I am running with a 0.590" lift, so I had to trim the valve seals a little and work on the valve guides.
Oil pump is an S&S. I am also running EVO oiling, and I have hydro lifters.
Besides the stock cases, no Harley factory part remains in the mill.
I like to build my choppers off of Harleys, even if the only thing left are the cases. That way I can say with a straight face (somewhat!) that the bike is a Harley. It's got Harley numbers, and that real AMF Shovel soul.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 14,438
Likes: 2,421
From: Pittsburgh, Pa
Short video of the first fire!
I built the motor into an 86", but have high compression (10.58 to 1) and dual plugged STD heads. I don't like opening up stock Harley cases for bigger jugs. I would rather do a reasonable bore/stroke (4.5 stroke, 3.5 bore) and HC/cam the thing.
This is a super lightweight chopper, and 2 strong guys can lift it up no problem. Frame is 2" up and with a 32 degree rake, so she's light and tight.
So I just slapped in the Dyna ignition, turned the Super E to all middle settings, and crossed my fingers. I still have to make a kicker pedal, so my foot slips off easy in the video. Idle wasn't set of course either.
Started it up for the first time in the parking lot of my shop. I just ran a fuel line and a funnel, had a battery on the ground, and started kicking.
She fired right up!
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 546
Likes: 606
From: Out West
Frame is now that sterling silver, and paint for tank and fender will be a Candy red.
I want the red to be right when it gets into the red spectrum, so it's super bright, basically stop laying on the candy right when it goes over from pinks into reds.
As for embellishment, maybe some platinum classic flames. I am not decided on that yet. It needs something past just solid candy, but I need to be classic and not trendy, so that makes it a little more difficult.
It was enough work to decide on red, I went back and forth on that one!
Nothing is in concrete until the gun gets loaded though!
Awesome stuff. Really good work.
I wish I had the time to learn the CNC skills, and the Mills to play with. I used to program an early CNC drill, but that was 35 years ago. Maybe one day....
I am going to steal your stainless steel conduit side for some of the wiring on my shovel build. Hope you don't mind!
I wish I had the time to learn the CNC skills, and the Mills to play with. I used to program an early CNC drill, but that was 35 years ago. Maybe one day....
I am going to steal your stainless steel conduit side for some of the wiring on my shovel build. Hope you don't mind!
I don't like hiding things, the "clean look" is cool, but I would rather show the mechanisms of the bike, and electrical is part of that mechanism.
Just make sure that you sleeve the wires good where the ends of the conduit are, nothing worse than a mystery short!
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; May 15, 2018 at 11:14 AM.