Bringing It Home

About a year ago I found this 1978 FXE. Came out of the Central Valley here in California. price was right but I will add that I spent more on it than I intended. It wasn't a complete bike but I was able to save money because of the stash of old Shovel parts I had collected over the years. I have posted up some completed pics but figured I would go into a bit more depth what with winter and all. Add to that is the fact that I have a bum right knee from surgery (almost 6 weeks now) and am still hobbling around with one crutch. Promised the wife to stay out of the garage so that I don't do something stupid (like try to move or work on one of the bikes and dump them) and figured with the down time it might be right to post up what it took to get this bike as close back to original as possible.

So over the next several weeks I'll be posting pics and commentary of the procees to get it to the finsh line and where it is now. I have several hundred pics that I took (yeah kinda ****) and am just now actually organizing them in a way that makes some sense.

From the start the idea was keeping it original (both paint and finish). Went through the whole chopper faze in the 70s/80s and early 90s, so now it is about trying to preserve history rather than modifying it.

This is the second FXE I have resurrected from the dead (the first was a 75 FXE that needed far less work). To some/many they are a bit ugly (what with the tank design and all), but the design actually allowed MoCo to avoid creating a different frame for FLH and FX models until HD decided to actually redesign frames differently (not sure what year).

Think the overall start to finish of the thread will be several weeks long. Please feel free to comment (all types welcome) and if you want to insert something of yours or have questions related to something similar, feel free. Won't consider the thread being jacked and promise to get it back on thrack.

So herez what it looked like when I first picked it up and brought it home.





















Bike was a 20-footer. Motor turned over, no primary guts, some rust in the gas tank, leaked oil, brakes didnt' function, small dent in gas tank, rims seriously rusted, dirt and grim about an inch thick everywhere and some cobbed wiring as well as lack of turn signals and other missing parts. It had sat outside with a half-*** cover on it and in the rain and mud. But it was fairly complete and I had a lot of what I figured were necessary parts to get it back to running condition.

But that said it was mostly there and I was looking for another project (advantages of being retired).

 

Yes compared to some they were ugly, but a look back and not many of them were as cool, when we look through modern eyes. Thanks you SIR and I'll be watching.

 

Nice... I'll watch this a bit, as I intend to take my 1974 FX [no E] back to close to OE... Not Rebuilt nor restored, simply assembled back with the Parts removed from it years ago..
I do believe I will install E-Start this go around... as a nod to gettin a bit older, and lazier...

 

Once they mark their spot it's hard to get rid of them... I'm sure it'll be revived rather nicely....

 

hey pans anyone who does not see a real gem in that bike is a dud - it has to Some charm - character - provenance - and in that its timeless

you cant re buy a machine like that today - good hunting in you parts stash and even ask some may have that odd piece you never know

 

^^^^ This

 

Looking forward to your right up.

 

Great, just what I need, another reason to be addicted to this section of the site.

Thanks Panz, I'm sure I speak for a lot that lurk,,, appreciate all the information that is shared here, to keep these machines rolling.

 

 

Panz, looking forward to seeing your progress. I wish our New England winters were as temperate as yours.. No heat sucks.. I've been putting off some knee work myself and wish you a speedy recovery.