Picked this up today from a friend after seeing it in his living room. Always liked the juice brake rear and fender strut sportster front end. Kick only, runs great and came with the optional cast front rim as a loose spare part. The PO put the chrome one on but I prefer the cast one. Need to sort out some errors like the exhaust Y pipe, I like the sissy bar so it'll stay, need to figure out the kicker arm because its in the way, shifter is wrong etc. Feel free to pic it apart so I can make it right. I'll add some other pics soon along with questions.

 

They bent the brake pedal up and used a inner pan shifter for the heal shifting on floorboards - SO he is a Circus working

 

 

Someone prior to my friend did that which I already knew buttercup.

 

Here is mine, purchased new.

 

Still have?

 

Oh, I wish!

 

Is the starter crank from a Flathead 45ci?







Front cylinder looks like it has date code 336/71? Or 338/71? I’m not sure about this but I think it may indicate casting on day 336, or day 338, of 1971. Casting number may be 16568-66 and it may be at the back.
Rear cylinder date code looks like 305/71? Looks like there is another plate further forward and it too may have numbers on it? I’ve seen a similar extra plate on other Shovel cylinders but I don’t know what its numbers indicate. Casting number may be 16587-66 and it may be at the front.

Tappet guide screws are a later type?

On the lower tree is the letter P or R? Not that it makes any difference though because both those letters were used for 71 and 72.

On the frame, lower left rear forging 47654 65 may have appeared not long into 1970 model production. The previous forging 47653-58 was used for 58–69 and apparently for very early 70 models as well but I’m still trying to confirm exactly when the change to 47654 65 occurred. Something else I still don’t know is why the suffix was 65 as opposed to 70 but that is what happened. Forging 47654 65 then remained in use thru early-73.

Lower R-H rear forging 47651-58 was used for 58–early-73. Is the next number 16? Or 18? Regardless of which one it is I’m not sure what it indicates. It may be a die number but 16 is the only one I’ve seen so far on that type of forging. The earliest I’ve seen 16 is on some 1969 models.

Both upper rear forgings should be marked 47645-65.

On the left axle clip H39 is consistent with a 72 model. Inside that clip should be forging number 47614-58B, forging hallmark A (inside a jar) and a die number which may be 16.
On the R-H axle clip the die number obviously begins with 7. And I suspect the second number is 3 (as opposed to 8).

Rear footpegs are in the usual position for 71–72 but I’m not sure if they’re the correct type for your 72. My H-D catalogs indicate a certain style for 71–early-72 and they are flat. For late-72 they were rounded like you have and even the support was different but I don’t know when the change occurred as far as VINs are concerned.
Eric

 

Thanks Eric,

The 305/71 would be the Julian Calendar date so the rear head is Nov 1st 1971 and the front head (336/71) would be Thursday the 2nd of December 71.

The letter on the lower tree is an R

I assumed the 18 on the right lower forging would be the die number.

I didn't know a 45 had a bolt on kicker arm, I assumed they were one piece like the knucklehead / early pan. From the pictures I've seen on line the arm should have a bend in it but this one is too much and the pedal should be a foot peg not a popsicle.

Is there supposed to be a head shield in front of the rear master where the original Y pipe would come close to it?

 

IT IS A 45 KICKER, it has the lug that works as a stop on the 45 kicker cover, not seen one used on a shovel before, but the square holes were all the same so no reason it wouldn't fit, only thing i cant remember is if it is shorter overall than a shovel/big twin kicker lever, if it is, felt resistance will be greater than a longer one as the longer it is, the greater leverage you get...