Hello all,
I have an opportunity... Loaded words I know.
My riding buddy has a 1972 FLH that was his Dads. We are good friends and ride Street Glides, Sportsters & Triumphs together (lucky us).
He is willing to give me his fathers FLH for me to own and rebuild. That is good, but can be a can of worms at the same time.
Anyway my friend dis-assembled the bike some years ago and everything sits in his garage. A basket case. I know I will need many new parts and a comprehensive bolts package to assemble. And surely a wiring harness.
The motor is rebuilt supposedly, and the trans has a cracked case apparently and leaks oil. It will need the nacelle & fork covers, plus who knows what various parts throughout.
I know there will be setbacks, and no matter what a money pit to boot.
I aim to do a basic Stock FLH (including tin) with 1" shorter shocks and a 19' or 21" front wheel. (haven't seen the Shovelhead FLH with all tin done with a 19" wheel yet)
I will do a mock build to start and the multitude of new parts, then dis-assemble and do the finishes. I generally am a bolt on parts guy, and not doing a full rebuild...
A rebuild or replacement trans will be needed to have a running roller.
Just trying to get my head on straight for this, and expectations...
Thanks for any insight gents.

 

Free is for me ! lol Do you have the desire, room, ability and money to take it on?

 

With the exception of my first bike, a couple BSA's and recently my Road King every bike I've owned started life as a basket case.

Can't beat free as a starting point.

 

Don’t take it just because its free and then sell it 5 years from now in the same boxes - you will in the city i live - have to fight that guy friend or not doing it

 

Congratulations on the new bike. Get an OEM service manual and parts book.

Anyway my friend dis-assembled the bike some years ago and everything sits in his garage. A basket case.
Take pics before you put it all in the back of your truck to take it home. When you get home and start working on it, sort it all out by groups and take pics of each group. Take notes on what you thinks needed/missing.

I know I will need many new parts and a comprehensive bolts package to assemble. And surely a wiring harness.
You'll know what parts you need when you sort it all out. Colony makes some really nice nuts and bolts, in various finishes (cad chrome and parkerized). You can down load their catalog in a .pdf version and find them on their on-line parts store on the Flea. There is also places like Low Brow Customs that carries Colony as well as several others. You need the info, give a holler I I'll send you the links.
Think about switching out your stator, rotor, and voltage regulator to Cycle Electric. Not cheap but American made. You get your stock harness, take the wiring diagram in the manual to some place that can enlarge it to something like 20 X 30. Color code it exactly like it calls for in the manual. Put the diagram on your wall next to where you are doing the wiring. Makes it a whole lot easier than having to look at a small diagram in the manual.

The motor is rebuilt supposedly, and the trans has a cracked case apparently and leaks oil.
Any paperwork on the rebuild? Any chance you can contact the builder to verify what was done? When was the last time the bike was started? Ran?
As long as the case isn't blown up, a good welder with knowledge on welding aluminum, can weld that crack. I have a shop I use in Mt View CA that does all my aluminum repair. Just got back two tranny cases that they repaired. Hez working on filling a rocker cover screw hole so that I can redial and tap. Used them for a couple of inner primary cases as well as motor mounts on a couple of different Pan and Shovel cases.

It will need the nacelle & fork covers, plus who knows what various parts throughout.
Have some parts from some of my FX and FLH models. Might be ably to help. Let me know. And being that were on the same coast, shipping won't be outrageous

I know there will be setbacks, and no matter what a money pit to boot.
With older iron there are always setbacks and delays. Being that you are starting with "free", the money pit will take a while before it surfaces.

I will do a mock build to start and the multitude of new parts, then dis-assemble and do the finishes. I generally am a bolt on parts guy, and not doing a full rebuild...
Excellent call. You haven't mention anything about the tins. What the goal?

A rebuild or replacement trans will be needed to have a running roller.
Think about Andrews gears. Again, not cheap but the best quality out there (my opinion anyway).

Good luck in the endeavor. Plenty of folks in this forum that can answer questions should you get stuck

 

Free bike? What's the worst that can happen? Go for it. If you get in over your head, post pictures and questions here. You might want to rethink the big front wheel though.

 

Thank you panz4ever, a nice order of business.
I officially took on the project today, a gentlemans handshake with my friend. He has the title! Lol

The tin is in very good shape. The tanks are unbelievably spotless metal finish - kinda blew my mind.
The bike has been disassembled for 15 years & his Dad is long gone. Its ran the last time he rode it and it had a coil failure apparently. He did not mess with it further as he was right in the middle of bringing up a family... He thought the AMF build was so poor he did not want to do the project.

It should have a disc front end, but has a drum... And the tin (or front fender anyway) is Duo Glide! Go figure. I think his Dad back dated it as it was semi bobbed too.
Maybe a Duo Glide front end? Hmmm...
My indy H-D shop is behind me. He gave me a complete thick V-Twin Mfg products guide. Cool beans. Thanks to Kenny. It has a lot of product.

I will do a starter button or lever on the solenoid, I like that old school location...

Yes a nuts & bolts package will be acquired when I know more what I need. He has bags of bolts but not documented - I can figure out some of it...
I have two Shovel guys in my circle so I will throw a thousand questions at them lol, and here too. :-)

I have a lift... I have the funds to make this happen. I will expect a year or two of build time. Maybe mocked up by fall?? Dunno.
I will do Buchcanan rebuilt wheels. I will look at Andrews for the trans (looked at the Baker 6 into 4 so far). S & S might be in the mix in the future. ;-)

My goal will be like this pic below in a basic function. ...A sweet bike I found on A Dennis Kirk Garage page.
I will have pics of all my acquired parts soon!

Thanks for all the positivity gents.

 

Post up some pictures when you get the parts home !

 

Sounds like a good plan, but the solenoid lever requires starting in neutral unless you have two left hands. Tough if you stall in traffic. Looking forward to pictures and a build thread

 

Good topic Joe, the front wheel. Visually the 21" wheel looks good, not too overdone. Or is it. Tell me the negatives please, handling I assume? Or fitment?
I am also considering a 19" wheel - the larger hoop visual would still be there (I have done this on another bike). Either in a 120/70 size. 110/90 maybe. MT90 (130) or a MU90 (140) 16" for the rear. Gotta measure. Mechanicals way before tire sizing!
Anyway, the larger front wheel brings the old bike to a more modern look IMO.
I have a big azz V-Twin Mfg manual... Man that book has everything. Wiring, bolts, tin etc...
Not so worried about originality, as much as getting the bike back into circulation.

Only two pics I have so far of the bike assembled in action, right before it was torn down apparently 15 or so years ago. The kid is now 25-ish.
Starting to look like a mish mash of parts like so many older H-D's.





Pictures yes as I move along!