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Bob, hold up before you buy anything or good chance you'll get stuck with stuff you don't need or can sell again.
I'm an old builder, done many bikes, my sig bike started life as a frame and a pile of boxes 42 years ago. Let me pass on a few hard learned lessons about what you want to do. You want a complete bike to start with, building one is far more involved than you think and unless you have a serious goodies stash it will turn into a deep money pit.
#1 shovels are getting real popular, prices are all over the place and the scammers are thick with fake ads for parts & engines now online in forums and Facebook marketplace, know your business or you will get taken and I'm not getting the feeling you know much about them or that world.
#2 As I mentioned, Buy a complete bike with a title already, doing the dance for a builder's title can be a real pain in some states and getting it insured could be a problem. Lots of complete bikes around if you watch and do a little searching. You get all the parts you need, including all the little nickel & dime things you didn't know you needed and can't find online easily anymore, this is a serious thing, these are not lego sets. The added benefit is you get to take the machine apart so get much needed experience, you know where everything goes and how it all goes together again. Please consider this seriously, you'll get the education you need and you'll spend far less money chasing **** you don't need.
Last tip but a big one takes lots of pictures as you tear things down, take notes, it does help big time.
Don't be in a hurry, deals are out there, I just picked this up very reasonable, builders title but it's all there, decent quality stuff and legal. Going to go over it, make sure it's solid and clean, and she'll be up for sale.
Wise words indeed....I never leave my bikes totally stock, but I usually buy them that way and with a title because no matter what else happens, you still have a bike you can legally ride.
Builders or Special construction, when the bike has built from scratch or doesn't have a factory issued title.
Here in New Zealand it is called "Low Volume Certification" the vin tag lists all the approved mods, which can make future mods problematic if you want to have valid insurance.
Update on my wiring debacle. Started tracing wires and thought I had a good handle bar set up.
Found no continuity from switch to exposed wire at seat post. Hmmm.
I cut the cover off the harness and found the left and right harnesses cut at steering neck. Just cut , not removed.
I was thinking to get extended handle bar harnesses to give the length between the tank and replace switches at the same time.
Well I am on my second Schovel Head I owned. 70 and now a 78 both AMF versions. The Tranny out put shaft seal has been improved the eleminated the inner cork seal, I missed that nothing mentioned in the maintenance manual. So I installed it. With the new version. Not a big deal. When I bought the bike out of Florida on Fleebay the guy told me they had just changed it. Had a receipt for the work came with the bike. To mention its a 19781/2 80c Anniversary FLH. Lots of options and lots of issues when it was delivered. From Florida to North Texas. The guy dropped it off at one in the morning. The shipper. Was a great guy, and he had nothing to do with the issues of a said to be perfect FLH Harley. Ive posted and just joined our group a few months ago. Glad I did, only to find out, I was not the only victim of poor Wrenching. After owning the bike for five years. I can say I am glad I own her and she is getting that TLC this AMF deserves. In all fair ness that tranny seal is one of the acclies tendon on my Bike. I dont know about others,but that tranny seal work done in Daytona beach was a joke. I hope I got it right this time,and it last more than a year. I say that because of the leak mess including the drive sprocket coming loose and the chain rubbing on my inner primary, I knew something was not right on the Christmas toy run. And I caught it before it made a mess of my inner primary. That would have been expensive. Ive really enjoyed all the posts and been reading and getting a little much needed knowledge.AJ
I want to start building a shovelhead starting with just a frame. I will need advice. Does anyone know if there is a place I can purchase a complete hardware package and wiring harness? What is the average price for a motor and transmission. There are so many websites for motorcycle parts. Are there any that specialize in new or used Shovelhead parts? Does anyone know where I can get a service and parts manual?
Bob in Houston
hey Bob my Brother. I went that route Yeats ago took me two years I was newly retired. Wanted A pan. In the end I should have never done it. Buy a bike around what you want after you get done. You know that. Then you hVe the basic. The nickle and dime stuff will knock you out. Building a bike from scratch is crazy in 2025. Not to.offend just sharing what I've been thru.AJ
Well I am on my second Schovel Head I owned. 70 and now a 78 both AMF versions. The Tranny out put shaft seal has been improved the eleminated the inner cork seal, I missed that nothing mentioned in the maintenance manual. So I installed it. With the new version. Not a big deal. When I bought the bike out of Florida on Fleebay the guy told me they had just changed it. Had a receipt for the work came with the bike. To mention its a 19781/2 80c Anniversary FLH. Lots of options and lots of issues when it was delivered. From Florida to North Texas. The guy dropped it off at one in the morning. The shipper. Was a great guy, and he had nothing to do with the issues of a said to be perfect FLH Harley. Ive posted and just joined our group a few months ago. Glad I did, only to find out, I was not the only victim of poor Wrenching. After owning the bike for five years. I can say I am glad I own her and she is getting that TLC this AMF deserves. In all fair ness that tranny seal is one of the acclies tendon on my Bike. I dont know about others,but that tranny seal work done in Daytona beach was a joke. I hope I got it right this time,and it last more than a year. I say that because of the leak mess including the drive sprocket coming loose and the chain rubbing on my inner primary, I knew something was not right on the Christmas toy run. And I caught it before it made a mess of my inner primary. That would have been expensive. Ive really enjoyed all the posts and been reading and getting a little much needed knowledge.AJ
Ray's Magic Spacer, Yamabond 4, a Supernut, a mixture of straight 60 and Lucas Oil Additive, plus careful attention to the distance between the inner face of the Supernut seal and the threads on the output shaft will sort that out for you.
Thing with a shovel when you get one is taking the time and going over it and correcting all the little stuff age and previous owners have done or neglected. Do a few time proven and inexpensive upgrades on some things and a shovel can be a very reliable machine. You also get to know the bike intimately. Far as regular upkeep, just a good look over weekly, check fluids, cables, adjust the chain, check any hardware or chase down a new noise or vibration while it's still a small issue. These machines will take an ungodly amount of abuse and neglect before things get serious, which is why most owners have problems, they let it go so long.
Probably one of the best re-plies I ever read.
Last edited by Rains2much; Jan 20, 2025 at 06:02 PM.
Hey Spanner and twisted thanks for your comment. I did hear about that option, and on my next go around I made a note and will probably try it. Right now the tranny seal snd thei nner primary she is back.togeather,, still waiting on some green grease. For my starter drive assembly. Decided to tackle my Pogo. Another mess. Used a come along to remove it. It was frozen in place, the seat shaft was all bent from a long grease zert. Everything is on the holding pattern. Worried about federal taxes in April. I will be able to finish up the drive primary, and some of the electrical. Did get the Earth X battery. But its all stop on purchasing right now.any way that's how it goes in 25! AJ
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