nice to have you aboard. Some very good shovel people in here.
68 shovel head project
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 128
Likes: 160
From: Massachusetts
68 shovel head project
New to this forum and the Harley world. Thought I'd get a thread started. Just purchased a 68 shovel head from a friend. It's all there but some of it is in boxes. My experience is on old BMWs and most recently an 82 Goldwing I brought back from the dead. All of those are boxer motors with shaft drive. I am finding quickly that this shovel head is a whole nuther animal!
Just digging in and pretty much cleaning and inventorying what I have to work with.
Bike is 99% stock. Motor and tranny are in the frame. Wheels and fenders on. Brakes both work. Fenders are on as well as lighting and ignition switch. Wiring harness, too. Motor has jugs and heads installed with rocker covers. Crank case is complete including oil pump. Tranny has a kicker added.
Tappet blocks and lifters, carb, primary, starter motor, exhaust. generator, oil tank, battery and battery box, tanks and bags are all in boxes.
Motor was re-built - jugs bored 30 over - new pistons/rings - valve job - assembled and mounted in frame but never started. Transmission also rebuilt.
Thats what I am working with..
Found one bad tappet. The middle part was sticking out of the housing (with the cam follower wheel) and wouldn't go back in. It has a split in the body. Cup on the little hydraulic top part is also broken. Got a new set of 4 on the way. Parts seem easy to find but expensive.
Purchased a factory service manual and parts manual and joined this forum.
The fun begins!
Just digging in and pretty much cleaning and inventorying what I have to work with.
Bike is 99% stock. Motor and tranny are in the frame. Wheels and fenders on. Brakes both work. Fenders are on as well as lighting and ignition switch. Wiring harness, too. Motor has jugs and heads installed with rocker covers. Crank case is complete including oil pump. Tranny has a kicker added.
Tappet blocks and lifters, carb, primary, starter motor, exhaust. generator, oil tank, battery and battery box, tanks and bags are all in boxes.
Motor was re-built - jugs bored 30 over - new pistons/rings - valve job - assembled and mounted in frame but never started. Transmission also rebuilt.
Thats what I am working with..
Found one bad tappet. The middle part was sticking out of the housing (with the cam follower wheel) and wouldn't go back in. It has a split in the body. Cup on the little hydraulic top part is also broken. Got a new set of 4 on the way. Parts seem easy to find but expensive.
Purchased a factory service manual and parts manual and joined this forum.
The fun begins!
Popular Reply
Mar 30, 2025, 04:13 PM
Thread Starter
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 128
Likes: 160
From: Massachusetts
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 128
Likes: 160
From: Massachusetts
Thanks for the encouragement!
Looks like exhaust is stock, which makes me happy - not a loud pipes guy.
Got a complete motor gasket set, complete wiring harness and 4 new tappets. Need a battery. Id like to get the wiring squared away and tested before I start mounting more stuff. hoping to make some headway this weekend. At least get the lifters and pushrods in and adjusted. I'm old but still work full time so I am a weekend warrior.
Weather here in New England has been great lately so its been hard not to get some riding in. I mean that's why we do this....
First question: are there any suppliers of parts that I should avoid? Kind of a loaded question - like asking what kind of oil I should use but don't want to learn it the hard way if I can avoid it.
Looks like exhaust is stock, which makes me happy - not a loud pipes guy.
Got a complete motor gasket set, complete wiring harness and 4 new tappets. Need a battery. Id like to get the wiring squared away and tested before I start mounting more stuff. hoping to make some headway this weekend. At least get the lifters and pushrods in and adjusted. I'm old but still work full time so I am a weekend warrior.
Weather here in New England has been great lately so its been hard not to get some riding in. I mean that's why we do this....
First question: are there any suppliers of parts that I should avoid? Kind of a loaded question - like asking what kind of oil I should use but don't want to learn it the hard way if I can avoid it.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 128
Likes: 160
From: Massachusetts
Got most of the parts identified and cleaned up. Figuring out how it all goes together.
Can't figure out how to get the right hand exhaust pipe (front cylinder) in between the frame and motor. The pipe has a squished part to fit there. Looks like maybe the motor has to be moved out of the way.. Definitely want to deal with that before I put the primary on. So many exhaust options its hard to find information on this. Assuming the pipe goes there. Can't see any other way it makes sense.
Can't figure out how to get the right hand exhaust pipe (front cylinder) in between the frame and motor. The pipe has a squished part to fit there. Looks like maybe the motor has to be moved out of the way.. Definitely want to deal with that before I put the primary on. So many exhaust options its hard to find information on this. Assuming the pipe goes there. Can't see any other way it makes sense.
