My wife got her dad's '79 shovel this summer after he passed away, very well kept bike, however i need to order some parts but not sure exactly what model it is the vin tells me its a 1979 fxef but i believe it is a superglide but i don't see an fxef superglide listed when i search for parts. Pictures have been no help either as he changed the fenders etc. any help would be appreciated. I believe it was the last year for 9 digit vins as well and the frame and case match. Thanks

 

For 79... FXE (Super Glide) starts w/ 9D, FXEF (Fat Bob)1200 starts with 5E, FXEF (Fat Bob) 80 starts with 6E. I can find nothing that shows a FXEF Super Glide being made

 

Thakn you for the info it starts with 5E so that answers my question.

 

The FX were all called superglides even the fat bob, it was just a fat bob superglide. There was also the low rider, yet another flavor of the fat bob superglide. The differences are all cosmetic except the differences in engines (1200/1340) so most parts are interchangeable across the breed.

 

Correct. The difference between a Low Rider and a Superglide was the Low Rider had additonal Chrome, Painted rocker covers, primary cover, cam cover and sliders. The Low Riders had kick starters, not all Superglides did. The Low Rider fork tubes were two inches longer than a Superglide. The motor on a low rider was painted wrinkle black and the ends of the fins were ground flat. Low Riders also came stock with mag wheels.

 

Yes I will agree...that being said the 79 sales brochure talks about the Super Glide and the "Fat Bob" Superglide and shows a picture with the words under each. It has a separate page for the Low Rider (no mention of it as the Super Glide Low Rider). In the spec page it lists the FXE-1200 Super Glide, The FXE/F-1200 Fat Bob and the FXS-1200 Low Rider. Curiously, there is no mention of the FXE/F-80 Fat Bob (MoCo produced 5264 units of it for 79). They also assigned vin numbers designating each model of Super Glide.

I wonder if... you could walk into a shop circa 1980 and asked for a part for your Fat Bob Super Glide or your Low Rider Super Glide...you think the parts guy would know what you meant or would ask if the part you needed was for a Super Glide or a Fat Bob. From my thinking the Super Glide was your basic entry to the FX models and it varied (as you pointed out) after that.

 

The only differene between the parts of a Low Rider and a Superglide were the finish. They listed a separate part number for the wrinkle painted parts compared to the plain. Same with the Cadmium parts and the chrome for the low rider. They all interchange but it would look weird to have one painted slider and one aluminum. The parts guys were pretty sharp, at least around here, back then. If you told them you had a 79 Superglide or Low Rider they would get the right part. All the mechanical parts were the same. We had one parts guy who could quote you the part number for most common parts from memory.

 

Everyone has pretty much broken it down. Mine had the 1340 engine. I liked the factory gutter pipe exhaust and the short bars, but took them both off. The shorty bars are just plain hard to ride. The guages in the tanks are pretty neat as well. Good luck. Lots of parts available except for the factory pipe. Ken