Old shovelhead?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,495
Likes: 3,705
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Uhm...don't think so....
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,110
Likes: 51,394
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Ok quit picking on the guy . That's a big mis match bunch of stuff sitting there and I'll venture 75 or older and she's been out in the weather a while to boot so I'd try to roll the motor over just to see it's froze up or not . Was a decent build before it got forgotten like that . Aftermarket frame of some kind bends are wrong for a stock one , the frontend is the off years 82 to 84 still used 10" brakes I have one and several set of tubes for those if needed , the rest is typical bolt on stuff for a hardtail that was available or adaptable when it was built . Time & good old fashion elbow grease to clean her up to see what you really have is needed and that will boost the selling price considerably over the way it sits now but when done be a nice little day toy to have .
I hear you all I get left is crap piles and that's being generous sometimes ..........
Dang, I'm sick of these stories about people getting "left" free scooters. I'd have loved to have had that bike. I'm plotting a minimalist bobber, just frame, seat, gas and oil tank, two wheels and a monster motor. This would have been a great start at "free".
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 695
Likes: 394
From: Western Australia
Welcome to the forum, Christy.
Yes, the engine is a Shovelhead. The first Shovelhead was a 1966 model and the ones for 196769 were similar to the 66. But for 1970 and later model Shovelheads, Harley used a different crankcase design and these 1970-later ones are referred to by several terms: cone Shovelhead; alternator Shovelhead; late Shovelhead.
I saw your engine VIN in the other thread. The type of VIN format you have was used for 197080. In this instance, the first two characters (9G) indicate the engine is from an FXWG-80 which is an 80-cubic-inch (1340cc) Wide Glide. The next five characters are the sequential production number. The letter J is a manufacturer code or decade code. The last character (0) indicates 1980 as the model year. All this VIN information I have supplied for you is taken from my 197184 H-D FX-series parts catalog.
Your bike may have originally started life as a complete 1980 FXWG and it would have looked similar to the bike below:
The bike Ive posted has what is referred to as a swingarm frame which means it has suspension in the rear. But the bike you have appears to have a rigid frame which means it has no rear suspension. Your frame could be a complete aftermarket item but sometimes people convert Harley swingarm frames to rigid by adding a different rear section but I cant tell from your photos whether or not thats happened.
Could you please post a photo of the section of frame near the front of the gas tank (right-hand side) because that may help with ID. And are there any markings on that section?
Eric
Yes, the engine is a Shovelhead. The first Shovelhead was a 1966 model and the ones for 196769 were similar to the 66. But for 1970 and later model Shovelheads, Harley used a different crankcase design and these 1970-later ones are referred to by several terms: cone Shovelhead; alternator Shovelhead; late Shovelhead.
I saw your engine VIN in the other thread. The type of VIN format you have was used for 197080. In this instance, the first two characters (9G) indicate the engine is from an FXWG-80 which is an 80-cubic-inch (1340cc) Wide Glide. The next five characters are the sequential production number. The letter J is a manufacturer code or decade code. The last character (0) indicates 1980 as the model year. All this VIN information I have supplied for you is taken from my 197184 H-D FX-series parts catalog.
Your bike may have originally started life as a complete 1980 FXWG and it would have looked similar to the bike below:
The bike Ive posted has what is referred to as a swingarm frame which means it has suspension in the rear. But the bike you have appears to have a rigid frame which means it has no rear suspension. Your frame could be a complete aftermarket item but sometimes people convert Harley swingarm frames to rigid by adding a different rear section but I cant tell from your photos whether or not thats happened.
Could you please post a photo of the section of frame near the front of the gas tank (right-hand side) because that may help with ID. And are there any markings on that section?
Eric
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,110
Likes: 51,394
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Anywhere anymore , running shovels are pulling more than early years twinkies around here .
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,495
Likes: 3,705
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Before you start taking it all apart, take lots of pics, general and detail. With a custom build that you did not start, there are some things the original owner might have modified to get things to work right.
If you work on one section at a time (front end, rear end, brakes, frame, engine, tranny), it is not so overwhelming as opposed to taking it all apart and looking at a large pile of parts.
I would recommend a shop manual although an OEM might not be much use. At least get Clymers.
If you get stuck on something please post. Lots of folks here to chime in with some great tips.
And, remember to take pics as you go along. Makes the end result that much better.
If you work on one section at a time (front end, rear end, brakes, frame, engine, tranny), it is not so overwhelming as opposed to taking it all apart and looking at a large pile of parts.
I would recommend a shop manual although an OEM might not be much use. At least get Clymers.
If you get stuck on something please post. Lots of folks here to chime in with some great tips.
And, remember to take pics as you go along. Makes the end result that much better.
Ol "Hipsterhotpants" hasn't been back, probably sold the bike for a couple C notes. But if it is infact a '80 FXWG, a factory shop manual will be a good thing, except of course, the frame. I wouldn't use a Clymers to pull my lawnmower apart.
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Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,110
Likes: 51,394
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
No kidding they are about as useful as the old sears & roebuck catalog granddad would carry out to the old outhouse with him way back when I was a kid .
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