A buddy of mine has a 2005 Chopper Blue Softail Standard. You know, the one that has no freakin' chrome! Anyways, he wants to do the complete chrome engine kit. Rocker boxes, cam cover, trans cover and primary cover. He absolutely cannot/will not do it himself. What can he expect to pay O.T.D. to have this installed? Maybe even dealer versus Indy prices if you guys know. Please help as he asked me if I knew, and other than making a bunch of call to shops for him (which I ain't doing), he'll drag his heels till he just drops it at the dealer and get raped. What should this cost?

 

Why don't you do it with him to show him how easy it is, plus you get to spend some time with your buddy?

There is nothing critical to it such as setting end play on a cam, gap in rings, or anything complicated. It's various bolts and fasteners along with gaskets. An inexpensive torque wrench would be the only specialty tool, and then you can rent one for free from Autozone or O'reilly's.

 

Thanks for the reply, but I'm not the least bit interested on working on his bike and he (as mentioned), won't. I am just interested in helping him come up with some prices so when he does throw in the towel and gets a quote from the dealer we know how much difference we are looking at. Hell, the last time we were at the dealer, the dealer told him to sell it, as the 88's are all but obsolete, well over ten years old, if you can believe that ****.

 

Might as well combine it with a 3 hole oil change as you'll be losing some/all oil out of the covers.

I'd estimate a shop is going to charge you 2-3, maybe 4 hours labor. If I did it, I'd say it would take me a good couple of hours working slow. Indy shop is likely cheaper than a dealer as they don't have the mortgage on their taj mahal to pay.

It's an easy job but it's not going to be cheap, the parts alone will be expensive, even on eBay. Has he priced them? Frankly that might scare him off. Probably would be money ahead to sell his bike and buy one with chrome already on it.

 

As a flat rate job, Harley is going to charge you a minimum of 7 hours to install the listed parts...If budgeting, I would figure 8 hours at the hourly labor rate plus the cost of parts and a bit extra because there is always something else......always.

 

Having done that work I would not be happy with an 7-8 hour estimate. It's easy work except for the rockers which are a little bit of a pain.

 

That's what I said! Lol
That aside, thanks for the excellent replies and ideas.

 

Maybe a simple phone call to a dealer to ask how much supplied and installed.

 

Luckily, the guy I bought my 02 Standard off of had already done the engine chrome kit. I'd check on line prices for the kit and see if your Indie shop could order it for you, swap them your take off parts so they can chrome them and work out a fair price.