Then you have the only 2 1987 and 1988 ironheads known to exist. I'm punching out of this thread.

 

Many questions and suggestions have been made to narrow down the problem and give a solution but yest you alwas come back sayig they have power or check out.If you have power going as far as the lights you saould have lights coming on its that simple and there's no reason you should not have lights and thats where you have to begin, bikes with fairings on theother hand like my 89 flhtp are a bit more complicated but if my wire diagram says follow the battery to this circuit got power ? good move onto he next jucntion point upto the liight and you can bet I have lites working. If the girl you know is a mechanic and says these bikes are what she says they are I would think she has a manual with a wire diagram, ifnot here is the wire diagram for the 87 sportster.
http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...pics/page2.jpg
http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...pics/page1.jpg

Wiring on these bikes is very straight forward and what I would suggest is you brak down the wiring one at a time and get lites figured out first and try what I suggested which was boost the starter which I already suggested.

 

I am sort of leaning in the same direction as ridemywg above.
I hate to be rude but, no I don't. You may be the kind of mechanic that should just load the bike up and take it to the best shop you can find, then start saving your money to get it back out. It may be either that or sell it or push itt to the back of the garage and find a tarp.
And I have to comment on the statement that they can not be 87 88 and have an iron head engine. I wonder how that 305 with three four barrel carburators got in that 27 ford I drove to the car show the other week? Hmmm.....

 

Just for ***** and giggles do you have any pics of the motor. I want to see the 87 Ironhead.

 

It can be done...but you would need a blow-torch, welder, fab skills, and alot of cash to do it. My comment to you is this: do you know the intracasies of doing this swap? On 2 different bikes? Didn't think so. And let me know if you did the work to the 27 Ford...305 indeed.

 

Well, you took my side in the first four words.

 

Yeah, thats true. Didn't mean to be harsh. The only thing I can figure is the OP wound up with split titles and late frames / early engines. I don't know. Makes no sence. Evo sporty in early frame-seen it. Iron heads in later frames? I have seen Shovesters and helped a buddy build a Panster years ago. But this just doesn't add up. I wish this guy would post some pics and then maybe we could help him.

 

Yeah..look on my profile.

 

I looked over everything that y'all told me about. and with my limited amount of tools, let alone knowledge of the bike (that being pretty limited as well) and I do recall saying that the ONLY time I had power to the lights or anything, was when the charger was hooked up to the battery and the key was turned on.
I didn't attempt to start it up while it was on the charger (THAT might've been stupid to do). I put everything back together according to the fraggin' manual and had no luck. So........ I took it to a wrench jockey. His diagnostic computer has come up with an existing short in the wire (so far) and that's being taken care of. I asked him to do a 110% check up on it. To make sure there are no other problems. Give it a tune up, and just FIX THE DAMN THING ALREADY!!!!

 

I hope you get it sorted out and back home soon.
None of the pics in your profile are of an Ironhead Sportster.