1969 FLH Shovelhead Build is a Radical Swingarm Chopper

Stock Intentions

The good folks at Lowbrow Customs have an eye for righteous rides, and this 1969 FLH Shovelhead is no exception. Here is a quick look at 'Swingdingin’ Mr. Beef,' Sam Long's custom Shovelhead. Long had every intention of leaving his Shovelhead stock, but things changed after an electrical issue. Long admitted, “I ended up taking it apart.” 

Swinging Build

Most builders go down the hardtail chopper route, but Long gave himself a challenge — make a radical swingarm chopper. “I figured everyone hardtails their bike so why not try something a little different.” A sissy bar was vital for the chopper look, but it posed a design issue. Long stated, “I wanted a sissy bar so I had to mount the fender to the swingarm.” 

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Lucky Kicker

Purchased locally, Long got lucky with the FLH's 1969 'slabside' generator-style engine. It was an 84 cubic-inch stroker motor with S&S cylinders. Long said that the motor's extra piston travel makes it a bit unpredictable. “So there was a learning curve. Sometimes it’s a thirty kick bike, and sometimes it's one.” The carburetor is a tried-and-tested S&S Super E, with a cast aluminum 'Bird Deflector' air intake cover. 

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Open Shift

Posing a hazard to pant cuffs is an open primary with a stock dry clutch. The business end of power selection is performed through the factory four-speed transmission and chain final drive. Long fabricated numerous stainless steel parts, including the clutch pedal and shifter. While complex, the pieced together, welded, and then polished shifter was Long's favorite part of the build. 

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Rear Details

Apart from all the detailing, the rear end looks remarkably stock. The exhaust is a factory-style unit that terminates with an upswept fishtail. FLH shocks with chrome covers help to smooth out the ride. Custom mounts on the swingarm drops the tail for a perfect ride stance. The oil tank is a Knucklehead unit that required some molding on the frame to keep the visual lines right. 

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Seat Rod

Pierce Street Seat Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, shortened and covered an Old Gold Cobra King seat. “They knocked out the rad new cover for it,” said Long. The rear fender started life as a trailer fender that was massaged into shape — molded at the tip, and around the chain cut-out. The swingarm-mounted sissy bar received a similar treatment, with stainless steel rod molded around the edges.

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Bar and Tank

Long used a set of vintage split Mustang tanks dating from around the mid-1950s. When Long got the tanks he said, “They were pretty nasty inside.” Found online, the handlebars were supposed to be a used set of OEM Harley-Davidson bars. As luck would have it, they were actually aftermarket stainless steel bars — a perfect match with the other custom stainless steel parts. 

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Cool Tools

In keeping with the chopper-vibe, the taillight is a Webster Chicago microphone stuffed with an LED cluster. Building a swingarm chopper is a cool idea, but even more remarkable is how the finished product turned out. As Long explained, “I don’t have anything too fancy — just a welder, a grinder, a drill press, a mini lathe that I don’t know how to use very well, and hand tools.” 

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