1957 Sportster FRAME issues

[Powerlifter626]

Hey guys, I am in the process of restoring a 1957 XL Sportster. When I bought the bike the frame had been chewed up pretty badly on the neck. The previous owner had cut it bad with a torch in an attempt to make the frame smooth....he filled it with body filler pretty thick so I had no idea when I bought it that the frame had this much damage. Anyway after sandblasting the frame I realized the neck had to be replaced, It was in really bad shape with deep pits from the torch, it was severely disfigured which would not allow me to mount the proper engine crash bars, or steering damper, besides it was just ugly. So I had a local motorcycle shop replace the neck...now the new neck has no casting numbers as it was made to be a replacement. The frame is strong now and looks a lot better.

My question is when I bring this bike to be judged will I get points off for no casting #'s on the neck? I could even bring the old neck with me to the judging....This was unavoidable, as the old neck was not repairable. The entire rest of the frame is correct, with casting #'s in all the right spots. I have spent a lot of time and money finding original parts for this restoration and everything else is A+. The absolute only concern of mine is this neck, but like I said there was no way around it, it had to be replaced.

Besides this, the bike will be without a doubt one of, if not The Best example of a 1957 XL Sportster in the country. I went to the 50th Anniversary in Lexington, Ohio this summer and saw a pair of good 1957 XL's but there were discrepencies that I noticed....anyhow I would appreciate any feedback regarding this issue. Thanks

-Paul

[HD48FL]

Judging...

I'm not sure if the judges look at casting numbers. I would think that they would. To me it would change the judging as it's not original any more. Functional yes, but you took away the original component. One option would have been to find another original frame or original neck section and use that as a donor. I'm not sure if anyone is repopping Sportster frame parts with correct casting codes like the Big Twin ones that are available, but that would have been the other option.

[Powerlifter626]

Yeah they make replacement parts but not with the casting numbers as they came from the factory. The "Original Component" I took away was butchered beyond recognition so it wasn't going to get me points for originality anyway. Just to be safe while riding I had to replace it I really did not have a choice. Like I said the only thing on this frame that was changed is the neck...it doesn't have some other incorrect numbers on it, its just lacking casting #'s all together. I am trying to show this bike but yes I wanted to make it functional as well...and that old neck just wouldn't have been strong enough in my mind.

Anyway its done now so my question is as is How would it fair being judged? Everything matches...just the neck had to be replaced...I mean if a 1957 Sportster got into an accident back in the 60's and needed to be repaired and had a new neck installed....wouldn't this be sort of the same issue?

[HD48FL]

Well...

I see your point but I would think that judges want to see completely original machines and judge accordingly. That's what makes an antique alluring, the fact that it's survived the time. I agree with what you've done and wouldn't worry. Let the bike be judged as it is. You know that you had to do what was right for the machine, not the judges.

[Powerlifter626]

Well I appreciate your feedback, yeah I really had no choice but to replace the neck....the casting #'s on the old neck were even ground off because the guy had molded the frame back in the 70's...so it wasn't adding any value thats for sure. I know of only 4 57 Sporters not including mine that are even around....I am sure there are more out there but I know of only 4 that are in original condition. I talk to all the guys through e-mail and they have been helping me with my restoration. They built 1,932 XL's in 1957 and I know a lot of them including mine before I got it had been customized and turned into a chopper as a lot of bikes were. I guess that was just the thing to do. Even today everyone customizes their bikes, it just boggles my mind some of the things they did....I mean to severely disfigure the neck on my bike to achieve a smooth look in the front I think was a waste of time and it just looked really ugly, besides the fact that it was structurely weaker then stock. But in any case I'm surprised it survived 50 years...I am sure it went through many owners and many people messed with it. Luckily that was the only real dilemma I faced while doing this build.

[kval]

1957 sportster frame

Powerlifter626
the judging allows for reproduction parts, they must look like the factory part. if your replacement neck looks like original except for the casting numbers, no problem!

[Powerlifter626]

Well the castings for the necks did not change all that much but they did change slightly from the early sportsters/K models to the later model sportsters. They make only 1 style replacement neck and it resembles the slightly later necks that were on the 70's frames. I mean you can't really even tell unless you had two necks next to one another but there are slight differences. All my concern is, would this disqualify me from judging? If its just a matter of losing a few points I can live with that but I don't want to build a show bike and not be able to have it judged....Everything else on the bike is factory stock and matches, its just with the neck I had no choice, it had to be replaced.

Thanks for the feedback

[kval]

1957 sportster frame

go ahead and enter it!!!!!! that is a small part of the frame and if spoted would only be a minor deduction

[Powerlifter626]

Thanks everyone for the feedback....bike is not assembled yet but I will definetly have it judged when its all done. Thanks again.

-Paul