Frame Restoration

[Steve Little]

Thanks Bob. I will do that. I have typed out some replies in the past and have had to re-type them when a timeout happened. How long is the time out from inactivaty.
Can I cut and past pictures in the same way or are they constricted to the file manager of the forum?
Regards Steve

[Robert Luland]

Steve, write your post in word and the cut and paste and you will do away with the time out problem. Bob L

[Steve Little]

I am having to make a couple of edits and add pictures quickly because the forum times out and I have to retype.
Hope its making sense

[Steve Little]

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The front engine mount had been ground by someone to try and get a engine back in it.
In order to get a accurate engine deck reading, I had to run a file across the two pads of the front engine mount and take the high spots off.
By putting the face of the file on both pads it will stop the file from making a worse job of the uneven surfaces.
The 3/4" plate that is bolted to the rear engine mount is wash ground both sides and is used to measure the deck heights. Knuckle is 1.625" and Pan is 2" from the rear engine mount, down to the front engine mount.
The plate is also used to measure the angle of the rear engine mount to the seat post. The seat post angle of this frame measured at 74 degrees and 10 minutes. Harley designates this angle at 74.4.
The rear engine mount looks like it should be rigid, but the rear engine deck bends quite easily....from a construction point of veiw.
The box of small metal objects are called "Slip gauges" and it is the most professional way to measure a gap. It is common toolroom equipment
The right side pad of the front engine mount measured at 1.550 and the left at 1.540. This is why someone was grinding away at the front engine mount. It would not accomadate a Knuckle engine as the rear head would be hitting on the seat post well before the rear engine deck had settled on the rear mount.

[Steve Little]

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The bottom tubes on this frame have been broken and re-welded in 5 places and are integrally unsafe.
The rear Trans/engine mount is broken off and not supplied with the frame. The rear trans mounts have been stripped of all threads and the low fender support is cracked from both sides. The seat post has been broken and welded in two places.

[Steve Little]

Hi.
We were just about to start the restoration of a 1945-early 1946 frame, when my co-worker (who is younger than me, and into all things computor) suggested that we should document how we work through our process and put it on a web forum.
We see a lot of butchered frames come through here, but this frame is going to be an easy job.
The top section of the frame is in pretty good shape but has a couple of small bends in the tubes.
The backbone and the intermediate backbone, and down tubes all have some slight bends from a head-on accident.
There is a pretty decent nick in the front of the neck and my guess is that the rear leg on a springer has been smashed back onto the neck. The part that sepperates the springs, has been smashed back into the frame at the upper section of the neck. This has bent the backbone downwards at the top engine mount.
And the 2 downtubes are bowed out toward the front.
For the record all downtubes and backbone tubes on any big twin frame should be straight...(except for the 1941 Bent style frame
1945-46 frame restoration 007.JPG
I will add some more pictures later.