My Saturday ride to the Hog Farm

[Hack]

This is a first. Almost made it to the Hog Shop with a friend yesterday, except for a minor malfunction w/ my 50 Pan.

[PaulCDF]

"Almost made it to the Hog Shop with a friend yesterday, except for a minor malfunction"

OK so what happened?
Nice looking bikes. Always liked Panheads

[Hack]

I can't say for sure what happened but it was a very warm morning and the vent tube may have been pinched off down through the battery box is only thing I can think of. The battery caps are non vented. Just turned over 100 mi. on the all newly built bike, the generator is rebuilt with a solid state relay. My friend was behind me and pulled me over because he thought I was leaking oil or something. He did hear pop or a bang and then got sprayed. I didn't fully realize what happened until I got the bike home.

[PaulCDF]

Oh Wow; Thanks glad you made it home safe. Good to have friends to ride with.

[Hack]

Everyone on my street knows I've been building up the bike for the last 2 years during the lockdown, it's the only thing that has kept me sane. Embarrassing to see it come home Sat. on the back of a AAA truck!! LOL

[jim wagnon]

I sure get the projects getting knocked out over the last several years. I’ve managed to get things done that would have probably never happened. Great looking Panhead!

Jim

[PaulCDF]

Better time spent with a wrench and some grease on my hands or my butt in the motorcycle seat than on a psychiatrists' couch!

[Hack]

It actually happened kind of at the right time no matter how frustrating the lock down. I'd been sitting on a perfect 48 frame for many years, then found the 1950 engine with a Calif. pink slip in Dec. of 2019 and I was off to the races.

[PaulCDF]

Nice! Did the transmission in the picture also come with the engine?

[rustynutz]

Hack, So what did happen, was it battery related? Hopefully your friend was not sprayed with battery acid.

[Hack]

The trans in the picture is a spare I had sitting around waiting for the frame to build up some day. As far as the battery exploding goes, I can only guess what caused it and best guess is the vent tube was pinched off. It was a really warm day and the oil tank got hot and the battery failed. Rocco got misted a little as he was behind me but I don't know how far. I've been going around the bike with a spray bottle of baking soda and distilled water to neutralize the acid and clean up the rear end of the machine.