shovel engine on hd rigid frame

[hdhikaru]

hi,
is it possible to put shovelhead engine on hd original rigid frame?

[Rubone]

Panhead frame yes (it bolts right in), Knucklehead frame no (it can be done but ruins the frame)

[hdhikaru]

got it!! thanks!!

[camsaure]

The rear rocker box gets really close to the seat post tube. I have seen a couple where someone had put a small 1/8 inch deep clearance dent in the down tube. It was not deep enough to affect the action of the seat post.

[hdhikaru]

The rear rocker box gets really close to the seat post tube. I have seen a couple where someone had put a small 1/8 inch deep clearance dent in the down tube. It was not deep enough to affect the action of the seat post.

got it thanks!!

[Steve Slocombe]

All 1930 and up Harley Big Twins have the same pitch for the engine mounting bolts, so people are putting even Evo engines in VL frames. The problem is you have to cut the horizontal tube under the VL tanks to get the later motor in, which destroys it as a VL frame. The VL also takes a 1 1/8" diameter fork stem compared with 1" post 1936. Wheels Through Time put a knuckle engine in a VL frame to make a 36VEL and there is a DVD of that title from 2006.

[govmule84]

All 1930 and up Harley Big Twins have the same pitch for the engine mounting bolts, so people are putting even Evo engines in VL frames. The problem is you have to cut the horizontal tube under the VL tanks to get the later motor in, which destroys it as a VL frame. The VL also takes a 1 1/8" diameter fork stem compared with 1" post 1936. Wheels Through Time put a knuckle engine in a VL frame to make a 36VEL and there is a DVD of that title from 2006.

At the risk of sounding like a pedantic poop, BT sidevalves do not bolt right into an OHV frame. They need a spacer under the front of the motor, P/N 24795-48.

[Rubone]

At the risk of sounding like a pedantic poop, BT sidevalves do not bolt right into an OHV frame. They need a spacer under the front of the motor, P/N 24795-48.

Actually not quite true either. The spacer is only needed for '48 and up frames which have a lower front motor mount (which matches the new for '48 Panhead engine and all subsequent engines including the EVO). Motor mounts share common locations from '30-47 with 48U models being the odd leftover. Then '48 up share a new front location. All OHV and BTSV frames through '47 share dimensions on engine mounting.

[govmule84]

Actually not quite true either. The spacer is only needed for '48 and up frames which have a lower front motor mount (which matches the new for '48 Panhead engine and all subsequent engines including the EVO). Motor mounts share common locations from '30-47 with 48U models being the odd leftover. Then '48 up share a new front location. All OHV and BTSV frames through '47 share dimensions on engine mounting.

Oh yeah, I guess I biffed that.

So that leads me to another question: I know a Pan don't fit in a Knuck frame without surgery or a ball bat. I've never tried to do it myself, though. Does the motor itself not fit, or is it the motor plus the spacer (which I assume one would put at the rear if installing a later motor into an earlier frame) that makes the Pan too tall for its new home?

And yes, I realize this is all heresy and not at all restorative in nature.

[Chris Haynes]

All 1930 and up Harley Big Twins have the same pitch for the engine mounting bolts, so people are putting even Evo engines in VL frames. The problem is you have to cut the horizontal tube under the VL tanks to get the later motor in, which destroys it as a VL frame. The VL also takes a 1 1/8" diameter fork stem compared with 1" post 1936. Wheels Through Time put a knuckle engine in a VL frame to make a 36VEL and there is a DVD of that title from 2006.

VL and Knuck have the same engine seating platform. Panheads had the front mount lowered so a Pan or Shovel engine will not sit flush on VL or Knuck frames. H-D had a spacer under the front motor mount of 1948 U models to compensate for the lowered Panhead mount.

[Jerry Wieland]

Actually what HD did in 1948 was to rotate the Panhead engine forward 3 degrees apparently to help with seatpost area clearance. If you put a panhead case up to a knucklehead case there is no height difference but the angle of the milled motor mount deck is slightly different.

Jerry

[T. Cotten]

That's a revelation to me, Jerry!

It might explain some of my mistakes...

...Cotten