Need Shovelhead mechanic around Chicago

[Kev1962]

Hi all,

Working on my first real big restoration. A 76 FLH. Stripped down to frame, powder coated, new harness. Rebuilt the front forks. New suspension, wheels, tires,brakes. Now getting to the motor/trans and am totally lost. Getting all kinds of conflicting advice and need some guidance. Looking for someone to check my motor and trans and tell me what needs to be done to it. Not looking for help. Its way out of my league. Looking to pay to have it done. I can handle the rest after I get the moto and trans back in the frame.

Thanks in advance and have a great day!


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[Dablaze]

Kev,

Installing the motor/trans is not that horrible, you are at the same place I was when I first felt lost on my first bike, a '74 shovel way back when and before the interwebs. The resources now are so much more plentiful.

Forums like this one for old restoration advice as well as techtalk and hdforum aong with a proper HD manual should get you through. If you have a correctly assembled motor, put it in, snug down your rear 2 engine bolts, check the gap at the front, use some Chevy tranny shim or other stock to fill the gap under the front mount and then snug those up, then torque the bolts correctly according to the manual. Voila, your engines in, onto the next step. Sometimes you'll have to go backwards a bit, but it will be worth it when it fires up. Don't forget to tape anything you don't want scratched. Any powder coated holes may have shrunk and need to be chased with taps.

People will hate me when I say this but I always joke that you could assemble a shovel with vise grips and a wooden ruler (don't try that, it's a joke) but it really is a pretty good machine to t your teach on.

Looks nice, I am not big on tall bars as I work for a motorcycle training school and when you need to suddenly counter steer it sucks when you just leverage the bars into turning in the risers...but not everybody thinks traditional FL bars are cool like I do.

Craig

[D.A.Bagin]

Bone-A-Fide Cycles
North Pekin Ill.
Tom, AKA, "T-Bone" Brewer
309-382-2525
Worth the ride.

[Sargehere]

Bone-A-Fide Cycles
North Pekin Ill.
Tom, AKA, "T-Bone" Brewer
309-382-2525
Worth the ride.

I second that! Have had extensive experience with T-bone. Excellent mechanic, and his shop is like a hospital operating room. First Class operation.

[Kev1962]

Thanks Craig,

That's part of the problem. I stripped the bike down to frame/motor/trans and took it to a local shop. He was supposed to remove motor and trans, give me the frame back to powder coat. He was supposed to check motor and trans and re-install them and I would do the rest. 8 months later I got back 3 boxes of parts. So I don't know what I have. That's why I am looking for a shovel expert.

The bars are not as high as they look in the pic. I am fairly short so didn't go crazy.

I really appreciate the advice. Have a great day!

[Kev1962]

Thanks!!!!!