1959 XLH chopper build

right so I've finally got my breakfast in me, Ive got no where to go at the moment, so I've decided I'll figure this here photobucket stuff out and start posting some pictures of my progress.

I picked up this 1959 XLH with the help of my good friend Levi down in Rochester NY. Certain that everyone around me was on the verge of robbing/killing me I was only too happy to fork over the money, load the bike, and leg it out of town. Here is the result



Really I only bought this for the engine and rear wheel, everything else has gotta go. At home I had this Paugcho frame and who-knows-what springer waiting for it.



mocked up with wheels
Hmmmm not bad, this might work.

I then moved the frame out to my back room/work area and after installing the for cups and bearings, welded in some tank bungs (coupler nuts I rounded using my drill press and a hand file, thanks again Levi) added sportster rear wheel, and frisco tank that Crazy Ben gave me.

I like it! Again thanks Levi for the handle bars.

so the engine was in pretty rough shape, top end was actually quite happy, but the tranny area was all a mess. I split the cases and had the transmission counter shaft race repaired. I have no pics of this part unfortunatly. I then mentioned to my friend brother Walter the Croatian sensation that i was rebuilding a 900 and he insisted I bring it over. He's been building big twins his whole adult life and I trust what he says. Ive seen bikes hes built with crazy high milage on them, still going strong.
anywhoo...

Whoever had put this poor thing together previously had used a too small pinion shaft bushing that he must of pressed on as it took us a hammer to get off, the bushing was spinning freely in the cam cover . I called up B A machine and performance cycle in osgood and ordered up a new primary chain, primary adjuster, pinion bushing, clutch hub nut (previous one was horribly stripped) and some other odds and ends. Next day they were in so I picked the whole shebang up and dropped them off at walters. Today Im taking off and we'll continue this next week. Here are some pictures of the motor

top end was torn down, painted, checked, and all seals replaced.

Those ironheads can be a bit finicky. Spark plugs that are cool enough to run at highway speeds will foul around town. Plugs that are hot enough to stay clean around town will fry when you hit the highway.

Neat

AlphaDogChoppers said:

Those ironheads can be a bit finicky. Spark plugs that are cool enough to run at highway speeds will foul around town. Plugs that are hot enough to stay clean around town will fry when you hit the highway.

Click to expand...

Never heard that, my buddies daily rider and long hauler is a 64xlch and he's never mentioned that. Maby you had jetting issues.

Never had one myself. I've been tempted a couple times but they always had an inflated idea as to what they were worth. One guy tried to sell me a hardtail basket case for $2,000. I think he's insane. <G>

I would love to get my hands on a shovelhead Dyna. I know a guy who has one that he doesn't ride, but I'll have to wait for him to die before I could buy it. :-\

Prices on them have gone up for sure, up here in Canada any HD is priced for its weight in solid gold, thats why I went down to NY. I paid that for mine TBH, but these 900's are getting really fucking hard to find now a days. I spent over a year looking for one that I could afford. 70's AMF 1000's are pretty easy to find though, I understand the 72's are quite good. Im just happy that I have mine now.

Cool!

so my buddy dropped off my frame at Brother Walters and they couldnt help popping the engine in. On one hand I was pretty stoked to see the pic, on the other I cant help but feel like my build has been taken over. Im just posessive I suppose and this is the first time anyone but me has wokred on my shit, my excuse being that I dont know HD very well.

My frame, its a frame..



They sent me this pic, Walter has been crazy happy about this whole thing. I think Installing my transmission and primary while listening to pink floyd has been the highlight of this year so far.

So Im finally done work for the week, I drive transport 4 days on 4 days off, and Ill be heading over with the rest of the bits and pieces I have, by tomorrow night she'll be a roller again and should be started up. I'll make sure to take a video of that.

So I swung by Walters place today with some bits, I put some on. The rear motor mount still needs to go on, as well as the top. The front mounts are awaiting the forward control plates which are there now. Were gonna disassemble the springer to check all the bushings and make sure theyre in good condition. Currently were waiting on the godverdamnit clutch hub nut to come in. I called my usual parts lady to find out she was about to call me and tell me her supplyer had fucked up and didnt have any in stock. grrrr. Anyways, here are some pics. Oh and Im not gonna use them risers anymore so if anyone has some they wanna sell/trade....

So its been a while, Ive got a lot done but have not been really photographing much. Right now i need to machine larger holes for the new front axle I have in my rockers, find the right threaded rod to go with the rod ends I bought to form my front brake anchor, get a proper brake cable made for it, either mount the seat I have or un lazy myself and finish the huge king queen seat im making. The flat black tank has to go, well no t the tank but the paint, its really bumming my out, the rest of the bike is so nice. Im waiting on my buddy to come up tuesday with some mid mounts and a new brake arm so I can just run mids instead of fanangling forward controls.

I also need to make a new shifter arm as the one I did make isnt going to work very well. just attaching it properly is a nightmare as one of the previous owners lengthened the shif for shaft coming out of the case and rounded it, using two holeds drilled through to mount whatever the fuck they were using as a shifter.



Mini drum on 19 in rim i found in some shop in Rochester, it had been rattle canned flat black and too a few hours to clean. I got brand new soles on the shoes, and once everything is done properly it should almost kinda help stop me.





my buddies 1970 900 in the back, its got all kinds of trick shit going on, duel plugged heads, open belt primary, ridiculous clutch, chromed frame.


Ive ridden it around the block a couple times now, I dont want to ride it much more then that until I have the right axle up front as well as better sorted brakes. Its crazy fun though and I am totally sold on Harley, frigging stump pulling torque.

You wouldn't still have the fender that came on the bike, would ya?

I sure do, tail light and all.



you want? anything you see in the pics of the original bike except the real wheel and motor are for sale. Frame, front end, oil tank, hideous front wheel, fender, risers. Pm me an offer!

So its been a while since Ive updated this. Ive got all the paint off that wheel I got and some new rubber on it. This thing is so nice, it clearly wasnt painted to cover rust up. I also got new shoes made up and the axle cut. Spacers were found and the whole set up looks nice. I'll need to have a special cable made for it, but Ive got a lot of bills and not a lot f money for this right now, its gonna have to wait for a bit.



Ive ridden it around the block a few times. I'm waiting on a oem brake lever cus my bodged forward control simply doesnt exert enough force to stop the bike.



I dont expext this mini drum to be much more then a hill holder either, so the rear is gonna have to really work well and reliably.



Q: do you have a chopper in your kitchen?
A: do you not?

Nice!! Never had a 900 but I had a couple 1000s. Here was my last one I had:



Still miss that bike.

Ooo, early 70's xlch! Nice! Spooled front hub and shaved legs, not for the faint of heart. If I couldnt find a 900 then that woulda been next in line, specifically a 72. How were those shorty pipes? What frame is that?

I had a girlfriend once with shaved legs. She was fun to ride, too.

ill bet!

Oil tank has to go, have an OEM XLCH lunchbox tank coming my way that I have some ideas for.