Building a Harley

[m1marty]

Picked the bike up several months ago. Rebuilt motor and some other bits made for an ok running bike but rather ugly in my opinion. Didn't sit right, miss-matched parts, Linkert carb, new model shocks, belt drive open primary- it was a parts pile. It's an FLH (numbers match) that the PO converted to an FX style bike in the late 70's.
How I got it:

Starting the tune up/going over while I start deciding on how I wanted the bike to look:

 

[m1marty]

Decided I wanted to go back to an FLH so I started looking for parts. I considered stripping the bike down and doing a in depth restoration but decided against it. A dirty, bar hopping bike was what I was after. As it was already dirty and surface rusty with the paint being not so great.....I was already on the way to what I wanted. Guess the bike came around from being lazy more than anything else.
Found a complete front end:

 

[m1marty]

Next was rear fender, seat and exhaust. I cut the stock tail light bracket out of the hinged fender and added a tombstone tail light. I didn't like how the fishtail looked or sounded so I added a Screaming Eagle muffler. It has since been changed again but more on that later. I also added a Paughco horseshoe tank to replace the stock tank and battery box.

 

[m1marty]

This is how the bike sat as I decided on what I wanted to do next. Not a bad looking bike (to me) but it wasn't quite "done" for me.

Added a grease pencil motto to the belt:

Maybe I should have left well enough alone but the paint was bugging me so out came the sand paper. My original plan was to scuff the tins and shoot in satin black for a greasy look. As I was sanding I got down to the primer in a few spots and an idea hit me. So off to the parts store for some red primer. A light coat of primer and various grits of paper to knock it down produced this look. Is it an original "barn find" set of tanks? No but I'm pretty happy with the outcome. Tanks are OEM 3.5 gallon tanks (have straight down cross over tubes)

 

[m1marty]

Here they are mounted on the bike

Next was the seat. I have a factory two up, the corbin solo saddle and I just picked up a pogo assembly from a buddy to eventualy run a solo tractor seat. Can't have enough seats I guess. And this leads me to the latest project.......another seat. I have had an idea to make my own seat for a while. I haven't ever done this before but I'm a pretty handy guy so..........
I searched high and low all over Tacoma looking for a sarape (mexican blanket) After much searching I found what I wanted. Made some measurments and matched the seat tin up to the frame.

Rough mock up fitted to the frame.

 

[m1marty]

Got some more done today. I still need to pull the rear fender for paint and button up a few more small things. There's a ton of small things I've done to the bike that I haven't mentioned here but there's a LOT of subtle things/improvments I've done. I also added a beautiful early 50's Harley "Mellow Tone" muffler as well.
In a World of "McChoppers" and show queens, I wanted something different. I hate cookie cutter bikes. This is my idea of a Rat Rod on two wheels. Might not be everyones cup of tea but........I did it my way.

 

[Psychopomp]

That's gonna be a nice looking bike when you're finished. Those tanks look great.

Great work so far.

 

[338375]

Looks like you are having a lot of fun. You wouldn't know it was the same bike.

I miss having something to work on. My last "toy" was my Winged Sprint car. I sold it right before my son was born 12 years ago..

I've been thinking about getting a Harley for quite a few years. Hopefully in another year or so I'll be able to.
I agree with you about having a cookie cutter bike. When they are going down the road, there are very few that stand out from the rest, and really grab your attention

 

[SIXFOOTER]

Looking better, have a color picked out?

 

[fivefold]

Sweet. Kinda has a retro Fat Boy thing goin' on.

 

[m1marty]

Looking better, have a color picked out?

Yup- you're looking at it.

 

[LMT66]

Great pictures and story to go with it!

Reminds me of this old song

[youtube]2mt4XjDrlH8&feature[/youtube]

 

[AeroNautiCal]

Looking good. The headlamp nacelle reminds me of some of the British bikes from the 50/60.

Your bike is light years better than when you got it.

I loved being a motorcycle mechanic and running my own little workshop, and I reckon that a hydraulic lift makes life soooo much nicer!

 

[WolfTracker]

Nice sled. What's not to like about a shovel?

 

[Blue Sky]

Not to buzzkill the creative process or anything, but I think I might have been sorely tempted to stop at this point. That's a solid no-nonsense look right there, I'd ride that any day.

 

[m1marty]

Not to buzzkill the creative process or anything, but I think I might have been sorely tempted to stop at this point. That's a solid no-nonsense look right there, I'd ride that any day.

Nice thing is- I'm a can or two of Krylon and a few bolts away from going back to exactly that. Paint, seat and a front fender are the only changes from that pic. To me, that's one of the cool things about an old Harley, you can change the look with a few simple bolt on parts.:thumbup:

 

[killgar]

BEAUTIFUL!!

Your tastes are very much like my own. Bikes are for ridin' not for winning beauty pagents. I love bikes that look like they've got a long sordid history. Like a woman with a bit of mileage on her, she's not "pretty" anymore but she still looks good and can give you one hell of a good time. Rust, corrosion, dents, scuffs and scratches all give a bike far more personality than any shiny, brand new bike fresh from the showroom or some garage queen that gets polished more than ridden.

I prefer the "road warrior" look or the "industrial" look. I like "ugly" bikes that look like they've been ridden to hell and back and are ready to go agin. I like my gear the same way. I don't polish my boots, they're dirty, scuffed, and generally mangled. I don't condition my leather jacket, it's HEAVILY scuffed, faded and a bit ragged, but still structurally intact. When people comment about the dirt on my bikes I tell em "This is a workhorse, it aint no show pony."

I'm 40 years old. Been ridin since I was 17. Haven't driven a car since I was 17. Spent the last 23 years living on motorcycles. Kinda like a long love/hate relationship with a woman, good times and bad with a bit of aggravation here and there, a few bumps and bruises along the way but I stick to it. What else can you do, they might kill ya but you can't live without em.

Keep on ridin.

 

[m1marty]

Nice sled. What's not to like about a shovel?

The constant tinkering, the bottles of Loc-Tite needed to keep it all together, the constant fuel fouling of the plugs if the choke stays on for one second too long, the vibration that shakes everything loose (see: Loc-Tite) the fun of a kick-only big twin etc??
For all that- I love them. I've had a couple as well as newer stuff. The newer stuff is nice for "ride it and forget it" but lack "soul" to me. The newer bikes (EVO and Twin Cams) sound like boat motors to me- the shovel was the last of the hemi motors.

BEAUTIFUL!!

Bikes are for ridin' not for winning beauty pagents. .

Thanks and I agree 100%:thumbup: