'48 Panhead Chopper build in New Zealand

[AndyNZ]

Hi all,

Been a minute since I've been on here after finishing my Shovelhead build - https://www.chopcult.com/forum/showt...ghlight=AndyNZ . Good news is all is good with that bike and she's riding and ripping. About 6 months after finishing the Shovel i got a hair up my ass to build a Panhead....and so that parts collecting began.



I've been a bit crap at taking photos to date so ill sharpen up on that, but the plan is to build a wild, molded, 60's style Panhead. I've begun a lot of the Sheetmetal work already having mounted the gas tank, begun on the tank molding, molded the frame into the neck, and done the finned down tubes and rear upper legs, as well as sectioning the rear fender.

The bikes in a roller now and some of the parts i have and ideas for the build are below.

- 1948 FL Panhead, matching cases, fully rebuilt by DC Choppers, Andrews Cam, Linkert M74B
- 1949 Trans, rebuilt, chromed etc.
- 1948 Edlunds re-pop frame that I've hacked up already
- 18" WM3 Rear rim & Starhub + Avon, 21" WM0 Front rim and Star hub + NOS Avon 2.75' Speedmaster
- Early WG with +3° Trees, +4" Tubes, +6" Alley Choppers Lowers
- Flanders 2" offset riser with big Apes + internal throttle
- Bates side mount headlight
- Planning to make my own front brake backing plate which I've started to make things narrower (more to come on that)
- Early Horsehoe oil tank in chrome
- Wassell tank, molded into frame with Sheetmetal but still removable
- BDL belt drive + Pro-clutch, all inside chrome smooth primary covers
- Original Lee Foot clutch, Custom clutch linkage which I've started on, Pangea "Dishong" style brake
- Custom Mini-Floor boards
- Rear fender molded into frame but removable

So yeah, thats the plan. I've literally bought everything i need to finish the bike...just have to do the work now. A few photos are below.

[farmall]

A wise choice in ancient times was "breakaway" molding meaning the same mold job (whatever ya like) but with a discreetly thin separation between tank and frame so if anything happens to the tank or you wish to remove it for maintenance that's no problem.

It's more work and I'm not a body man but it looks great and the extra effort is obvious and a very kool touch appreciated by those who know. I've seen a few owners back when molding was popular who were quite irate after their permanently attached tank got damaged and even if you never harm your scoot the world abounds in morons.

[Zeeman]

Nice start there! Hard to go wrong with that parts pile..

[Dragstews]

Loving the metal work ..
(Kinda a lost art these days)

[farmall]

Indeed. The more interesting details and contours to catch the eye the better. Many assertive molding jobs end up looking overly heavy not because of their size but because of large slightly convex or flat areas which would have benefitted from contouring (for example slight dishing). The koolest work often had subtle details viewers "see" and love but don't quite "notice" on their own. This scoot won't have that problem. It should appear organic to the frame when done based on the proportions so far.

The lines are right (art has rules of proportion made by the way humans see objects) with the "triangles" that make a proper choppa. The late Genghis (writer and photog in the David Snow era of Iron Horse) was good at waxing lyrical about why they work and was correct. The Seedy X Fecesbook group has many old bikers including David Snow and a shitload of good and bad example scoots. It's worth a look. OP adding triangles strategically complements the frame and fork triangles. Anyone into this a while will recognize some of the posters like Steg von Heintz.

[AndyNZ]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Farmall - the "breakaway" molding is exactly what I'm aiming for. Front of the tank is done so im completing some sheetmetal accenting on the top atm then ill move to the breakaway molding at the rear. I plan to do the same thing with the rear fender.

I totally agree around proportions and the use of triangles. I learnt on my first build to stand back and look at balance and proportion carefully, as in my eyes it makes or breaks a bike. I've actually done some more sheetmetal/triangular molding on the underside of the neck to, you can see it in this photo. All of it still needs finish welding and blending in yet but the shapes there at least.



Dragstews - I'm no sheetmetal guy, to be honest its my first time ever really working with it. My process is quite simple, outline in 1/4" round bar bent using MAP gas, template with thick paper and tape in place to check fit, transfer to 1mm (19 Gauge) cold roll steel, cut with an angle grinder, clean up, then tack in place starting on the longest side of the profile. If its a symmetrical piece i start in the middle and work outwards.

[AndyNZ]

Got some more done over the weekend.

Gas tank is now finished. Got the tank scoop and the breakaway molding at the rear all done, as well as the petcock bung machined and welded in, using a Pangea Petcock on this one which is top notch. The molding was a massive challenge but its come out good. Once body work is done the "breakaway" gap both the front and the back of the tanks will close up to around 1/16". The filler work should smooth everything out really nice as my Sheetmetal skill is best described as "do your best bog the rest".

The tank itself is mounted to the back bone using plates that span the tunnel with nuts welded to the backside, and two countersunk bungs that were drilled and welded through the backbone.




I also got the solid riser bushings machined, still waiting on my risers to turn up yet.



Also began my top motor mount. Started by drawing some spikey chain links in CAD and laser cutting them out of 1/4" Mild Steel. Next ill radius all the edges and give the links a polish, then weld the split links up, then the whole top mount together. The foot clutch release arm will be made in the same style, just out of 316 SS as this wont be fully welded together.

[CDeeZ]

Are you on the north or south island?

[AndyNZ]

Are you on the north or south island?

Hi CDeez, im based down in Dunedin so South Island. Are you in NZ?

[CDeeZ]

No sir, I'm from/still in Oklahoma. I was in Dunedin coming up on 3 years ago. Dunedin, CC, Nelson, Arthur's Pass, and some other places I surely can't remember. Mainly I was in Dunedin though. There's a guy named Robbie who imports HDs in Dunedin. You probably know him.

Flew out of Auckland right as the borders were shutting down to get back home to OKLA.

Made sure to come back with a Swanndri. Wore it today actually since it's 39*F here.

[AndyNZ]

No sir, I'm from/still in Oklahoma. I was in Dunedin coming up on 3 years ago. Dunedin, CC, Nelson, Arthur's Pass, and some other places I surely can't remember. Mainly I was in Dunedin though. There's a guy named Robbie who imports HDs in Dunedin. You probably know him.

Flew out of Auckland right as the borders were shutting down to get back home to OKLA.

Made sure to come back with a Swanndri. Wore it today actually since it's 39*F here.

Nice one, im originally from Christchurch but been down here 5 odd years now. I know Robbie well, he imports a lot of bikes for me. His Nephew is a good friend of mine, lives just up the street and also and has a Shovelhead....what a small world!

[CDeeZ]

Nice one, im originally from Christchurch but been down here 5 odd years now. I know Robbie well, he imports a lot of bikes for me. His Nephew is a good friend of mine, lives just up the street and also and has a Shovelhead....what a small world!

Seems to get smaller all the time!

[AndyNZ]

Chipped away at my top motor mount over the weekend as well as put some new chrome Clutch bits on the Shovelhead.

For the Pan motor mount, i drew in CAD and laser cut some spikey chain links in 1/4" Mild Steel, pre-polished them all using a grey wheel, assembled the chain, machined the spacer that sits against the frame and tacked it to the chain. Once that was done i bolted the whole thing in place and arranged the chain links evenly before tacking each of them in position then fully welding it out.







Shovelhead got a new Chrome pressure plate, spring retainer plate, and springs which is far nicer than the old rusty steel i had on there.




Rolled the Pan out for a looks at the stance....liking it so far.

[F6Cycle]

Cool build!

[samsquanch]

This is fantastic!