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09-29-2019 #1Senior Member
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- Sep 2019
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First build thread... '47 Knucklehead basket case
Well here goes!!! I just got home today with the rest of the parts that have been collecting dust in my dad's barn since 1983. There are definitely some things missing, but I kind of expected that. Over the winter I'll be working on trying to bring my dad's baby back to life. Here's to you dad!
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09-29-2019 #2Senior Member
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Awesome man awesome......... What are your plans????????? Don't fuck it up..............
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09-29-2019 #3Senior Member
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- Sep 2019
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Don't fuck it up, yeah, that pretty much sums it up, haha!
Originally Posted by Tattooo
To start with I'm planning to try to bring it back to how my dad had it when I was a kid. Keeping the 21 on the front and the bobbed rear fender. He talked about someday going more original with it, so I might try to do that eventually, but not right now.
I don't have a garage or workshop right now, so working in my livingroom.
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09-29-2019 #4Senior Member
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- Mar 2012
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Cool. Lucky bastard
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09-29-2019 #5Senior Member
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- Dec 2017
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Sounds like a great project.
This may be of interest; just gotta get past the preachin':
Knucklehead Tech.
Knucklehead Theology
http://knuckleheadtheology.blogspot....klehead%20Tech
and this:
HarleyTechTalk »
Technical Forums »
Knuck/Flat Head
https://harleytechtalk.com/htt/index...2oi5&board=7.0
Lots of fun ahead:
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09-30-2019 #6Senior Member
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Are those hardwood floors .. ??
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09-30-2019 #7Senior Member
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Thats awesome. Any old pics of it together?
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09-30-2019 #8Senior Member
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Is that TV 4K?
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09-30-2019 #9Senior Member
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- Sep 2012
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Kinda, They look like the snap together flooring............ Originally Posted by Dragstews
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09-30-2019 #10Senior Member
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- Sep 2019
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Bingo. Laminate. And yes, 4k baby. �� Originally Posted by Tattooo
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09-30-2019 #11Senior Member
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Unfortunately I don't have any old pics. I remember seeing one of my great grandmother on it many years ago, but no idea where it is now. Originally Posted by Bringtheruckus
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10-01-2019 #12Senior Member
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- Sep 2019
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Compression test last night showed less than 30 lbs compression in both cylinders, so working on pulling the heads. I'm hoping it's just valves needing to be cleaned up....
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10-02-2019 #13Senior Member
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- Sep 2019
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Speedometer shipped out yesterday to Stan at Vintage Rust for refurb.
He said turnaround time is approx 6 months right now, so hopefully I'll be ready for it by the time it's done!
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10-02-2019 #14Senior Member
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- Sep 2012
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How bad was it did it work at all??????????? Unless it was terrible I wouldn't touch it....... Do you have any pics????? Originally Posted by JakeF
Speedometer shipped out yesterday to Stan at Vintage Rust for refurb.
He said turnaround time is approx 6 months right now, so hopefully I'll be ready for it by the time it's done!
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10-02-2019 #15Senior Member
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- Sep 2019
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It was in really rough shape. I hooked the cable up to it and couldn't get it to turn at all. Trip odometer reset wouldn't turn either. Worth the price to me to have it gone through!
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10-02-2019 #16Senior Member
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- Sep 2019
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All the wiring was complete junk, with insulation cracking and falling off and dumbass crimp on connectors everywhere.
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10-02-2019 #17Senior Member
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Do not repaint the face or the needle just clean it........ Just redo the odometer and numbers........... Originally Posted by JakeF
It was in really rough shape. I hooked the cable up to it and couldn't get it to turn at all. Trip odometer reset wouldn't turn either. Worth the price to me to have it gone through!
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10-03-2019 #18Senior Member
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- Sep 2019
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Pulled the heads and jugs last night. Cylinder walls look great to me, pistons I think will be fine with some clean-up,,, just cruddy with carbon on top.
Looks like it's been bored out a bit. I'm measuring 3.4260 and my manual says stock bore is 3 5/16" (3.3125)... seems an odd measurement. I would have expected an even .10 or .20 over, but this is .1135 over stock if my measurement is accurate. The pistons themselves measure 3.4110".
I'm debating about trying to do the heads myself or bringing them to a local shop... I haven't done valves since I rebuilt a Ford flathead V8 when I was 14, and that was almost 30 years ago.
Last edited by JakeF; 10-03-2019 at 6:03 AM.
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10-03-2019 #19Senior Member
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You can't check the cylinder at the top. Well you can but it won't be accurate......
But the rest of it looks nice for it's age.
If it was me I would clean everything up, Inspect then lap the valves if they look ok. Clean the cylinder walls with a dingle berry hone. Install new rings and put it back together.........
But I'm cheap and I've done it many times on cars and bikes....... I've NEVER had any problems.....
How does the bottom end feel????????Last edited by Tattooo; 10-03-2019 at 6:37 AM.
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10-03-2019 #20Senior Member
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- Sep 2019
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OK. I'll measure the bore again tonight at the bottom end of the jug. Just want to make sure I order the right rings!! I have a stone cylinder hone, but not a dingleberry hone. Is there a benefit to using a dingleberry hone instead?
I haven't looked very closely at the bottom end yet, but rods felt tight and flywheel spins smoothly. Anything in particular I should look for? Hoping I don't need to split the case apart, but I do have a new gasket for that in the event that is necessary.
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