Will a 1980 Shovelhead fit in a 1958 duo glide frame

[Norrimichlson]

Hello,

My name is Michael and I'm new to this forum, just a quick question to begin with: Will a late Shovel fit in a 1958 duo glide frame?

Thanks fpr your help guys

[farmall]

You need a way to title the result.

Title passes with engine on pre-1970 HDs but with frame on post-1970 HDs so you'd have hoops to jump through. The engine would fit but the path of least suffering is a titled later frame.

[Tattooo]

Hello,

My name is Michael and I'm new to this forum, just a quick question to begin with: Will a late Shovel fit in a 1958 duo glide frame?

Thanks fpr your help guys

It will fit but, it will be very tight and you might need to grind the down tube a little at the top............ For rocker box and exhaust clearance. Mock it up before you paint anything.............. All frames don't fit the same...........

^^^^^^^^^^^Also what farm said above..........^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Norrimichlson]

Thanks for the answers guys.

I live in Germany, things here are a bit different. The Frame is the part that gives the bike its identity, so if the engine fits, and there is some kind of documentation like a title or paperwork from customs everything is cool over here. If you want to build a cool bike you have to go old, because otherwise you have muffle your pipes and that really sucks. I originaly wanted to build a hardtail, but I would need an original rigid frame and title, which is next to impossible. Duo gilde frames + paperwork are more affortable.

[farmall]

Sweet! The old frames are much better looking so you win.

[Norrimichlson]

Thats true better looking + I love my obscure old machinery

[Dougtheinternetannoyance123]

Thats true better looking + I love my obscure old machinery

I feel your pain, When I was there in the 1980s German Bureaucracy was tough, seeing as I had a 1963 Nova SS chevy,,, even the laws on tail lights were a pain in the tuckus.. Nicht Geil.

But I have some friends who come visit from Germany and they go thru headaches shipping stuff back. Not going to post all their details online, but I heard, Belgium, just saying, easier. wink wink.

But Tuuv. Jeez, Praise Allah we dont have that here in the US. But experimenting with a hardtailed 1960s Triumph with preunit bits and a 1951 title. Not sure if it will work.

[Down]

Thats true better looking + I love my obscure old machinery

Did you ever get this project started? I'm looking at doing the same. Duo Glide frames seem to be widely available from Germany (I'm in Finland) and I'm looking at a late Shovelhead that comes with the neck and title.

Will a late 4 speed gearbox bolt on no problems? My research tells me yes, because they really didn't change the mounts much at all. Just looking for confirmation from you good folks.

Cheaper option would be a softail 5 speed, but those require some modification to get on there, no?

[JBinNC]

See Tattooo's post #3, above. The later four speeds, along with their transmission plate and the aluminum electric start primaries are a bolt-in as well, BUT the square oil tank and electric start battery box do not fit a DuoGlide frame.

Jim