Build thread, swing’n shovel chop

[ExplodingCoffinEmporium]

This shovel started from humble beginnings in cold ass Michigan. Eventually it made it’s way to equally cold ass northern Wisconsin where it was neglected for many years. Some shit kicker named Brandon in Trevor, WI bought her with hopes of turning her into some goofy ass wide tire OCC wet dream. Not only did this dream not come to fruition, it turned this once complete bike into a basket case, outside of the engine not being opened, thank the chopper lords. The bike sat in a southern WI basement for another half a decade until I came along.

I saw the ad:

Went the next day with cash in hand and bought this pile of bike for a cool $1300 after some bitching and griping while doing my best to maintain a poker face that would give Doc Watson a stroke.

The title was potentially fucked, which was ok considering the price and I knew this getting into it. I consulted my old/angry/polish title guru and with some imagination and a few bucks I untwisted the Gordian knot two previous openers managed to create.


Now the fire has been stoked, a clean title in hand for my future project.

California, Canada, New York, swap meets, and digging into the collection, parts start to be acquired. A swingarm chop is decided on, gotta be a round swinarm


Some more parts go on, I wanted to at least start mocking her up rough and get her on the ground,


I’ll try to keep this thread updated as I go. I’m busy, 2 kids, work, an angry polish wife, and 2 more semesters of an advanced degree(smart shit in your late 30’s I could kick myself in the ass). I always appreciate any advice or recommendations. I’ve been a body man and at times mechanic doing class car resto work part time for almost a decade and a half alongside nursing, so not a new hand but definitely a lot to learn. I’ve read ahead, factory service manual, parts manual, and even picked up both of the Donny’s unauthorized technical guides based on Farmall mentioning it in another thread. Happy new year, and hope to have this on the road by the end of this new year.

[rockman96]

That will be a great looking scoot man! And I feel your schooling pain... I went and got my EET in my late 30's. It's a real pain on several levels to go back to get schooling, but there are some advantages too, i.e. I cared a lot more later in life than I did at 18, so I was able to make more of it. You are are probably aware of this as well.

Keep up the good work on the bike!

[Dragstews]

Went the next day with cash in hand and bought this pile of bike for a cool $1300 after some bitching and griping while doing my best to maintain a poker face that would give Doc Watson a stroke.

For those that didn't catch that ...
Old Doc was a blind man ... And a hellofa flat picker ...

... /// https://youtu.be/cw2Dn9a8sQ4 \\\ ...

[ExplodingCoffinEmporium]

For those that didn't catch that ...
Old Doc was a blind man ... And a hellofa flat picker ...

... /// https://youtu.be/cw2Dn9a8sQ4 \\\ ...

Still one of my favorite string pluckers of all time

[Dragstews]

Mine too ...

Saw him and Merle at the "The Grand Ole Opry" (Ryman Auditorium) many times .... RIP Boys

... /// https://youtu.be/C-CGqAdW2vE \\\ ...

Haunting Mountain Folklore Ballads would being a tear to your eye ...

[ExplodingCoffinEmporium]

On the list of shit I need to figure out is braking system. Currently I have a banana brake on the rear with a 10” rotor and Wagner 3/4” bore master. I have the correct axle and axle locator to run a modern wheel/disc setup on a round swingarm and I also turned up some spacers on my mini lathe to fit the bill. With that being said, I dig braking well and have heard/read a GMA setup with 11.5” disc is a hell of a lot better. I would obviously need to grab a 5/8” bore master as well. Is it worth it? Secondly, if I go that route I’ll match it up and have to figure out a proper front GMA setup for my springer which is another mystery. Recommendations?

[JBinNC]

On the list of shit I need to figure out is braking system. Currently I have a banana brake on the rear with a 10” rotor and Wagner 3/4” bore master. I have the correct axle and axle locator to run a modern wheel/disc setup on a round swingarm and I also turned up some spacers on my mini lathe to fit the bill. With that being said, I dig braking well and have heard/read a GMA setup with 11.5” disc is a hell of a lot better. I would obviously need to grab a 5/8” bore master as well. Is it worth it? Secondly, if I go that route I’ll match it up and have to figure out a proper front GMA setup for my springer which is another mystery. Recommendations?

Rear banana caliper on a two point bracket for an 11 1/2" rotor, with rotor to match, will work as well as the GMA brake, and utilize the components you have on hand. Old brake parts will need some love, however, so it's not a free lunch.

Jim

[Dragstews]

I have a stock HD rear brake (Caliper & Mount) ... Tis late model stuff ...

Might be good for your build .. ??

[KELD]

On the list of shit I need to figure out is braking system. Currently I have a banana brake on the rear with a 10” rotor and Wagner 3/4” bore master. I have the correct axle and axle locator to run a modern wheel/disc setup on a round swingarm and I also turned up some spacers on my mini lathe to fit the bill. With that being said, I dig braking well and have heard/read a GMA setup with 11.5” disc is a hell of a lot better. I would obviously need to grab a 5/8” bore master as well. Is it worth it? Secondly, if I go that route I’ll match it up and have to figure out a proper front GMA setup for my springer which is another mystery. Recommendations?

Get a Fabkevin kit.

[ExplodingCoffinEmporium]

Rear banana caliper on a two point bracket for an 11 1/2" rotor, with rotor to match, will work as well as the GMA brake, and utilize the components you have on hand. Old brake parts will need some love, however, so it's not a free lunch.

Jim

Still moving along. I picked up a GMA rear brake setup with 11.5” rotor and snagged up a GMA 5/8” rear master cylinder as well. My daughter lost all interest after getting through the bubble wrap.

I started whipping up a crazy crank style fender, I’m hoping to get it turned out and molded by the end of the month.



Too good of a deal to pass up, I snagged up a clean titled 1982 FXRS that needed a good home in the meantime.



Now on to more pressing matters, I need to figure out a good front brake situation for this springer, preferably a GMA disc.

[ExplodingCoffinEmporium]

On to the 4 speed. This is my first go with a 4 speed ratchet top, so I’ve found as many manuals and videos as possible to ensure I get this right and proper, I’d like it to see many miles.


These shift forks may be ok, the marring on them makes me question it though.

Little bit of surface rust, bad seal maybe, gear oil looks clean, will likely thoroughly clean and reassemble.

[ExplodingCoffinEmporium]

When I pulled the kicker cover I checked for shavings, everything looks good so far besides this one little piece of metal, almost looks like a bolt thread left behind but can’t identify it or find it’s mate.

[DoomBuggy]

This is far and away my favorite rebuild video. It really reminds me of some of the Army training stuff I had to sit through, but have never forgotten. ( I still remember how to treat a sucking chest wound in the field! )

[ExplodingCoffinEmporium]

This is far and away my favorite rebuild video. It really reminds me of some of the Army training stuff I had to sit through, but have never forgotten. ( I still remember how to treat a sucking chest wound in the field! )

Thanks Doom, I’ll definitely give it a watch tonight. I figured out that flake of metal I found was just part of a sheared stud, which I’m replacing anyhow. Everything looks clean though outside of the shift forks having an appearance as though they were ground. I plan on checking everything out still and doing a light rebuild for the time.

[1954bmw]

Because I enjoy the pain, how much was the deal on the 82 FXR???

[ExplodingCoffinEmporium]

Because I enjoy the pain, how much was the deal on the 82 FXR???

$1500 clean title in hand. All original outside of air cleaner, rear fender/tail light, speedometer, tachometer, and seat. I’ve started cleaning her up a bit and ordering the correct parts. I should get the rear fender in next week and I’ll prep and spray the tins back to factory scheme. Mechanically it’s going to be a deep clean and refresh. Thankfully nothing outside of my wheelhouse especially in the paint department. My heart always says chop everything, but my brain tells me this is a pretty solid FXRS in not too far off factory state and I’ll likely keep her that way for now.

[1954bmw]

Maybe start an FXR thread, shame you live so far from Cincinnati, I have what is supposed to be a new fxr rear fender and stock seat.

[farmall]

FXRs make relatives ugly choppers compared to the classic frames because of the features that make their frames desirable. The backbone and midsection can look decent but don't hold a candle to the classic solidmount frames. They get chopped IMO mostly because folks chop what they have instead of flipping to get a bike that looks more like what they attempt to get by chopping.

The best solution is as always "add more Harleys". Killer price on that deal as the titled frame is worth what you paid for the bike. I'd buy them all day at that price.

Surface rust is common from condensation in the kicker cover. There is a way to stop that permanently by Cerakoting the parts. I've not done that yet but after I get my oven etc set up I'll do what everyone else does and kote whatever fits in the oven.

[ExplodingCoffinEmporium]

I finished cleaning and sorting out the side cover on my ratchet top. When I pulled the cover the studs came out easy breezy. It’s an STD case and I’m assuming whoever installed the studs didn’t crank them down. It had one bolt instead of a stud as well. I’m either going to pick up fresh studs or I’ve seen colony has bolts, any reason to go one over the other? If studs, I’ve heard mixed opinions from green Loctite to nyloc nuts with nothing added to the stud, all the way to red Loctite on studs. Any wisdom?

[DoomBuggy]

Let me know if you need to borrow the shift fork alignment tool, in case you ain't got's one already.